ST. LOUIS – The Tuskegee Airmen, a highly respected group during World War II, not only courageously served but also helped to pave the way for desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces in the 1940’s. The group consisted of America’s first black military airmen, ground crew, and mechanics.
Wendall Pruitt of St. Louis was a licensed pilot who enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force cadet flying program in Alabama. When he graduated, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and flew 70 combat missions.
Then there was Charles White, a graduate of Sumner High School who also attended Stowe Teachers College, now known as Harris-Stowe State University. He was assigned to Tuskegee as an aviation cadet and flew 35 combat missions, with 190 combat hours. Captain White was a key figure in the organization of the St. Louis Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Some of the fighter pilots who were a part of the Tuskegee Airmen suited up for a two-fold battle. The ‘Double V’ campaign, which stood for ‘victory at home and victory abroad,” was a fight on behalf of America and for equal rights in America. The movement addressed systemic racism and segregation and had a crucial impact on the civil rights movement.