ARLINGTON, Va. - In observance of the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. interviewed two Tuskegee Airmen, during a virtual roundtable, Oct. 20. The event was part of the American Veterans Center’s 23rd Annual Veterans Conference, which will premiere on Oct. 28. Present at the event were Tuskegee Airmen retired Lt. Col. (Dr.) Harold Brown and retired Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson. Also in attendance were Reserve Officers' Training Corps and U.S. Air Force Academy cadets. “It’s very important for our service members ... to have an understanding of the history of our Air Force," Gen. Brown said. According to the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the 99th Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron (Tuskegee Airmen unit) was formed as the result of an Army Air Forces experiment when the military was racially segregated. The squadron was comprised of black Airmen who “demonstrated conclusively that African Americans - if given equal opportunities and training - could command and support combat units as well as anyone.” The unit served with distinction in combat, and contributed to the eventual integration of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1948. “I was a (young kid) when I joined … it wasn’t until I got older that I realized we had really done something wonderful and made an accomplishment here,” Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brown explained. The roundtable highlighted the Tuskegee Airmen’s achievements and legacy of breaking barriers. Can you imagine 72 P-51s in the air over something like 500 B-17 (and) B-24s? The sky was completely covered literally everywhere and, to me, it was a big show,” Jefferson said as he reminisced about his first combat mission. “To tell you the truth: I enjoyed it, I had a hell of a good time.” Both Lt. Col. Brown and and Jefferson were shot down during the war and served months as prisoners of war. (Source: Secretary of the Air Force 10/26/20)
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