Latest news with #TuskegeeAirmen
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Daughter of late Tuskegee Airman talks about her father's journey to becoming one of the first Black US military pilots
OSHKOSH – The story of Capt. Robert Martin goes beyond being a Tuskegee Airman. Martin's daughter, Gabrielle, and author Karen Patterson described the late decorated pilot as a humble, duty-driven man while detailing the challenges he faced en route to becoming one of the first Black military pilots to fight for a segregated U.S. in World War II. Patterson and Martin's discussion on the famed Tuskegee Airman served as one of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh's most anticipated presentations at EAA Museum's Vette Theater during this week's fly-in convention at Wittman Regional Airport. 'You can hear about a hero group, but when you learn the stories about the individual and what drove them, then I think it hits home,' said Gabrielle, who is now a 70-year-old retired lawyer. 'We're not just talking about a label on a wall. We're talking about people who grew up and this is what they faced when they wanted to do something because for so many years they were not allowed to talk about it.' EAA AirVenture Oshkosh: Everything to know about 2025's edition, from airplanes to apps The story of the Tuskegee Airmen has been documented in several media, including movies. A recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart and a Congressional Gold Medal, Martin's story has been well documented through various media, including in movies like the 'Tuskegee Airmen' and the 2021 film 'Tuskegee Airmen: Legacy of Courage.' But Patterson's book with Martin, an autobiography titled 'Red Tail, A Tuskegee Airman's Rendezvous With Destiny,' is one of the first pieces of media that truly explores how he felt about serving a country that didn't necessarily want his service. At least not the service he wanted to provide. Despite graduating from Iowa State University with an electrical engineering degree in 1942 and leaving the military as a decorated war veteran, Martin struggled to find work while being forced to take on menial jobs early in his civilian career. Then-First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt had to fly with a Black instructor to prove that Black pilots were worthy of combat. It even took then-First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt flying with a Black instructor for military officials to allow Black pilots to fly in World War II, despite Martin's extensive flight training. And still, only 355 Black pilots were deployed overseas among the 932 who graduated. Those who were deployed were required to fly 70 missions instead of the usual 50. 'He would tell you he felt an obligation to protect our country,' Gabrielle said. 'In the end, you can say it was very well worth it, because in that sense, those Tuskegee Airmen were the forerunners of desegregation.' In total, the first group to be composed of Black military pilots accounted for 744 air medal and clusters awards, 14 bronze stars, 150 distinguished flying crosses and eight purple hearts after protecting Allied bombers from enemy aircraft. So reliable were the Tuskegee Airmen that they were often requested as the 'Red-Tailed Angels.' Martin survived six weeks in enemy territory after getting shot down over Yugoslavia in his 64th mission. Martin's story is particularly unique, as he was shot down over the former Yugoslavia during his 64th mission in 1945. He managed to find refuge in a farmhouse and stood hidden for six weeks in enemy territory before eventually reconnecting with his unit. 'He was so humble because whenever you asked him 'Why would you do this?' he would say 'Oh, I was just doing my job,'' Gabrielle recalled. Martin was eventually hired as a city draftsman in Chicago and retired as the head designer for street lighting before he died five years ago at the age of 99. Before his passing, Martin formed the Dodo group, aptly named for flightless birds, with other Tuskegee Airmen to open opportunities for Black people in aviation. In 2022, Martin's hometown airport, Dubuque Regional Airport, named its main terminal the Capt. Robert L. Martin Terminal. What to do in Oshkosh: In town for EAA AirVenture? Here's your guide of where to eat & what to do around Oshkosh. The Trump administration directed the Air Force to remove training videos of the Tuskegee Airmen earlier this year. Earlier this year, the Trump administration initially directed the U.S. Air Force to remove training videos of the Tuskegee Airmen and other media showing the contributions of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots in World War II before the move was eventually rescinded. It was done in an apparent effort to end diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the federal government. 'When you talk about DEI, the Tuskegee Airmen proved that it works because they didn't get any special treatment, their standards were not reduced during their training and they performed with excellence in their combat,' said Brian Smith, president and CEO of Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum. 'It's not about giving someone preference or deference, it's about opportunity and inclusion, and this just proves that if you give people a chance, if you give people the same education they can perform at the same level as anyone else.' EAA AirVenture Oshkosh runs through July 27. AirVenture runs through July 27 at Wittman Regional Airport. Daily tickets are $49 for adult EAA members and $68 for adult non-members. Veterans and active military members pay $49 while kids 18 years and younger are free. Patrons can access the daily schedule at or Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@ and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @justinmarville. This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: EAA AirVenture Oshkosh: Tuskegee Airman's daughter talks on group's legacy Solve the daily Crossword
Axios
24-06-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Al Roker discusses new animated weather show at Bentonville Film Festival
Longtime weathercaster Al Roker (yes, from NBC's "Today" show) was at the Bentonville Film Festival this week promoting his new animated series designed to teach kids about weather, offering up a sneak peek to an audience on Tuesday. Why it matters: " Weather Hunters," which premieres on PBS on Sept. 8, will explore the wonder of weather and the science behind it, Roker told Axios on Monday. Once you understand how something works, you're less afraid of it, he said. The big picture: The Bentonville Film Festival, founded by actor Geena Davis, draws celebrities and film and TV industry professionals to NWA. The festival is in its 11th year, emphasizing the elevation of underrepresented groups in front of and behind the camera. "I think the programming for the Bentonville Film Fest is something that's trusted," Roker said. "People come to expect a certain quality and caliber, so I was thrilled when we were asked to do this." Zoom in: The show is about a fictional family, Al and Dot Hunter and their three children, who are weather hunters. The family moves into Al Hunter's grandfather's house after his grandfather passes away. The fictional grandfather was a weatherman after coming home from World War II and serving as a meteorologist for the real-life Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American pilots in the war. "There was a cadre of meteorologists who forecast for the Tuskegee Airmen because they couldn't get enough white meteorologists to forecast for them, so they had a number of Black forecasters," Roker said. What they're saying: "I play Al Hunter, a TV weatherman," Roker said. "He happens to be bald and African American and better-looking than me, but he wears glasses." The show will explore everyday phenomena like dew and fog plus atypical weather like pink snow. How it happened: Roker wanted to combine his fascination with weather and love of animation to create a show that educates and entertains kids as well as their parents and caregivers, he told Axios. He had the idea nearly 20 years ago, when his children were the same ages as the fictional children in the series.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Yahoo
Thousands come to World War II Weekend for ‘genuine experience'
The trip from Tolland to Bern Township isn't a particularly short one. The route from the Connecticut town stretches about 260 miles, down the eastern seaboard to Newark and then west through Allentown. At nearly five hours, it's quite the hike. That's especially true if, like Robert Garabedian, you happen to be a century old. But sitting inside a hangar at Reading Regional Airport late Saturday morning, a steady drizzle tapping on the ground outside, the 100-year-old Army Air Corps veteran was happy he made it. 'I think this is just spectacular,' he said, gazing at the displays honoring the Tuskegee Airmen and other pilots who served during World War II. 'It has to be one of the best events I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot of places in my life.' Saturday was Garabedian's first visit to the Mid Atlantic Air Museum's annual World War II Weekend, an event celebrating its 34th anniversary. For him, the experience — seeing pristine World War II aircraft, watching reenactors clad in military uniforms and carrying rifles, visiting a model of a 1940s French village — sparked a lot of memories. This year's event began Friday and concludes Sunday. A native of Boston, he decided as a teenager to serve his country in World War II by becoming a fighter pilot for the Army Air Corps — the predecessor to the Air Force. After putting in a lot of effort, going through training and passing tests, he finally got his wings and commission in December 1944. He was then assigned to a fighter group that was scheduled to participate in the invasion of Japan, but before he could deploy America dropped a pair of atomic bombs on Japan, effectively bringing the war to an end. 'I finished all of my training and was ready to go over, but they dropped the atomic bombs,' he said. 'I think word leaked out that I was coming, so they gave up. I hate to take credit — I didn't win the whole war.' 'I still have my sense of humor,' he added with a hearty laugh. Robert Garabedian, 100, was training to be a pilot when WWII ended before he was deployed overseas was a guest during the World War II Weekend on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in the Reading Regional Airport. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) Garabedian went on to attend Boston University and met his wife, with whom he would have 12 children. He is still a member of the Connecticut National Guard, serving in a unit that participates in funerals of deceased military members. Garabedian said he was invited to participate in the World War II Weekend by an organization that connects veterans to events like it. 'The interest and attention that we get from people, and the appreciation that they have shown to veterans like me is so wonderful,' he said. 'You know they call us 'the greatest generation.' Thanks very much for saying that, but anyone who puts on the uniform and wants to serve our country deserves the appreciation of all the people who aren't doing that.' Giving that kind of appreciation is exactly why Oliver and Ben Knesl try to make it a point never to miss a World War II Weekend. The father and son duo have traveled from New Jersey to spend the weekend at the event for more than a decade Oliver said his love for history drew him to the event, but the talent and commitment of those who help transport visitors back in time keeps them coming back. 'This is a super show — one of the best in the world,' he said. 'The breadth of the reenactors and the attention to detail that goes into this is just phenomenal.' That authenticity is what inspired them to dress the part themselves. A native of New Zealand, Oliver was wearing a uniform representing the Long Range Desert Group — a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army. Ben was dressed in a uniform worn by the British 1st Airborne Division. Ben, 18, said he loves learning something new each time he comes to the event and that he meets a lot of interesting people along the way. It's an immersive experience, he said. 'A lot of people don't really know about this stuff and this provides a genuine experience,' he said. 'It's like a living museum.' World War II Weekend isn't just a special event for visitors but also for those helping to bring history to life. Tim Kuntz of Ephrata, a member of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders reenactment group, talks about the unit during the World War II Weekend on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in the Reading Regional Airport. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) Saturday morning a group of 12 of them — reenactors decked out in full uniforms — were stationed under a brown tarp. The actors were sitting around their encampment decorated with items from the era. They were portraying the 7th Battalion of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, which fought in France before being stationed in northern Africa and Sicily. The battalion also took part in the invasion of Normandy. 'We are as authentic as possible,' said Tim Kuntz of Lancaster, who has been a reenactor since 1986. 'We have the rations they would get, the weapons they would use, the uniforms they would wear to show how the soldiers lived, fought and, unfortunately, sometimes died.' Kuntz said he enjoys being able to show a different, perhaps unfamiliar perspective of the war. 'The American and British relationship really grew during the war through mutual defiance,' he said. 'And those close ties they formed then remain to this day.' Most of the members of the reenacting group hail from Pennsylvania and New York and travel around the region for events. 'I like the teaching aspect of what we do,' Kuntz said. 'When I talk to the kids about the alliances that were formed and see the lightbulb go off — that's why I do it.' Laura Adie of Montgomery County is part of the group. She portrays a member of the Auxiliary Territorial Service, the women's branch of the British Army. For several years Britain conscripted women to join the war effort. Unmarried women under 30 had to join the armed forces or work on the land or in factories. 'They did a lot of the behind-the-scenes tasks,' she said. 'I work as a public museum educator so I have always been interested in living history events. 'And it's much more compelling to me to portray the British involvement during World War II because they were so much in the thick of things' she added. 'There was a more immediate threat and impacted their daily lives in a way that Americans did not experience.' Members of the Argull and Sutherland Highlanders reenactment group recreated a scene from Cairo. (BILL UHRICH/READING EAGLE) While learning more about the details of World War II is a big part of the weekend, some visitors said they stopped by mainly to check out the cool planes. Becca Burke, an aircraft mechanic from Lebanon County, said she is in awe of the effort it takes to restore them. 'I really love old warbirds, especially those that are still airworthy because there is so much effort that goes into keeping them that way,' she said. 'A lot of the techniques working with fabric wings are just lost to time. So every time I see one of those flying, it's so exciting.' Saturday was Burke's first time at the event, and she said she was hoping the weather would clear up so she could see some aerial demonstrations. 'It's just a really great event,' she said. 'It's so cool.' World War II Weekend concludes Sunday, running from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are available at the gate.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Central Ohio village building memorial wall for former air force base
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ohio (WCMH) — The Village of Lockbourne is working on a new memorial, the Lockbourne/Rickenbacker Air Force Base Memorial Wall. A sign with a rendering of the memorial wall is posted at the community's Veterans Park. The village is right next to Rickenbacker International Airport, formerly an Air Force base. 'Rickenbacker actually was named Lockbourne Air Force base originally. And so the village residents kind of feel like it's our base, it's kind of our home,' Mayor Christie Ward said. National Veterans Memorial Museum hosts ceremony During the community's Memorial Day parade, an early design of the wall was on the village's float. 'We're really very supportive of the military, and it's really telling our history as well. The base kids they went to Hamilton Township so many of us went to school with the base kids,' Ward said. Before Rickenbacker International Airport was the airport, it was Rickenbacker Air Force Base for Eddie Rickenbacker, Medal of Honor recipient. Before that, it was the Lockbourne Air Force Base. It was a training airfield for the Women Airforce Service Pilots, and the Tuskegee Airmen were stationed there after World War II. 'It just has a magnificent contribution not just to central Ohio history, Ohio history but American history as well,' Robert Stroup, a local author, said. See which golfers are playing at 2025 Memorial Tournament in Dublin The idea for the memorial wall began with Stroup, who wrote a book about the base. He said along with displaying facts and stories about the base, it will be a tribute to those from the base who made the ultimate sacrifice. 'I think it's going to be just a beautiful sight that will commemorate those who have served here,' he said. 'Who have made the ultimate sacrifice. And we're certainly looking to honor all in that capacity.' The memorial is being publicly and privately funded. About $300,000 of the $525,000 needed for the project has been raised, according to Ward. She said a groundbreaking will take place in August and the memorial is expected to be completed in 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
104-year-old WWII veteran Jack Jones leads Sterling Heights' 2025 Memorial Day parade
First came a thrilling flyover by a historic Tuskegee Airmen World War II aircraft. Then came 104-year-old WWII veteran Jack Jones, who led this year's Sterling Heights Memorial Day parade as grand marshal. Jones enlisted in the Navy in 1943 and served as a medical assistant aboard the USS Meriwether throughout the Pacific campaign until the end of WWII. Sterling Heights celebrated Memorial Day on Monday, May 26, with its 46th annual ceremony and parade, featuring Jones — a resident of the city. He kickstarted the parade while cruising down Utica Road in the back of a bright red convertible, drawing applause from a crowd that stretched for nearly two miles. 'The Sterling Heights Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade is one of our city's signature events and has earned a reputation as one of the most meaningful and well-attended in the region,' said Mayor Michael Taylor in a news release ahead of the event. 'Memorial Day isn't just a long weekend — it's a time to honor the sacrifice and courage of the men and women who served our nation." This year's parade theme was 'We Are One: Honoring Our Past, Uniting Our Future.' Alongside veterans, the event featured community groups, high school marching bands, floats, clowns, muscle cars, motorcyclists and more. Families lined the sidewalks to watch all the action as children scrambled for candy tossed by parade volunteers. Eight-year-old twins Spencer and Oliver St. Mosley, attending for the first time, said their favorite parts were the candy and the loud cars revving their engines. "My good friend's grandpa is the grand marshal this year, Jack Jones, so we didn't want to miss seeing him in the parade," said their mom, Susan St. Mosley of Lake Orion, who came with her husband and kids. Not too far behind the convertible carrying Jones, a photograph of his late wife, Vera Rose Matthew — one of the original Rosie the Riveters — was carried by one of about 30 tribute Rosies marching in the parade. For the first time, around 10 of those tribute Rosies were Girl Scouts. Jones and Matthew had been married for 77 years when she died at age 96. More: Silence and prayers mark Lansing's Memorial Day ceremonies at Evergreen, Mt. Hope cemeteries Frances Masters, a living true Rosie who worked at the Willow Run Bomber Plant during the war, also attended and participated in the event. Bette Kenward, vice president of the American Rosie the Riveter Association and granddaughter of an original Rosie, Marion Hely Chapin, emphasized the importance of honoring the women who stepped up while men were away at war. "My mission is to make sure that every single Rosie, whether she's living or has passed away, is honored for their great effort and what they did for our country. We would not have won the war without these ladies," Kenward said. "We need to celebrate each and every single one of them and make sure their legacy stays alive." "It was their patriotism, not empowerment, that got them where they are, but all of us have been empowered because of their patriotism," she added. The parade kicked off from Dodge Park at 10 a.m., continued through the roundabout and headed south along Dodge Park Road. It ended just before 16 Mile Road. For many attendees, the event served as both a moving tribute and a way to pass down the meaning of Memorial Day to the next generation. "We've lived in Sterling Heights for almost five years, and this is our first time at the parade," said Gabriell Welsh, whose 5- and 7-year-old kids also walked in the parade. "It's really cool to start something that we can carry traditionally in honoring our veterans. We have family that served in the armed forces, and so it's just a great way to get to teach (our kids) how to honor them." Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: nrahal@ Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Sterling Heights Memorial Day parade led by 104-year-old WWII veteran
