Honoring the Tuskegee Airmen in commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of flying two hundred missions without losing an escorted bomber to enemy aircraft.

WHEREAS, The Tuskegee Airmen are the African-American 332nd Fighter Group which was assigned in June of 1944 to the 15th Strategic Air Force in Italy to escort long range heavy bombers on missions to targets throughout Europe during the waning days of World War II; and

WHEREAS, The Tuskegee Airmen accompanied the 15th Air Force bombers 200 times without the loss of a single bomber to enemy aircraft until the end of the war in May 1945, a record which was unmatched throughout all of World War II; and

WHEREAS, The Tuskegee Airmen compiled quite a record during their years of service, destroying 251 enemy aircraft and earning more then 850 medals, but also had 66 men killed in action; and

WHEREAS, The unprecedented track record of planes escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen, which were rarely shot at and never shot down, became such a morale booster that the bomber crews began to request the Tuskegee Airmen as permanent escorts; and

WHEREAS, This gesture of confidence by white bomber crews in the abilities of the black airmen allowed both parties to look at each other as equals, and was one of the first examples in American military history in which equality occurred; and

WHEREAS, As a result of the positive interaction of the Tuskegee Airmen within the predominantly white Air Force and Army Air Corps, President Harry S. Truman signed Executive Order Number 9981 shortly after the end of World War II to end racial segregation in the U.S. Armed Forces; and

WHEREAS, The Tuskegee Airmen's demand to serve and fight for their country during this trying time in the world’s history led to unprecedented aerial achievement, and began the quest for true racial equality in the United States; and

WHEREAS, This June 1st through June 6th, members, family members and admirers of the Tuskegee Airmen will gather in Philadelphia at the Marriot Hotel to commentate the 60th Anniversary of the flying of 200 escorted missions without losing a bomber to enemy aircraft; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we as a body honor the Tuskegee Airmen, and their contributions to the United States, not only as defenders of our freedoms abroad, but here at home as well.

FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to members of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, further evidencing the sincere sentiments of this legislative body.

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