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In This Issue

Business News & Info

• The Leader’s View

• Greetings From the Road

• Event & Archive Photos

• CAF Red Tail Squadron expanding team to achieve greater outreach • Lt Col George Hardy’s first time visit to EAA

• Portraits of Tuskegee Airmen: George “Spanky” Roberts • Our Mission in Action

• Welcome New Supporters

• Volunteer Update

• Shop With Us!

• For More Information

“Our objective is to carry the lessons and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen into every classroom in

America!”

~Don Hinz, CAF Red Tail Squadron program

founder

Inspire for Higher!

Bill Shepard, Squadron Leader

Greetings!

It’s shaping up to be a great summer for the Red Tail team with stops all across the country. During July we were very excited to support two fantastic events that happened to be on the SAME weekend, so kudos to our team for being able to divide and concur successfully!

The first event was at Moton Field, Alabama, original home of the Tuskegee Airmen, to support the Legacy Flight Academy. This innovative program aims to expose youth to aviation through character-based activities that draw upon the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. The RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit was a welcome addition, providing visitors a way to learn about the Airmen as well as that spark to RISE ABOVE challenges in life to achieve your life’s plan.

Our second event was the Tuskegee Airmen National Convention held in Indianapolis hosted by Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (TAI). This was a great event to honor, maintain and preserve the legacy of the Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen. The TAI created a bridge between the Airmen and the youth of today to inspire, reach and achieve their goals, because “if your want something bad enough you’ll find a way to achieve your dreams!”

As staff and volunteers of the CAF Red Tail Squadron, we travel the country all year meeting fantastic young people looking for the opportunity to dream, realize and achieve their individual or collective goals. But there is another group of people we meet as well - mentors. When we experience a great month like we did in July, we realize there are a GREAT many of us willing to give, nurture and grow our youth by providing leadership and the high expectation for the next generation to aspire to. But it takes many hands to make light work! My admiration goes to you all who support our cause, with your donations and volunteer hours. Because of our continued collective work, our individual efforts are amplified to a more abundant harvest, and we have a great impact across this great country.

CONTACT: rides@redtail.org

DATE EVENT LOCATION

Aug 13-14 Wings Over Vermont Burlington, VT

Aug 17-20 Wiscasset Open House Wiscasset, ME

Aug 24-28 Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum Ontario, Canada

Aug 30-31 Brantford Rotary Charity Museum Brantford, Ontario

Sept 10-11 Fort Wayne ANG Air Show Fort Wayne, IN

Sept 13-17 Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport Springfield, IL

Sept 21-24 CAF Rocky Mountain Wing Grand Junction, CO

Sept 30-Oct 2 Owensboro Air Show Owensboro, KY

Oct 14-16 Fort Worth Air Show Fort Worth, TX

Oct 22-23 Wings Over Houston Houston, TX

Oct 28-30 CAF WWII Air Expo Dallas, TX

Nov 5-6 AirPower at New Orleans New Orleans, LA

Nov 12-13 False River Regional Airport New Roads, LA

PLEASE CHECK OUR SCHEDULE ONLINE FOR UPDATES!

2016 RISE ABOVE RED TAIL TOUR SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

CAF RED TAIL SQUADRON EXPANDING TEAM TO ACHIEVE GREATER OUTREACH

We’ve got exciting news! The CAF Red Tail Squadron family has grown!

This week we announced the addition of a new logistics team focused on bringing the inspirational message of the Tuskegee Airmen to new audiences, both on and off the tarmac. The addition will bring further momentum to the Squadron’s successful outreach program aimed at inspiring people of all ages through the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Kristi Younkin, our new Senior Logistics Coordinator, is a longtime CAF Red Tail Squadron volunteer. As a project management and process improvement professional, she brings leadership acumen as well as a passion for aviation to her role. Younkin holds a private pilots license, has experience organizing air shows, is a volunteer with the CAF B-29 Squadron and manages public relations for Younkin Airshows, in which her husband Matt flies an aerobatic routine in a Twin Beech.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the team and having the opportunity to put my organizational skills to good use in this exciting industry,” said Younkin. “I’m passionate about the mission of the CAF Red Tail Squadron and am excited to be a part of delivering the message of the Tuskegee

Airmen and helping to change lives for people across the country.”

Also joining the team is Emily Malavolti, assistant to the logistics coordinator. Malavolti’s excitement for aviation and enthusiasm to share the inspirational message of the CAF Red Tail Squadron has its roots in attending numerous air shows and volunteering for the Squadron. She recently began to log time towards her private pilots license, and hopes her work with the Squadron will help others pursue their dreams in aviation.

“The Red Tail family is excited to infuse new talent into the team. We look forward to putting together our best season yet of outreach visits. Kristi’s expertise in system development and process flow will enable us to build on our already very strong foundation,” said CAF Red Tail Squadron Leader Bill Shepard. “Within the air show industry, the CAF Red Tail Squadron is

one of the country’s busiest and most impactful teams focusing on inspiring youth to rise above, be responsible and achieve their goals. Kristi’s addition will go a long way to support our mission and its impact on audiences both at air shows and within the communities we visit.”

The 2017 schedule for RISE ABOVE Red Tail, the annual cross-country tour of the Squadron’s P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen and RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit, is well underway. Although many key events are already confirmed, the Squadron is focused on bringing RISE ABOVE Red Tail to new audiences and areas of the country. Air show directors and event coordinators are invited to contact Younkin at logistics@redtail.org or (479) 228-4520 to bring this exciting and inspirational program to their community, and learn how the Squadron partners with local schools and youth organizations to increase the impact of their air show or event.

To bring RISE ABOVE Red Tail to your event, contact Kristi Younkin, Senior Logistics Coordinator, at logistics@redtail.org

or call (479)228-4520.

Help preserve the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen for generations to come!

GREETINGS FROM THE ROAD!

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh seems like the pinnacle of summer in the world of aviation, and this year’s event did not disappoint. At the event, we welcomed many guests that had not yet seen the film “Rise Above” in our RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit, as well as many who were returning to see it once again. All came with a different outlook on life. Countless visitors were impacted by its powerful message.

The CAF Red Tail Squadron was also honored to have original Tuskegee Airman Lt Col George Hardy join us at Oshkosh. Remarkably, this was his first time at AirVenture. He had a wonderful time, including taking an honor flight in both a T-6 with the North American Trainer Association and the P51-D Mustang Pecos Bill with the Freedom Flyers.

Moving forward into August, we are headed to Vermont, Maine and Canada. If you are able to attend any of these events, we hope you will come up out of the crowd and introduce yourself as a supporter of the CAF Red Tail Squadron. We’d like to shake your hand!

It’s important to have hope, and to feed that hope with positive thoughts to make your dreams prosper and grow. And that’s what the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit is all about – to educate and inspire. We would love to see you out on the road at one of our upcoming events. Please check out our online calendar to plan your visit with us, and experience RISE ABOVE yourself or share it with someone you care about.

Thanks,

Jeanette & Terry HollisCAF Red Tail Squadron Drive Team

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT - THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!

The 2016 season continues with plenty of Volunteer Ambassador opportunities still available. Late July took us to Oshkosh, Wisconsin for AirVenture, the world’s largest aviation gathering, followed by trips to Vermont, Maine and even up into Canada. In September the team turns to the south going through Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky before spending October and early November in Texas and Louisiana.

If you’re interested in helping us at any of the events on the calendar, contact me at volunteer@redtail.org for more information.Volunteer Coordinator

Ken Mist

Just a few of the hard-working, fun-loving people who made the RISE ABOVE experience at EAA

great! Melanie Burden, Terry Hollis, Kristi Younkin, Jeanette

Hollis, and Mark Erickson.

OUR MISSION IN ACTION

Enjoy these letters from students across the country who have visted the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and received a free inspirational dog tag that features the Six Guiding

Principles of the CAF Red Tail Squadron’s RISE ABOVE educational program.

LT COL HARDY’S FIRST TIME VISIT TO EAA!

“It was my first trip to Oshkosh and you folks made it a very memorable affair. I enjoyed it and thank you so much. Thanks for the pictures. I will keep you in my thoughts and my prayers.”

~ Lt Col George Hardy, Original Tuskegee Airman

Lt Col George Hardy and Pilot Cowan Ward, Jr. with Freedom Flyers take off in the P51-D Mustang, Pecos Bill. Photo courtesy Ken Mist

Lt Col George Hardy and Pilot Rob Krieg just after his ride in the T-6. Photo courtesy Rob Kreig

Lt Col George Hardy and T-6 Pilot Rob Krieg.

Although I achieved a lifelong dream of flying in the AirVenture Airshow earlier this week, the moments I will treasure most about #OSH16 happened this evening, thanks to the legwork of my airplane partner, Brian Cotter. I was privileged to share a flight with Lt Col George Hardy, USAF (Ret), one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. George joined the Army after high school and went to Tuskegee in 1943. He flew P-47s and P-51s in World War II, B-29s in Korea, and AC-119s in Vietnam. He retired from the Air Force in 1971.

As thousands were entertained by the Snowbirds at the close of the airshow, George and I sat in the cockpit of my Texan where he told me stories of his flying days. He last piloted an airplane in the hostile skies of Vietnam in 1971, he hadn’t flown a T-6 since 1948, and he hadn’t flown formation since 1946 -- together we would refresh all those dates today.

Four Texans departed OSH with Lt Col Hardy and me as #2 of 4, and fellow Tuskegee Airman Capt Julian Johnson on our wing as #3. After a few formation maneuvers Dan Haug spread out the formation and we passed control of the aircraft to the airmen. I looked in the mirror at George as he felt the aircraft respond to his input, and I could see him smiling. His grin was almost as big as mine. Dan put us into a tail chase and George gracefully winged the Texan through slicing turns to follow the leader. Above us a pair of P-51 Mustangs danced against the clouds. Unknown to me at the time, another pair of WWII veterans were experiencing a similar reunion.

All too soon we returned to the field for landing, and who should meet us as we cleared the runway but Fifi, the #CAF’s B-29.

During the lengthy taxi he mentioned that too many of our young people don’t know our nation’s history. I ensured him that we would continue to preserve and fly these planes so we could teach future generations about what he and his compatriots did for us all.

George was all smiles as we deplaned, but I was the one who had the biggest thrill today. He signed the baggage compartment of our plane as a record of this day when two national treasures shared a flight with me in the skies over Lake Winnebago.

Cpt Julius Johnson, T-6 Pilot Rob Krieg and Lt Col George Hardy.

Photos courtesy Rob Krieg

Cpt Julius Johnson and T-6 Pilot Eric Hollingsworth.

A special note from T-6 pilot: Rob Krieg

A Tribute to Lt Col George Hardyby Richard Mallory Allnutt

Lt Col George Hardy shares his warm smile and gentle laughter so easily that you might never guess the hardships and mortal peril the man has frequently faced during his lifetime. His firm handshake and easy gait belie his 91 years as well, and one could be forgiven for thinking him a generation younger. But Colonel Hardy is the veteran of nearly 150 combat missions, spread across three major wars. He has endured and risen above the foolishness and brutality of racism, like so many of his fellow Tuskegee Airmen who set the standard for all who came after.

George Hardy grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “It was WWII,” he said recently, “and all my friends were joining the service. I graduated from high school in June of ’42, but I turned 17 that same month, so I had to wait for a year to join the service….Before the war, you had to be a college graduate to become an Aviation Cadet, but as the war came on, they lowered it to two years of college, and then by the time I came along it was high school graduates.”

“In the spring of ’43, the Army and Navy said if you were 17 and a high school graduate, you could take the entry exam, which I did.” Hardy took the Aviation Cadet’s exam. “I passed it in March of ’43. They swore me in as a private in the Reserves and then sent me home as I was too young to go in.”

So he had to wait several months until he came of age. “When I turned 18,” he said, “they sent me orders to report in July of ’43.” He journeyed by train down to Biloxi, Mississippi for six weeks of Basic Training, followed by a ten week college short course at the Tuskegee Institute in Tuskegee, Alabama to cram in at least some of the basics of higher learning that he might need for flight school. Flying training took place nearby at Tuskegee Army Airfield. “In December ’43, I started as an Aviation Cadet, and graduated in September ’44 as a 2nd Lt pilot.”

The Army Air Force then assigned Col. Hardy to the 99th Pursuit Squadron in the all-black 332nd Fighter Group. He and his fellow airmen made their way to Italy in early 1945. “We flew from Ramitelli,” Hardy stated. “It’s just below the spur on the boot of Italy. It was just a field with pierced steel planking for a runway…. We took off to the east over the Adriatic.”

The 99th was flying P-51Ds by this time. Col Hardy tells an amusing story about how he came to be associated with a Mustang nicknamed Tall in the Saddle bearing the squadron code A33. “I was one of the last groups [of new pilots] to come over there.… The planes in the squadron are owned by senior guys. There were more pilots than airplanes, and I’m the new guy, so I had no airplane. So there’s a guy named Wendell Lucas. He was a captain. He’d flown his missions and he could have gone home, but he stayed to become an Ops officer, with the chance of another promotion… Because he’d flown his missions he didn’t have to fly any more, but because he was there, it was still his airplane. That’s the way those things worked,” Hardy says laughing heartily. “So I had flown about

five or six missions, and one day he said ‘George, do you want to fly my airplane.’ And of course I said ‘Hell yeah!’ So most of my missions were flown in A33. He thought it was still his airplane, but that’s how I got associated with A33.”

“We flew escort missions for B-17s and B-24s up over Germany,” Hardy continued, but went on to explain how those missions often changed once their escort shift was over, and they’d released the bombers. “If you had fuel, you would go down and look for targets of opportunity…You could look for trucks on the highway or particularly trains if you could find any at that stage, or barges on the canals and shoot them up. Sometimes they’d shoot back though. And I got hit one time.” Hardy laughed, and jokingly said “Oh that’s what those things are!” in reference to the red tracer rounds he sometimes saw heading his way from down below.

When asked if he ever met any fighters, Col Hardy said, “No. By the time I got over there, the German air force was done. The only thing I saw was [Messerschmitt] 262s. I remember turning into them a couple of times, but they would turn and we couldn’t catch up with [the jet fighters]. The bombers were their main attraction. By the time I got over there in ’45, the German air force wasn’t what it once was. The 262s would tend to fly through a formation and get off some shots right quick and get away. But we did shoot down several of them. One mission got three of them. The P-51 was much more maneuverable.”

The Me 262s were really vulnerable when they came in to land, because the early jet engines couldn’t throttle up too quickly. “Yeah, we had that problem too.” Col Hardy stated quietly, although for different reasons. “When you land the Mustang, the torque roll can be an issue… I remember my roommate over there in Italy. He bounced on landing and pushed the throttle forward [too quickly] and flipped right over on top.” Despite that tragedy, Col Hardy stood fully behind his wartime mount, “The ’51 was just a tremendous airplane, and I was fortunate enough to fly one.” At the tender age of 19, George Hardy flew 21 combat missions in the Mustang during March and April, 1945. He mustered out of the military in November, 1946, but the newly independent US Air Force

Photos courtesy Richard Mallory Allnutt

called him back for active duty just 18th months later when he joined the 301st FS within the 332nd FG.

Col Hardy believes very strongly in being multi-disciplined as he feels, correctly, that it makes you more versatile, and therefore brings you better job security. There were plenty of pilots around following WWII, so as Col. Hardy states, “I went into electronic maintenance. When racial integration came, I was assigned to the 19th Bomb Group as a maintenance officer in the 28th BS [on Guam].”

This was a B-29 Superfortress unit, and the only bomb group not assigned to Strategic Air Command at the time, but rather under the personal control of General Douglas McArthur, then Supreme Commander Allied Forces of the Pacific. Col Hardy continued, “As a pilot, I also checked out in the B-29, and qualified as a co-pilot. I got put on a flight crew, and when the Korean War started we moved to Okinawa and started flying up over Korea…. The war started on 28th June, [1950] and our first mission up over Korea, mine, was on the 30th of June … I flew 45 missions over Korea in B-29’s. Some of those were long missions. The longest was about 11 hours … flying from Okinawa.”

Col Hardy continued his education while in the military, earning a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and later a Masters degree in Systems Engineering, with a specialty in Reliability Engineering. This education was essential to Col Hardy’s career, and also led him to become program manager and chief of engineering for the overseas AUTOVON Program during the latter half of the 1960s. The AUTOVON, or Automatic Voice Network, was the Department of Defense’s first worldwide, direct dial telephone system, which was a major development. In these days of sophisticated cellular and fiber optic communications systems, we forget how cumbersome communications used to be, requiring human operators to connect telephone calls. The AUTOVON did away with much of that, using massive, automated switching circuits established at ten key locations around the globe. This enabled members of the US military to efficiently place telephone calls to and from almost any location on the globe. It was also able to prioritize calls with a ranking system, such that the most important communications went through first. This was of major importance during an emergency, clearly, when surges in telephone traffic could clog the lines and shut down much of a network… something that most of us have experienced with our cell phone services from time-to-time in the present day.

Col Hardy’s combat career was not over though, as in 1970 he found himself flying a Fairchild AC-119K Stinger gun ship with the 18th Special Operations Squadron in Viet Nam. As Col Hardy states, the AC-119K “had two props and two jets. It was so heavy that you had to keep the jets going to take off and stay in the air!”

The gun ships flew exclusively at night, looking for enemy truck convoys coming down the trails from the north. They used infrared scopes to detect the heat blooms on the trucks’ engines, which then became targets for the aircraft’s mini-guns

and 20mm Gatling gun cannons, capable of firing 100 rounds a second. Once spotted, the trucks rarely stood a chance.

When asked if he ever got much return fire, Col Hardy replied, “Well you did. In fact we had two people in the back. The [cargo] doors were off the airplane, and the men would sit with their heads out looking down at the ground to warn about fire. They could see when a shell was fired from the ground and tell which direction it was heading, because the burning [tracer] powder from the tail [of the shell] would tell you if it was going this way or that way. If there was no tail, then it was coming straight at you, see, and that’s when they’d tell you to break right, or break left! If they just said ‘Brrrrk’, you’d know. You’d just do something. Oh yeah, we had two people just looking for that!”

Col Hardy flew 70 night interdiction missions in AC-119 gun ships over Viet Nam and Laos, returning home to the USA in April, 1971. He retired that November, as a Lieutenant Colonel, having earned a Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 11 Oak Leaf Clusters, and the Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster. Following military service Col Hardy pursued a successful civilian career with GTE’s Communications Systems Division. He retired from professional life in 1988, and currently resides in Sarasota, Florida.

He hasn’t sat idly since then of course. Among other pursuits, George Hardy has supported the Red Tail Squadron, “For some years now,” he says. “This is my first time at Oshkosh. I usually support them throughout the South… from Houston, or Sun ’n Fun in Lakeland, and many others in there.” When asked if the Red Tail Squadron’s mission is an important one, Col Hardy immediately responds, “It is, and that’s what I do quite often. I travel a lot. I travel with these people at times in the South, but I go to a lot other things too talking about the Tuskegee Airmen… I speak to young children a lot. I like to talk to young kids, because a lot of them are trying to decide what to do in life.” He continues to talk about the importance of getting the younger generations more involved in aviation, and in becoming pilots especially. But then our conversation is interrupted by the Merlin engine’s characteristic growl as a pair of Mustangs takes off from the main runway nearby where we are sitting at Oshkosh.“ ’51” he says, without needing to look up and check. There is laughter in his eyes, as he falls silent, listening intently to their music, and harkening back to an earlier time… Col Hardy is clearly a man who has lived his life well, and continues to do so to this day. Thank you.

Even the dogs got into the spirit at EAA!Photo courtesy Melanie Burden

Lt Col Hardy was sought after for autographs!Photo courtesy Richard Mallory Allnutt

Lt Milton Williams, WASP Marty Wyall, Shirley Kruse, Florence “Shutsy” Reynolds, Dawn Seymour, Cpt Julius Johnson,

Lt Col George Hardy pose for a photo at the WASP reception.

Members of the Civil Air Patrol came to visit the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and enjoyed their experience.

EVENT PHOTOS To see more photos, please visit our Facebook page! Be sure to LIKE and SHARE!

Lt Col Hardy with youth from the Tuskegee NEXT, an organization that provides a clear path to aviation careers for at-risk youth.

On Friday, Jerry Burk of Plane Talk, interviewed WASP Florence “Shutzy” Reynolds and Tuskegee Airman Lt Col

George Hardy as they compared their experiences.

SHOP WITH US! Visit our entire store at www.redtail.org/store

2017 CAF Red Tail Squadron calendarCost $5 each plus $2.50 s/hAnother year of fantastic photos - you will be excited to turn the page each month to see recent photos and a wonderful mix of archived photographs of Original Tuskegee Airmen.

Rivet CertificateCost $20 each plus $2.50 s/hOriginally, these were meant to raise money for the P-51C Mustang’s restoration but now we use the proceeds to maintain the P-51C Mustang and RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit. Each Certificate is electronically signed by an Original Tuskegee Airman and is a high quality print, suitable for framing.

CAF Red Tail Squadron Challenge CoinCost $10 each plus $2.50 s/hA 3” gold plated zinc alloy challenge coin created specially for the CAF Red Tail Squadron featuring the Six Guiding Principles on the back. A great keepsake for yourself, trade, or gift for someone special!

Tuskegee Airmen license plate coverCost $5 each plus $2.50 s/hShow others how you support the Red Tail Squadron by sporting this Tuskegee Airmen license plate cover on your vehicle!

Front Back

Shelby Westbrook was born in the small town of Marked Tree, Arkansas. When he was twelve years old his parents died. Shortly after, Westbrook moved to Toledo, Ohio to live with his older brother. He attended Libbey High School, an integrated high school. Westbrook graduated in 1939.

TrainingIn March 1943 Westbrook enrolled in aviation cadet training at Tuskegee Army Air Field. He knew he didn’t want to be in the infantry despite the fact he had never been in an airplane before. On February 8, 1944 he completed his pilot training (class 44-b) and was sent to Selfridge Air Field near Detroit, Michigan. During his time here, Second Lieutenant Westbrook trained in single-engine fighter planes

CombatWestbrook was attached to the 99th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group. This was one of the first all Black units formed by the Army Air Corps. After further training in South Carolina, the 99th Fighter Squadron was sent to Italy in July 1944. As a combat pilot he flew 60 missions over 12 countries in Europe. Westbrook was promoted to First Lieutenant, and served in the 332nd

Fighter Group from July 1944 to May 1945.

On his 31st mission, his P-51 Mustang developed engine trouble. Westbrook was forced to land in Yugoslavia with his wingman, and was rescued by a group of Marshal Josip Broz Tito’s Partisans. They were sent to a group of British Intelligence officers led by Randolph Churchill and Evelyn Waugh. About one month later he was back on duty.On a strafing mission over Southern France, Westbrook witnessed fellow pilot Richard Macon crash into a building near Montpellier. Because it happened so quickly the U.S. had no record of it. More than fifty years later, First Lieutenant Westbrook was able to confirm this happened as he was doing research with French-language materials. Macon had crashed into a German command outpost with more than 40 officers inside.

On R&R Westbrook traveled to Naples, Rome, and Vatican City. He met the Pope when his group visited the Sistine Chapel.

AwardsFor his service in Europe, Westbrook was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with five Clusters, the Presidential Unit Citation, the 15th Air Force Certificate of Valor, and five Battle Stars, as well as an air-to-air victory over a German Me-109 fighter on October 4, 1944. In 2007, First Lieutenant Westbrook accepted a Congressional Gold Medal, which is the highest civilian award given by the United States Congress. On November 8, 2013 Westbrook was presented the French Legion of Honor, along with five other Chicago-area World War II veterans, for their “extraordinary bravery in liberating France during World War II.

Later yearsWestbrook returned to the United States in 1945. He had planned to attend engineering school, but was turned down by the director of the school. It wouldn’t accept black students. After this setback Westbrook moved to Chicago and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Electronics from the American Television Institute of Technology. He was employed as an electrical engineer at W.R. Grace & Co., which was a major manufacturing facility that made packaging machines. During his 18 years there, Westbrook designed various types of electronic control circuits. He is listed as the co-inventor of a patented processing system that is still used. He was the editor of the book, “Tuskegee Airmen 1941-1945”.

His message for youth is: “Turn off the television & video set, life is not a game. Learn to read and develop your abilities with a skill or a profession!”

PORTRAITS OF TUSKEGEE AIRMEN: SHELBY WESTBROOK

ARCHIVE PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE AIR FORCE HISTORICAL RESEARCH AGENCY

Lt Dempsey W. Morgan, Lt Carrol S. Woods, Lt Robert H. Nelson Jr., Capt. Andrew D. Turner and Lt Clarence D. Lester were pilots with the 332nd, Ramitelli, Italy.

Aircraft mechanics from a Tuskegee Airmen unit perform engine maintenance on a P-40 Warhawk at what is now called

Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

Pilot Harry Stewart holding three fingers meaning he completed a mission during which he shot

down three German ME-109s. “Harry is one of, I believe, four Tuskegee Airmen, who shot down three German fighter aircraft on

one mission.” ~Lt Col George Hardy

DID YOU KNOW?

21 August 1941: The first class of aviation cadets entered the first phase of military flight training administered by Tuskegee Institute, under contract with the War Department, at Kennedy Field near Tuskegee, because Moton Field was not yet completed.

MEMBERS OF THE FIRST GRADUATING CLASS

Left to right: Captain B.O. Davis, Jr., 2nd Lt Lemuel R. Curtis, 2nd Lt George S. Roberts, 2nd Lt Charles

DeBow, 2nd Lt Mac Ross

Members of the first pilot class at the advanced flying school at Tuskegee, Alabama, listening to their instructor, 1942.

Thank you to the new supporters who have joined us at the sponsor level of $100 or more. Pledge your support and join the ranks!

Charles Abernathy Caullen Alexander Carlton Alexis Kirby & Amy Allen Franklin Ampy Anita AndersonEsterlene AndersonNorris AndersonWilbert Anderson Regina Antrom Helen AppelGeorge ArthurGerald AubryVirginia Ayres Russel BackerWilson Barnes Don Beck Christo Bekiaris Lillian Belcher Horace Belton Christina Beltz Kenneth BennettLincoln Benson Mr. & Mrs. George Benta Howard Bigelow Frances Bishop Yvette BlakeBill & Betty Blando Vincent BlegenChristine Bolden Chester Borden Emile Boris Joseph Boutte Charles BoydJoseph Briggs George BrownRussell BrownJoanne Brunner Eddie Bullard Willie BurtBowman Burton Henry ButlerRobert CaldwellAndres Carnot Lois CarsonLynne Carter William Chamberlin Msgt Arnie Chapman USAF, RetPaul Chiles Joseph Chitwood Gerald ClarkKevin Clark Hari Close

Ruth Cohen Dr. Albert Coker, Jr.Wayne CollinsGloria Condiff Anne Cooper Luis Cordero Gary Coulter Milton CoulthurstLinda CovellAlonzo DavisDeloris Lowe DavisJohn DavisDr. Erza Davidson Richard DavidsonJo Ann Dawson Yvonne De KokBarbara De SonneAlice Dempster Dennis Dengel Bertha Depriest Msgt James Diggs Samuel DixonMichael DohertyRoy Donaldson George DotsonKevin DouglasThomas DrehsArthur Drye Rodney Dunbar Isaac EdmondJimmy EdwardsL P Eiland Mazie Epps Dave EnglandJerry FaustEarnest Fingers Col Ray Fitch Jamie Friedman George FordFrank L FountainePercy Foxwell Beverly GiffordAlexander GilmoreJames Gordon William Goodwin Ronald HaasMr. & Mrs. George Hall, IIIGilbert J GrantRobert Granucci Mr. & Mrs. Randolph Green, Sr.Hugh HalmStephanie Hammonds Wendell Hamrick

Edward Hargro Robert & Jo Harper Helen HarrisThomas Harry Lela HarveyJohn HathewayRichard HayesFrank Hemler Msgt Harry Hengel Mr. & Mrs. David HewittJerome Hickmond Searle Highleyman Richard & Rosa Holdredge Alfred Hooks Vanessa HopkinsRussell HostetlerErnest HufschmidtGlenn HubbardAlex HuntDr. Carlessia Hussein Jesse Ingram Terrence Ihnat John IrwinDr. Robert Lewis Jackson Robert Jackson, Jr.Alice Jacksonwright Michael JezArthemon JohnsonJames JohnsonC. Jones Ernest JonesRay JonesLt Col Robert Jones Warren KaplanMichael Karluk Brian Keating Gene KemnerKenneth KemnerMs Freddie KennedyFrank Kenny Fred KieserJames Kimmel Walter Kindred Ltc Lonnie Kirk, Jr.Katherine KoenigEugene Koller Joseph Kramer, Jr.Jay LarsenWallace LastHomer Lavallee Msgt Lionel Le Blanc Donald LeavenworthTed Leimbach

Mark Lehman William & Rose LewisLolita LindstromRichard Ling Ronald Litwiler Bemis Locklear Charles Lockhart Mr. & Mrs. Robert LorenzettiCharles LyleFrances MannOlof & Olivia Maynard John Mc AuliffePatricia McallisterNorma Mc ClendonCharles MckeeRonald MedrudPatricia MegroRichard Merker Henry Miehle Clara Miller Georgella Miller Harrison Kay MillerMsgt Herman Mitchell USAF, Ret.Richard Mitchell William Mitchell Elijah MooreMichael Moore Meredith Murray Dennis James MurphyK Jeffrey Myers Melvin Myers Mary Naylor Herman NelsonAlva NicholsChris NorrisPatricia Norton Winford NowellLaura Odom Gregory Olsen R L Pace Joy ParisienRobert Pasquill, Jr.Gail Patterson Rozann & Sammie Pearson George PetersonWilfred Perry John Phipps Kenneth PikePolice UnionJohn Polley

Norman Poppel Dr. James Potts Roger Poyner Scott & Anne Pulsifer Judson Purlie Luther Quinn Raymond Ramirez C J Ransom Robert RatcliffElizabeth RedashGregory Redmond Greg ReslerWilliam RiceJoseph & Jacqueline Richardson Douglas Rider Kent Rider Michael RizorMr. & Mrs. Clayton Roberts Claudette Robinson Press Robinson Frances RollinsSusie Ross Henry SandersKaren Sanders Col William Schalker, Ret.Jules ScherRoger SchlageDon SchiemannJoan SchramlAlex Schuettenberg Dorothy ScottRon ScottDouglas SeibertSonja Selboe Fredric Sims Nancy SmerdonAnthony Smith Dr. Homer Smith, Jr.Fulton Smith James SmithWilbur Smith Denny Snyder Robert SpencerSociety Of The TransfigurationClara StantonAndrea StephensJo Ann StikesAlan Stringer Elmore Sullivan

Stephen SumandraVirginia Tanner A R Taylor Josephine Taylor Melchisedech Taylor Vernell Teich J Telesford Judith Tharp Tyn Thonotasassa in honor of Geneva SmithPhillip & Jo TichenorJohn & Nancy ToddRobert TolersonKitt Tolliver R Scott TulleyShirley Turner Hope Turney Sylvia Tureaud Amy Uyechi Deborah Vereen Jimmye Wade Herbert Walden Cheri Walker Csm Rufus Warner Antonio Washington Gloria Washington Lenda Washington Wanda WashingtonWoodrow Watkins Gene WatsonStanley Weber John WeeksFrank WestCharles WhiteLtc James White Frances WhitmoreAndrew WilliamsDelores Williams Frances Williams Jimmie Williams, Jr.John Williamson, Jr.Mrs. Leonard B WilliamsDavid WitchgerKen Wolfinger Georgetta Woodson Aubrey WoolseyW E Wright Mary Ellen YoderReginald YoungRobert Young

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The CAF Red Tail Squadron and its outreach programs are not affiliated with Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. All funds donated to the CAF Red Tail Squadron are used by the organization for education outreach programs to further their mission to educate audiences across the country about the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. Endorsement and support of the organization and its efforts by original Tuskegee Airmen, their family members or members of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. should not be considered an endorsement by Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

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General Inquires:LaVone KayMarketing Directorinfo@redtail.org(888) 928-0188

Bill ShepardSquadron Leaderbill@redtail.org

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Please mail correspondence or donations to our home office at:

CAF Red Tail Squadron971 Hallstrom DriveRed Wing, MN 55066

Ken MistVolunteer Coordinatorvolunteer@redtail.org

Darcy CastroPR & Communicationsdarcy@redtail.org

Watch this video to see how school children have been empowered by learning about these fine American heroes, and the enthusiasm educators have for our educational outreach efforts.www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7h4VmIPGBM

Kristi YounkinSenior Logistics Coordinatorlogistics@redtail.org (479)228-4520