TUSKEGEE HALL is where the bulk of our Warrior PATHH and Sheep Dog University curriculum are taught, and where students hang out and eat their meals. The dining hall and loft library have a plethora of Tuskegee Airmen and air service memorabilia, as well as many books on history, armed forces and more.
Tuskegee Hall was named to honor the trailblazing courage and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military aviators in U.S. history. Formed in 1941, they trained in Alabama and served heroically in WWII despite racial barriers and limited resources, flying critical combat missions across Europe, protecting bombers and striking enemy targets. This Hall commemorates their courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy.
MORE ABOUT THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN
On 16 January 1941, Secretary of the Army Henry L. Stimson authorized the formation of a black pursuit squadron. The 99th Pursuit (later Fighter) Squadron was activated in March 1941 and began training in separate facilities at Tuskegee, Alabama, on 14 November. In February 1944, the 99th Squadron was joined by three other fighter squadrons, the 100th, the 301st and the 302nd, and all four squadrons constituted the 332nd Fighter Group, commanded by Colonel (later Lieutenant General) Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. The group converted to Republic P-47s in April-May 1044 and to North American P-51s in June. Until the end of the war in Europe, it escorted Fifteenth Air Force bombers and made attacks on ground targets from its bases in Italy.
In mid-1943, the Army Air Forces (AAF) decided to organize a black bomber unit, the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium). Activated on 1 June 1943, its pilots were to be trained at Tuskegee, but that airfield, already overburdened with training requirements, was unable to handle the new trainees. The AAF delayed crews for the 477th Group until the backlog at Tuskegee could be cleared out. Tuskegee was the single school for instruction of black pilots until it closed in the 1946. Its graduates, along wit the other air and ground personnel trained there for the 477th Bombardment and 332nd Fighter Groups, are the Tuskegee Airmen.
The Tuskegee Airmen flew over 15,000 sorties in over 1,500 missions, destroyed or damaged hundreds of enemy aircraft and transport vehicles; and were awarded numerous medals and honors, including:
- Distinguished Flying Crosses;
- Legion of Merit;
- Purple Hearts; and
- In 2007, they were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
This illustrious group of brave men made history – they proved that African Americans could perform highly in complex and critical roles, countering widespread racist assumptions of the time, and they played a significant role in the desegregation of the U.S. military. Their courage and bravery also inspired generations of Black Americans to pursue careers in aviation, the military, and public service.
Notable Tuskegee Airmen:
- Benjamin O. Davis Jr. – First Black general in the U.S. Air Force;
- Charles McGee – Flew 409 combat missions in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam; and
- Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. – First African American four-star general in the U.S. Armed Forces.