OAK HARBOR, Wash. (NNS) -- Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI) hosted a visit from World War II Tuskegee Airmen and an exclusive showing of "Red Tails," a Lucas Film about the Tuskegee Airmen, at the Skywarrior Theater, Dec. 6.
In "Red Tails," a film scheduled for release in 2012 about the Tuskegee Airmen, the all-African American group of pilots that fought in World War II, are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard.
During World War II, the U.S. military was racially segregated. Reflecting American society and law at the time, most black soldiers and Sailors were restricted to labor battalions and other support positions.
An experiment in the U.S. Army Air Forces, however, showed that given opportunity and training, African-Americans could pilot, command and support combat units as well as anyone.
The event included Tuskegee Airmen, Capt. George Hickman and Lt. Col. Edward Drummond, members of the Tuskegee Airmen Youth Camp, Youth in Aviation and Sam Bruce Tuskegee Airman Chapter.
On hand to promote the movie was producer Rick McCallum and actors Elijah Kelly and Marcus Paulk.
"I think it's great that Lucas Film has spent so much time and effort and that George (Lucas) really wanted to tell the story of the Tuskegee Airman," said Billy Hebert, a systems test technician at Boeing and a member of the Sam Bruce Chapter in Seattle. "It's just great that the film is finally getting out and that so many of the young people are seeing these men and their accomplishments."
Divided in four groups, the morning included tours of NASWI Search and Rescue, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140, Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 2 and the Aviation Survival Training Center at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island,and lunch at the Admiral Nimitz Hall Dining Facility, followed by flight operation demonstrations.
After the base tour, the tour group gathered at the Skywarrior Theater for a special prescreening of Red Tails.
"I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. As an African-American, this is a great part of my history...the Tuskegee Airmen have paved the way for me as a minority to be in the military and do great things," said Chief Hospital Corpsman Psyleth D. Gilroy of Cunningham, Tenn., assigned to Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island.
The Tuskegee Airmen, a pioneering and highly decorated World War II African-American aviator unit gained its name during training at the US Army airfield near Tuskegee, Ala., and at the Tuskegee Institute.
The unit was activated as the 99th Pursuit Squadron and later formed the 332nd Fighter Group (with the 100th, 301st and the 302nd squadrons). Nearly 1,000 black pilots emerged from training to fly P-39, P-40, P-47 and P-51 aircraft in more than 15,000 sorties in North Africa, Sicily and Europe.
On escort missions, it was the only unit that never lost a U.S. bomber. It shot down 11 enemy planes and destroyed 273 planes on the ground.
In a prepared speech, Capt. Jay Johnston, commanding officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island thanked everyone in attendance and acknowledged the heroic actions made by Tuskegee Airmen. There was also a question and answer session with the actors and producers before the start of the movie.
"I first heard of the Tuskegee Airmen 23 years (ago) when George (Lucas) told me that he wanted to make this film, believe it or not the Tuskegee Airmen are not in any single historical book in school or anywhere in the United States," said producer Rick McCallum. "The basic story of these incredible men, overcoming these extraordinary odds, and all they wanted to do was to have a chance to fight for their country. This story was so powerful as a story and as a film; it was a natural reason for us to do this."
The Tuskegee Airmen flew their first mission in the Mediterranean in 1943, later that year the Army activated three more squadrons. ,Joined with the 99th in 1944, they constituted the 332nd Fighter Group. The latter was the USAAF's only escort group that did not lose a bomber to enemy planes.
"After watching the film, I hope these kids take out exactly what these brave men went through despite any obstacle that is put in front of you," said Hebert. "You can achieve and go over and above the obstacle that was put there, and hopefully after seeing the movie, they'll respond to that and move forward."
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