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Funeral for Tuskegee airman

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  • Description

    Remembering an American hero

  • Duration 2:26
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Remembering a fallen hero lieutenant colonel Luke weather's passed away last October.

He was a member of the legendary Tuskegee airmen from World War II the -- first African American pilots in the US military and they did an amazing job.

Today he's being buried with full honors at Arlington national cemetery.

Jennifer Griffin live at the Pentagon with more on his story Jennifer.

John exactly three years ago today.

A 180 members of the story Tuskegee airmen attended the inauguration of President Obama.

Some of them told me at the time they felt the racial barriers that they had broken during World War II being the first African American aviators.

Had paved the way for the president's election.

Today at Arlington national cemetery.

One of the Tuskegee airman lieutenant colonel -- Weathers was buried he died at age of ninety.

He was one of the pioneers after the war he became the first black air traffic controller with the FAA in Memphis Tennessee.

Despite their success during the war.

He and the other airmen faced discrimination at home they were subject to Jim Crow laws inside and outside the military.

The Tuskegee airmen flew with a 332.

Fighter group.

They provide a bomber escorts over Italy and Germany they were called red tails because they painted -- -- of their planes red.

In 1941 legislation forced what was then the Pentagon -- -- department to form an all black unit 996.

Pilots were trained.

445.

Deployed overseas they flew more than 151000 combat sorties destroyed hundreds of German planes.

And came home to fight another war against racism president Harry Truman ended segregation in the US military in 1948 by executive order.

Lieutenant colonel Walter McCrary with the red -- -- an ace pilot he described to me how he had to continue to fight discrimination after returning from the war.

-- -- Went on record ascended bad boys we will call -- Did not have the intelligence.

And coordination.

To -- military aircraft.

The ranks of this story group the Tuskegee airmen.

May be dwindling as they had their age has progressed but they are being remembered -- -- being honored today at Arlington national cemetery time -- -- and they were some of the dynasty years of the war.

-- -- left -- Jennifer.

Jennifer Griffin there's pentagon thank you.

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