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Tuskegee Airmen recall heroism, victories over adversity

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Stephen Musal
  • Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  It's fair to say that Goodfellow AFB doesn't see many fighter pilots. With our B-25 Mitchell displayed proudly outside the gate, our heritage is mainly one of bombers and bomber pilots.

That being said, many of the bomber pilots in World War II would not have survived without the valiant defense of fighter pilots flying P-51 Mustangs and P-47 Thunderbolts. Goodfellow AFB was honored to host two former comrades-in-arms of those brave pilots.

Former Army Sgt. John Flanagan and former Army Air Corps Cpl. Donald Elder participated in a "lunchtime with legends" luncheon, as well as, speaking to Lake View High School's Junior ROTC detachment and the Goodfellow NCO Academy.

Mr. Flanagan served in the Army during World War II as an infantryman and a communications technician. When he left the Army and traveled to Tuskegee Institute in Alabama for college, he was invited by C. Alfred "Chief" Anderson to learn to fly with the military students. He quickly earned his civilian pilot's license flying the P-39 Airacobra, the P-40 Warhawk and the P-51 Mustang.

When Mr. Elder enlisted in the Army at 16 -- following the footsteps of his older brother who was drafted -- he said he wanted to be a truck driver. The Army had other plans for the young soldier, who was trained as an aircraft mechanic on the P-47 Thunderbolt. When the 99th Fighter Squadron returned from overseas, he was assigned to it as a crew chief.

"Once I got hooked up to the 99th," Mr. Elder said, "I felt like I was going to heaven." "Despite being segregated, the unit became very close-knit. We really got into a family-type situation."

According to Mr. Elder, all of the pilot trainees at Tuskegee Institute, later at Tuskegee Army Air Field, were college graduates -- even the enlisted men.

When the 99th FS stood up at Tuskegee Institute in June 1941, few people planned on the program succeeding. However, under Capt. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. (later to become the first African-American general officer in the U.S. Air Force), five students graduated from the first class -- paving the way for many more to come.

Mr. Flanagan said the drive of the Tuskegee Airmen inspired him to earn his pilot's license alongside them, and Mr. Elder echoed a similar sentiment about his time with the 99th FS.

"They showed me they could do it," he said. Indeed, they showed the world.