World War Two
Over 1.2 million African Americans served in the American Armed Forces during the Second World War. In the early stages of the War (1941-1944) most African American soldiers were on non-combat duties because they weren't allowed to fight on the front lines with their white counterparts because of their race. However, by 1945, the large number of casualties forced the military to begin placing more African American troops into positions as infantrymen, pilots, tankers, medics, and officers. These men served with as much honor, distinction, and courage as any white American soldier did. Still, African American MPs often could not enter restaurants where their German prisoners were being served a meal. Although the United States Armed Forces weren't officially segregated until 1948, the Second World War laid the foundation for the post-war integration of the military and the entire Civil Rights Movement.
One of the most famous African-American units to serve in front-line-duty during World War Two was the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen, part of the 332nd Fighter Group of the 15th Air Force, flew the P-51C Mustang (pictured) over the skies of Italy in the July of 1944. The “Red Tails” fought, and shot down, virtually every front-line fighter in German service, including the world’s first ever jet fighter, the Me-262. As a unit, they shot down over 260 enemy aircraft, including three Me-262s in a single mission. One of the most recognized members of the Tuskegee airmen, Lee “Buddy” Archer, scored “four” enemy kills in his combat career. It is widely noted that Archer actually scored five kills, making him an "ace". Only the best fighter pilots, those who shot down five or more enemy aircraft, ever achieved "ace" status. However, the Army-Air Force only counted four to prevent further aggravation “back home” by having a “black ace”.
Although the Tuskegee Airmen were among the most distinguished Army-Air Force units during World War Two, their success was marred by several setbacks due to their race. At first, the Tuskegee Airmen weren't allowed to fight on the front lines because they were African-American, and they were forced to fly older, more obsolete aircraft because only the all-white combat units got the new top-of-the-line aircraft. It wasn't until 1943 that the Tuskegee Airmen received their new planes and got to fight on the front lines. The Tuskegee Airmen were also forced to maintain their own aircraft because the Army-Air Force wouldn't allow a crew of white mechanics to work on the African-American's aircraft (African-Americans couldn't get positions as flight mechanics in the Army-Air Force. Normally, fighter pilots had their own crew of mechanics to work on their aircraft). So, the Tuskegee Airmen functioned as their own mechanics for their own aircraft (see picture). Even though the Tuskegee Airmen were discriminated against by the Army-Air Force, and had to overcome several obstacles, they were one of the most successful combat units in the Army-Air Force in World War Two.
The legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen has also made its way into popular culture with Lucas film's 2012 feature film "Red Tails", starring Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Michael B. Jordan. The movie displays all of the discrimination and all of the hardships the Tuskegee Airmen had to put up with in order to become front-line fighter pilots in World War Two. This trailer for the movie has a very good quote that defines the work of the Tuskegee Airmen: "Courage has no color".