August 13, 2020
Not Every Man Honored Equal
Enduring Racism From the Very Country He Fought For
The Military Pilot Who Shot Down the Last Manned Plane in WWII
My uncle was a Tuskegee Airman. Tuskegee Airmen were African American and Caribbean military pilots that fought in World War II.
In fact, my uncle shot down the last manned plane in World War II.
For many white soldiers coming home from World War II, it was a big leaping off point for them. They were given affordable housing and job opportunities. They were supported to start new lives and to get into the middle class or upper middle class.
Due to the rampant discrimination during this time, Tuskegee Airmen such as my uncle were not afforded with the same acclaim, celebrations, or benefits offered to white soldiers.
When they returned from war, they weren’t greeted with parades in their honor. They didn’t get access to affordable housing like a lot of Veterans did.
He didn’t have a place to live, but he did have my grandmother. He then managed to be happy and have a full life, with children and a great family.
Since then, a lot has changed. Today, there are so many white soldiers who leave war and come back and don’t have opportunity either.
This is a problem throughout the military. You come home and it’s not easy. There are millions of stories.
Many Veterans out there have absolutely no support system when they return home. Many end up with mental health problems or physical health problems with no one fighting for them.
The Military Pilot Who Shot Down the Last Manned Plane in WWII
My uncle was a Tuskegee Airman. Tuskegee Airmen were African American and Caribbean military pilots that fought in World War II.
In fact, my uncle shot down the last manned plane in World War II.
For many white soldiers coming home from World War II, it was a big leaping off point for them. They were given affordable housing and job opportunities. They were supported to start new lives and to get into the middle class or upper middle class.
Due to the rampant discrimination during this time, Tuskegee Airmen such as my uncle were not afforded with the same acclaim, celebrations, or benefits offered to white soldiers.
When they returned from war, they weren’t greeted with parades in their honor. They didn’t get access to affordable housing like a lot of Veterans did.
He didn’t have a place to live, but he did have my grandmother. He then managed to be happy and have a full life, with children and a great family.
Since then, a lot has changed. Today, there are so many white soldiers who leave war and come back and don’t have opportunity either.
This is a problem throughout the military. You come home and it’s not easy. There are millions of stories.
Many Veterans out there have absolutely no support system when they return home. Many end up with mental health problems or physical health problems with no one fighting for them.