Presented here is an important piece of American history: an original Type I photo of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black unit of military pilots in the U.S. Army Air Forces (predecessor of U.S. Air Force). Initially called the 99th Pursuit Squadron (later the 99th Fighter Squadron), the brave aviators were also the first to deploy overseas starting with North Africa in April 1943, and later to Sicily and other parts of Italy. They trained at the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Tuskegee, Alabama, and together flew more than 15,000 missions in Europe and North Africa during World War II, earning over 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses and pioneering the eventual integration of the U.S. armed forces.
Pictured in training, prior to being sworn in, are six cadets with their captain in this rare, historic shot taken early in 1942. Backed by an ACME stamp and caption dated “1-23-42”, the 7-by-9-inch landscape photo has two small editorial pencil marks on the right and left borders. Otherwise, it is flawless in both quality and condition.
DATE/YEAR/ERA: 1/23/1942
GENERATION: First (original negative)
ISSUER/NEWSPAPER: ACME Newspictures
CAPTIONED: Yes
DIMS: 7” x 9”
Encapsulated by PSA/DNA, Type I