Hanscom community gathers to honor, highlight Tuskegee Airmen

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Members of the Hanscom community gathered April 21 at the Massachusetts National Guard Headquarters here to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Tuskegee Airmen Experience.

The Tuskegee Experience, known then as Tuskegee Experiment, began March 22, 1941 during World War II following the activation of the U.S. Army Air Corps 99th Pursuit Squadron at Chanute Field, Illinois. The program continued through 1949 and included all those who supported aircraft in the air and on the ground.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Rochelle was the keynote speaker and discussed the lessons learned since the first aviation class of 13 cadets began in 1941.

"What are the enduring lessons learned from the 75 years of having the fantastic history in combat of the Tuskegee Airmen?" asked Rochelle, who attributed the success of the Tuskegee Airmen to five points, which he said are as relevant today as they were in the 1940s.

The first is the power of perseverance, which he said was the ability to "perform admirably in the face of tremendous adversity."

Rochelle also discussed the power of well-placed pride and the power of professional performance as contributing to the success of the Tuskegee Airmen.

He highlighted that each possessed a strong personal desire to serve the United States to the best of his ability.

"I could regale you with details of the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen; everyone does that, and it's worthy of doing," he said. "But that's not my task today; it's to give you the insights into the relevant points of this fantastic history so that you can take those into the future, especially for our men and women in uniform."

The final two points the general made were the power of love and the power of legacy.

"Love of their comrades. Love of their country," Rochelle said, adding that the Tuskegee Airmen performed beyond expectations.

In closing, Rochelle likened the lessons learned from the Tuskegee Airmen Experience to those facing the military today with expanding roles for women effectively, thoroughly and setting them up for success.

On hand to mark the occasion were three original Tuskegee Airmen, retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Enoch Woodhouse II, Delbrook E. Binns and Dr. Harold L. May. Several other members from Hanscom's Col. Charles E. McGee Chapter and New England Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen also attended the event.

"As we celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Tuskegee Airmen, it's important to note that the lessons learned in overcoming racial adversity, being resilient and the willingness to defend our nation at all costs were attributes that contributed to the Tuskegee Airmen's many successes," said Galen Williams, president of the Col. Charles E. McGhee Chapter Tuskegee Airmen Incorporated.

He added that diversity and inclusion are critical force multipliers.

"It is important that we educate our young men and women on the legacies of the past, and to encourage them to pursue the same paths and values to carry forward to the future," he said.