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Tuskegee Airmen honored with Congressional Gold Medal »
Posted by: populist 2 years, 8 months agoA small flight of Kansas City residents is in Washington today for a Capitol Rotunda ceremony in which the Tuskegee Airmen will be honored by President Bush and Congressional leaders.
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populist
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Comments: 69
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walden3
March 29, 2007, 4:19 p.m.good they finally got recognized. too bad it's too little too late.
"During World War II, about 50 of the study subjects were ordered by their draft boards to undergo treatment for syphilis. The PHS requested that the draft boards exclude study subjects from the requirement for treatment. The draft boards agreed."
http://www.tuskegee.edu/Global/Story.asp?s=1207598
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ryan601
March 29, 2007, 4:23 p.m."Even the Nazis asked why African American men would fight for a country that treated them so unfairly," President Bush, a military flier himself, said his speech Thursday."
President Bush is a military flier? HA!
Good for Bush to honor the Tuskegee Airmen.
But what the hell is this article doing comparing Bush, who never served a day in his life, to the TA's?
Maybe trying to sound a little like Bush is war hero too?
And neocons say that there is a "liberal" bias to the media. HA!!
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better-make-friends-with-americans
March 29, 2007, 8:36 p.m.You imply that the Tuskeegee Airmen are only now being awarded for their service...but I remember President Clinton awarding some Tuskeegee pilots back when he was pres. And now President Bush is honoring one of them.
I heard a year or so ago that George Lucas was going to make a new movie about them called "Red Tails"..but I havent heard anything since.
For those of us who love WW2 aviation history, this is an old but great story that we wished all Americans knew. Unfortunately our school system would rather tell black Americans that they have no hope..than tell them stories about true black American heros that they could emulate.
As fighter escort, they never lost a bomber to enemy aircraft. The only escort fighter group to be able to make that claim. There are still a few alive and they visit various airshows during the summer months....go meet one and thank them in person....
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NiikAkrong
March 29, 2007, 4:31 p.m.The achievement of the Tuskegee Airmen is probably the best achievement of any group of black people anywhere in the world and should be used to motivate black youth. The black community should try and keep alive the story of the Tuskegee Airmen`s achievement through various means e.g. an international logo to be worn by airmen, a medal of excellence in science and technology, etc. I hope a new movie on the achievement will be made and that through this movie the Tuskegee Airmen`s achievement will finally be known worldwide - better late than never.
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Hawklead
March 29, 2007, 4:38 p.m.While serving in the Air Force, I had the privlege to meet some of the few still serving. They were great officers and gentlemen! A credit to our nation. Even though a bit too late for my taste, this moment of honor must be rememberd by all of us now, so that we do not be so long in honoring those serving now. These MEN had more guts than most of our congressional leaders will ever have. They seerved without selfishness or political ambition, only for a love of a country that treated them raw.
President Bush can in a way relate, being an F-106 Pilot in the Air Guard. Aviatiors have a way of relating.
A salute to the Tuskegee Airmen!
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keyfitter
March 29, 2007, 7:25 p.m.Want to know what else "our" president has
been up to, Amok77 ?
Go to youtube.com and type "fema" in the search
box. (without quotes) Or do the same with
Google video. I especially love the part about
the gas furnaces.
Do a google search for "fema detention centers".
(without quotes")
Do a google search for "North American Union"
(without quotes)
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fotoman1133406
March 29, 2007, 7:46 p.m.Guys,
Well, it's about time. Way to go guys. Finally, "UNCLE SUGAR" "BIG BROTHER" the UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT got its head out of its 'arse.
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lovermanComment has been removed: User banned.
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Destry
March 29, 2007, 8:24 p.m.I am always happy to see one of our hero's get some well deserved recognition. You could fill the Whitehouse with hero's from WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, and our current wars.
God Bless our fighting men. Support your local VFW and American Legion.
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WCFIELDS
March 29, 2007, 8:49 p.m."Tuskegee Airmen honored with Congressional Gold Medal"
This is very nice. I've always appreciated what these guys did.
I am, however, sick of all the whining about Slavery and discrimination. If you like to whine about Slavery get yourself a mailorder Reverend Degree and start howling about Slavery in Sudan and other such vacation spots. Slavery was abolished in the U.S.A after our civil war freed the Southern slaves 140 years ago.
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keyfitter
March 29, 2007, 9:08 p.m.So who's whining?. Discrimination was a part of
these mens lives. The remarkable part is that
they still selflessly did their jobs as well
as they did.
Unlike Cassius Clay who refused to fight
"a white mans war",. As he stated, "I'm
good enough to fight a white mans war , but
I'm not good enough to use the same toilet"
(or words to that effect). Can't really blame
him for that either.
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aceofspades1
March 29, 2007, 9:17 p.m.WC = these guys served above & beyond in WWII - they flew 70 missions before rotation at a time when white flyers qualified after 50. They were amongst the best airmen in the service & when they came home they were greeted by segregation. They served above & beyond & where second class citizens here. It thats whining about discrination as it affected them then you sir not only gave the initials W.C. , but your head is in the W.C.
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WCFIELDS
March 29, 2007, 11:39 p.m."It thats whining about discrination as it affected them..."
I should have been more specific. I said nothing about "discrimination as it affected them..." You made that up out of thin air. I'd like to see a discussion of these brave fellows and what they accomplished without all the racist fanfare. You know, maybe some of them would like to be appreciated for what they did and not for what they did as Black Men.
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KYRed
March 30, 2007, 12:05 a.m.Why didn't Bill Clinton honor them? He was the first black president.
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gfarral
March 30, 2007, 4:33 a.m.Well it about flipping time! Congrats Airmen and thanks for a job more than well done.
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Nowalive
March 30, 2007, 8:11 a.m.This has been too long in coming. I may be fuzzy on my facts, as I have been out of school a looooong time, but if memory serves theirs was the only unit to never lose an escort. If that is true, they were supermen!! Bravo Zulu, Airmen!!!
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djrevelky
March 30, 2007, 10:21 a.m.I believe this story is proof that no matter what President Bush does the liberals will find something to bitch about it. EVERYONE hear agrees it was great that the Tuskegee Airmen are being honored but yet the libs find a way to bitch at President Bush for doing it?
I can't say that I am surprised at all. Walden3 may be the only lib here who isn't a stupid ****** full of hate.
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jumpmaster
March 30, 2007, 10:55 a.m.Hats off to the Tuskegee Airman. They served with honor and distinction and they deserve the recognition.
It is too bad that anyone wants to diminish their honor just because it comes from President Bush. Shame on them.
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AbuAmirah
March 30, 2007, 11:07 a.m.My African-American father fought in WWII. Although he wasn't putting down like the Airmen, he did fight in the Pacific theatre of that conflict. He used to tell me stories about how it was to be black and in the military.
One day, one of my maternal uncles, who were of Berber/Arab stock, asked my dad why did he fight for a country that abused his people so badly? He initially said that he didn't know. He first enlisted because he wanted to see the world and be on his own. Then after a while he said because Hitler was a bigger threat to the darker races than the klan, jim crow and segregation would ever be. Then he said it would be better that he got killed then his future generations.
It's amazing to me 1) that the germans knew about it, considering their doctrine and 2) how close was a majority of Americans thinking back then towards minorities was shared with Nazi Germany.
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NJVet
March 30, 2007, 11:47 a.m.Earlier in the post someone said why didn't Clinton Award the Tuskegee Airman? Question should be. Why didn't G.H.W.Bush do it him being a Pilot and all. It was way over due and I thank them for thier sevice.
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BronxBomber
March 30, 2007, 1:08 p.m.W/O all the impertinant political back talk about Bush/Clinton.
I wanna salute the brave, and courageous men of Tuskegee who had to endure tremendous hardships in WWII, both here, and abroad.
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djrevelky
March 30, 2007, 1:21 p.m.Now lets get onto another issue...when we are going to honor the Buffalo Soldiers who served and died in the Union army in the Civil War as well as during the indian wars, the Mexican-American War, The Spanish American War, WWI, and WWII?
The Buffalo Soldiers were argueably the best the US had in the Spanish-American war.
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MacR
March 30, 2007, 2:13 p.m.Ok it is a long time in comming for the TA to be honored. But there were more than just these black men that were one of many minoritys in WWII.
Let's honour them all:
The WAC's
The 522nd these guys were the Japenese in United States Army
The 45th "Thunderbird" ID Our Indian Brothers in Arms.
The Tuskegee Airmen or better known as 332nd Fighter Group.
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