At
its Stated Meeting on Thursday, November 14, 2013, the Council approved a
bill, co-sponsored by Council Member Oliver Koppell, to permanently
change the name of “South Road,” between Merrick
Boulevard and Remington Street in Queens, to Tuskegee Airmen Way and to amend the New York City Map accordingly.
The
Tuskegee Airmen were African-American pilots who fought in World War 11
and were the first African-American military aviators in the United
States Armed Forces. In total, 996 pilots were
trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama from 1941 to
1945 with approximately 445 men deployed overseas.
The
Tuskegee Airmen, who were known as Red Tails because of the distinctive
red paint predominately applied on the tail section of their aircrafts,
had an impressive combat record. They were
credited with 15,533 combat sorties and 1478 missions flown. 150
Tuskegee Airmen, including 66 pilots, lost their lives in accidents or
combat, and 32 fell into captivity as prisoners of war. They received
numerous awards and decorations for valor and performance,
including the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007.
Koppell said, “Not
only have the Tuskegee Airmen been recognized for their bravery, they
have also been recognized for helping spur the desegregation of the
United States Military and
their contributions during the Civil Rights movement.”
Surviving
members still take part in educating and inspiring youth at the Queens
Library Center in Jamaica and at York College. In 2009, York College
opened an
exhibition consisting of photographs, a replica of the Congressional
Gold medal, a replica of the P-51 Mustang with its distinctive “Red
Tail” and a life-sized statue of a Tuskegee Airman.
“I
feel privileged to have as a constituent Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, a
Tuskegee Airman and former President of Bronx Community College. He is
someone of whom I have
always been very proud and I am pleased that the Council has voted to
acknowledge his service and that of his fellow airmen by naming a street
in their honor,” Koppell said.
