The history of 332nd Fighter Group, the only segregated Fighter Group that served in combat during the Second World War.

During the Second World War, the Tuskegee Airmen had not one but two enemies to overcome: the German Luftwaffe and Jim Crow. In this book, the inspiring history of these men is recounted detailing the struggles the men faced at home and abroad.

The Tuskegee Airmen were black American pilots who served in the Army Air Corps during the Second World War. However, before earning their wings, these men and women needed to prove themselves to their white countrymen. After all, the racism prevalent at the time meant that black Americans were deemed unsuitable for the demands of modern war.

After completing their training and conducting their first combat missions, the real enemy was waiting for them: the Luftwaffe. As a result of their role escorting the bombers, as well as their bright red tails, the Tuskegee Airmen of 332nd Fighter Group earned the nickname the ‘Red Tails’. The units served with distinction in several fierce engagements, such as the 99th Fighter Squadron, who fought in the skies over Anzio on 27 and 28 January 1944, and the 332nd Fighter Group, who earned a Distinguished Unit Citation for its mission to Berlin on 24 March 1945.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Chapter 1 Pre-Second World War
  • The First World War
  • Black American Soldiers
  • The Luftwaffe
  • The Tuskegee Experiment
  • The 99th Pursuit Squadron
• Chapter 2 Service in Africa and Sicily
  • First contact with the enemy
  • Momyer report
• Chapter 3 Making progress
  • The 332nd fighter group and three squadrons
  • The 99th Fighter Squadron in Italy – 1943
  • 27 January 1944
  • The fight continues
  • The last month as a separate squadron
• Chapter 4 The 332nd Fighter Group in Italy
  • Three squadrons in Italy
  • Combat rotation
  • The Luftwaffe in 1944
  • The 99th joins the 332nd Fighter Group
• Chapter 5 Death of the Luftwaffe
  • The longest mission
  • The last months
• Chapter 6 Tuskegee Airmen at home and in the Pacific
  • The Freeman Field Mutiny
  • Service in the Pacific
• Chapter 7 Desegregating the military
  • Coming home
  • British soldiers and black citizens
  • Legacy and debates
  • Soaring to glory
• Literature list
• Endnotes