Montgomery, Ala. – It has been part of the lore of America’s first black fighter pilots since the end of World War II: The Tuskegee Airmen never lost a bomber to enemy fire.
But now, more than 60 years later, a leader of the group says he has uncovered records proving the claim is not accurate.
Air Force records show that at least a few bombers escorted by the red-tailed fighters of the Tuskegee Airmen were shot down by enemy planes, William F. Holton, historian of Tuskegee Airmen Inc., said Monday. His research was first reported Sunday by the Montgomery Advertiser.
Some surviving members of the group were offended by the findings of Holton and Daniel Haulman of the Air Force Historical Research Agency in Montgomery, who came to the same conclusion.
Former Tuskegee Airman Carrol Woods of Montgomery called their claims “outrageous.”
“I think they are trying to destroy our record. What’s the point now?” Woods, 87, said.
Holton said his sole interest is in making sure the group’s history is as accurate as possible.
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first group of black fighter pilots allowed into the Army Air Corps. They were named for the Alabama town where they trained.
With nearly 1,000 pilots and as many as 19,000 support personnel ranging from mechanics to nurses, the group was credited with shooting down more than 100 enemy aircraft and with never losing an American bomber under escort.
Holton, who has been historian of the association for about a decade, said he began leafing through old mission reports after hearing a veteran complain that the Tuskegee Airmen really did lose some bombers.
Haulman said the group’s combat mission reports clearly show that U.S. bombers were lost while being escorted by Tuske-
gee Airmen in Europe.
One mission report says that on July 26, 1944: “1 B-24 seen spiraling out of formation in T/A (target area) after attack by E/A (enemy aircraft). No chutes seen to open.”
A second report, dated Aug. 31, 1944, praises group commander Gen. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. by saying he “so skillfully disposed his squadrons that in spite of the large number of enemy fighters, the bomber formation suffered only a few losses.”
Holton, of Columbia, Md., suspects that the claims resulted from a letter commending Davis. Col. Buck Taylor said the group had the distinction of never losing a bomber, Holton said. A military public relations representative included the claim in Davis’ official biography.
Holton said it is unclear where Taylor got his information, “but that’s sort of where the whole concept emanated from.”
