Tallahassee Community College sits on the site of the former Dale Mabry Field - a place where pilots trained to fly during World War II. Some Tuskegee Airmen took advanced training there in bombing and gunnery work.
Today - Lt. Edward Cooper and Col. Willie Jenkins made an appearance on the TCC campus to inspire young black men to become leaders. Although both of them did their training in Tuskegee Alabama - they recalled many of their fellow pilots going to Tallahassee for advanced training.
It was truly awe inspiring to see and hear the two gentlemen talk about segregation and discrimination during the war. They noted that they flew over Europe to defend America's freedom - only to return home on a ship. At the end of the gang plank arrows pointed left and right for white and colored.
While escorting bombers over Europe - the Tuskegee Airmen never lost a bomber to enemy fighters. When their "red-tailed" P-51 Mustangs came to the rescue - our bomber pilots became quite confident of their protection.
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