One of last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, Lt. Col. Robert Friend, has died

[signalmankenneth]

Lt. Col. Robert Friend was always glad to share his story with schoolkids — and what a story it was.

Friend, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, died Friday at age 99 at his Long Beach, Calif., home.

Not only did Friend fly 142 missions in the iconic black unit in the Army Air Corps, he went on to serve in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

Up until last year, Friend signed autographs and told his story at schools, his daughter Karen Crumlich told KCAL.

The men in his unit were trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, and were the first black aviators in the Air Corps. The airmen completed more than 15,000 missions in Europe and North Africa, and earned more than 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses.

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...txi-story.html


The nation and I salute you sir! Thank You for your service!

[Centerleftfl]

And no one knew about (or gave a shit) them until almost 45 years later. (Wonder if THEY got all their medals?)