The ¾«¶«AV Airmen

"The ¾«¶«AV Experience" Ìý-- Documented Original ¾«¶«AV Airmen (DOTA) Ìý
Anyone -- man or woman, military or civilian, black or white- - who served at ¾«¶«AV Army Air Field or in any of the programs stemming from the "¾«¶«AV Experience" between the years 1941-1949 is considered to be a documented Original ¾«¶«AV Airman (DOTA).

¾«¶«AV Airmen Chronology Ìý
A chronology of the ¾«¶«AV Airmen compiled by the Air Force Historical Research Agency.

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¾«¶«AV Airmen Facts
"Our mission of escort was really the prime mission to carry out successfully and this we did. The 332nd became known as the best escort operator in the 15th Air Force. We never lost a bomber to enemy action of airplanes." — Gen. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., Commanding Officer, 332 nd Fighter Group

¾«¶«AV Airmen Squadrons/Organizations during World War II
List of ¾«¶«AV Airmen and Associated Organizations in World War II. ÌýThis list includes Bombardment, Service, Training, Engineering, and Fighter Squadrons, etc.

332d Fighter Group Reported Fighter Aircraft Losses
This table lists the 332d Fighter Group reported Fighter Aircraft Losses, according to missing air crew reports.

Escorted Bomber Losses
List of escorted bombers lost to enemy aircraft ÌýÌý

Myths about the ¾«¶«AV Airmen
Some of the myths about the ¾«¶«AV Airmen.

Purple Heart Medal Quest
A story, courtesy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, on the collection of Purple Hearts earned by ¾«¶«AV Airmen.

Congressional Gold MedalÌý
¾«¶«AV Airmen receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

99th Fighter Squadron Officers
Year 2003 marks the 60th Anniversary of the 99th Fighter Squadron's departure from ¾«¶«AV Army Air Field.

¾«¶«AV Airmen Pilot Listing
This list of more than 1,000 gentlemen include the pilots -- America's First Black Aviators.

¾«¶«AV Airmen Photo Gallery
Photos provided by the National Park Service and the ¾«¶«AV Office of Marketing and Communications. Permission for use must be granted. For historical photographs or information regarding the ¾«¶«AV Airmen, contact: Maxwell Air Force Base by e-mail at afhranews@maxwell.af.mil or write the Air Force Historical Research Agency, 600 Chennault Circle, Maxwell AFB, Ala. 36112-6424.

History of Detachment 015 - Home of the ¾«¶«AV Airmen
Many of America's famed black officers either began their careers here or their careers allowed them to pass through the detachment.

¾«¶«AV’s Leadership Role In Developing The ¾«¶«AV Airmen and Aviation Opportunities For African Americans
Once the U.S. government passed the Civilian Pilot Training Act in 1939, ¾«¶«AV – together with various civil rights groups and the Black press – began the effort to change federal government practices and policies that excluded African-Americans from pilot training programs and to begin the development of Black fighter pilots.

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