B-24 Crewmember who was escorted by The Tuskegee Airmen

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11 жыл бұрын

The story of The Tuskegee Airmen comes full circle with this brief interview of MSG USAF (Ret.) Harold Westley, Springfield, Ohio. MSG Westley is 89 years old, flew 35 bomber missions in WWII and served in the USAF and USAF Reserves for 25 years.
MSG Westley was a B-24 gunner, radio operator and ECM operator. His airplane was often escorted by the Red Tail Angels on bombing runs between Italy and Germany.
In a future interview, MSG Westley will describe how the Tuskegee Airmen probably saved his life and the lives of his fellow crewmembers.

Пікірлер: 29

@MTXSHO9732vV8SHO Жыл бұрын

The Tuskegee Airmen also won the 1st Top Gun competition. They did it in substandard aircraft and the USAF hid the fact for decades.

@jimmymchugh8305 2 жыл бұрын

You fought both ends of the spectrum and won.... Hopefully kids understand most of us can do anything if we really need too... We owe them so much

@wendellgaskins600 Жыл бұрын

Any Man can shine when given the oppotunity !!

@ronaldhill9561 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Tuskegee airmen for your service to this grateful nation

@albertopalma1663 4 жыл бұрын

Great nation, yes. Grateful, not so sure.

@homiedclown1885 3 жыл бұрын

@@albertopalma1663 Yep the U.S was never grateful.

@samueleversley3956 2 жыл бұрын

U.S. STANDS POLICY; "DON'T EVER GIVE CREDIT TO BLACK PEOPLE, 'LET THEM BE ALWAYS IN DISCREDITED AND DISUNITY AMONG THEM SELVES ☹

@galenmerrick Жыл бұрын

Ungrateful nation

@JackF99 Жыл бұрын

My father was in a B-24 crew in the 460th bomb group stationed in Spinazzola Italy They had Red Tails as escorts and when they were shot up over Germany the last friendly person they saw was a Red Tail pilot in his P-51 who had escorted their crippled the plane to try to get to friendlier territory. As they bailed out over Yugoslavia they waved to him to thank him. They survived but spent the rest of the war in a prison camp in Barth, Germany.

@RoberinoSERE Ай бұрын

I didnt learn of The Tuskeege Airmen until the movie came out in 1995 and i was 34 and i went to Cupertino High in the 1970s and WW2 history was my passion. It is a disgrace to public education but fortunatly the HBO movie was made and later Red Tails. God bless the Tuskeegee Airmen.

@georgelinton5432 5 жыл бұрын

The Tuskegee Airmen showed the difference between providing bomber protection escorting them to a target and back and out hunting aerial victory's for personal glory.

@airraverstaz 6 жыл бұрын

What a hero, all US soldiers of any color.

@albertopalma1663 4 жыл бұрын

Absolutely!

@WilliamBrinkley45 2 жыл бұрын

Pulled two tours, all service men and women are green.

@MrSkeeja 2 жыл бұрын

True they are heroes but what about us Brits and the French and Russians? My father flew bombers as well

@Watkinsstudio Жыл бұрын

@@MrSkeeja There are plenty of documentaries on pilots of other nations. Tuskegee airmen have not been so well acknowledged until recently, so I think we can celebrate their accomplishments without having to shift to other people.

@MrSkeeja Жыл бұрын

@@Watkinsstudio I completely agree I have always been fascinated by the Tuskegee Airmen. My comment was in response to What a hero, all US soldiers of any color. Us Brits get a little pissed off by the attitude of some Americans thinking that America was solely responsible for the victory in WW2. I would say nothing to disrespect the memory of a group of very brave young men.

@crooney82 4 жыл бұрын

I’m 39 and met many of these men. I never met a Tuskegee fighter pilot bit met one man who was escorted by them. My generation thinks that America is built on original sin and that it’s very existence is racist: They think because they are white they have white original sin Or that they are black they have no shared history and whites deserve to take a step back. I think people in my generation need to shut the hell up and listen to these guys who actually made a difference. Who had to die at 28,000 feet cold and alone while their bodies were dismembered by cannon fire. I think the modern young people could get their minds right if they tried to remember that the black fighter pilots had to watch the bombers they were trying to protect break apart at 290 mph and then live the rest of their lives with that memory in their minds. In short my generation has zero idea of what real hardship looks like. Zero idea of what real heroism looks like and zero idea of why America is worth saving.

@Watkinsstudio Жыл бұрын

Nonsense. This country is not clean, not then, not now. If you want to shut up, go right ahead.

@warpfactor7884 2 жыл бұрын

I hope to God these men are mentioned in black history month I get tired of reading about rappers , Jesse Jackson, and NBA dribblers.

@maine-kw6wfy 4 ай бұрын

It’s a SHAME the black community doesn’t admire their “ best”.

@I_Wish_I_Was_Home 3 жыл бұрын

what bomb squadron was westley in? my great uncle was in the 745th bomb squadron, 456th gp heavy, b-24 bombadier in european theatre I have no idea if his planes were red tail escort or not

@raymondweaver8526 6 жыл бұрын

Did any squadron or group keep the Red Tail?

@carl5381 3 жыл бұрын

the 332nd activates and deactivates every conflict but have largely stayed active since the global war on terror. They don't have the original color scheme but kept the unit patch insignia.