“”We Can Fly” The Dr. Stewart Fulbright Story Pt. 2

June 25th, 2009

Once again J-Fatz and Jeffonda “Jae” Evans, have saved the day with yet another inspirational story, concerning a group of important men and women!

According to the North Carolina Museum of History, there were nine North Carolinians who trained as the country’s first black aviation cadets at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama during World War II.

HARVEY ALEXANDER, 81, of Greensboro.

Before the war: Lived in southern Illinois. Had the highest average in science at his integrated high school but was given the school’s science award in private, rather than at the annual honors ceremony. First black commerce school student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
During the war: Served as pilot in charge of a crew of five on B-25 bombers. Spent nearly 1,000 hours flying training missions in the United States. Once glided a B-25 in for a landing after both engines malfunctioned.
After the war: Alexander, taught college. Became chief financial officer at North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro and at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte. He also ran a vending business.
Recollection: “The white pilots were high school graduates. They received maybe 20 hours [in the air] then were shipped overseas. Nearly all of us were college graduates or had some college education. But we had to continue to train. Had I gone to combat, I would have been one of the most experienced pilots. All we did was burn up gasoline.”

WALTER CHAVIS, 79, of Raleigh.

Before the war: Born and raised in Raleigh. An average student who loved the piano, he looked up to his older brother, John Henry Chavis, an honors student and Shaw University class president.
During the war: His brother joined the Tuskegee Airmen first but disappeared over the Adriatic Sea. Chavis, serving in the Army at U.S. bases, transferred to Tuskegee Army Air Field. In aviation training when war ended.
After the war: Worked as a musician, shoe repairman, chauffeur, and veteran’s hospital attendant and federal motor pool employee.
Recollection: “Everybody knew my brother. He was class president of four classes at Shaw University. He was in ‘Who’s Who.’ I thought maybe I could find my brother. That was definitely my goal when I went to Tuskegee.”

DR. JOHN DRIVER, 79, of Cary.

Before the war: A native of Indianapolis. Attending Indiana University as a pre-medical student when he received his draft notice to report for duty.
During the war: Accepted into the Tuskegee aviation cadet program. Began pilot training but left the program to serve as a surgical assistant.
After the war: Completed college at Indiana University, then graduated from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn. Became an oral surgeon.
Recollection: “We proved we could fly airplanes and do any other job that needed to be done in the military. We showed the whole concept of segregation is a farce. It’s not the color of your skin that matters; it’s your ability to do the job.”

WILSON V. EAGLESON, 83, of Dudley.

Before the war: Grew up in Bloomington, Ind., fascinated by planes. Moved to North Carolina, where his dad taught chemistry and coached sports at what is today N.C. Central University. The school’s Eagles mascot was inspired by his father. Attended civilian pilot training school while at West Virginia State College.
During the war: Trained as a fighter pilot at Tuskegee. Joined the 99th Pursuit Squadron in Italy in 1943 and flew about 350 missions. Had two confirmed and two unconfirmed German Luftwaffe kills. Earned two Purple Hearts, multiple air medals and other honors.
After the war: Served in the Air Force for 30 years, mainly as a flight mechanic and instructor. Earned Distinguished Flying Cross on a mission over Indochina. After retiring, raised horses and golden retrievers on a New York farm, then moved back to North Carolina.
Recollection: “They talked about disbanding us and sending us home. But we knew what we were doing. We knew we were good. We simply ignored the talk.”

STEWART FULBRIGHT, 83, of Durham.

Before the war: Made model airplanes and visited air shows as a youth in Springfield, Mo. Graduated from Lincoln University in Jefferson City. Fulbright taught high school and college French.
During the war: Became a first pilot in charge of five other men training to fly B-25 bombers. Participated in protests against segregation at Freeman Field, Ind.
After the war: Figured the University of Chicago wouldn’t be tough after serving in the military. Received his M.B.A. there, and then got a doctoral degree at Ohio State. Became a college professor and first dean of the business school at North Carolina Central University (NCCU).
Recollection: “We had been through a lot of adversity and we had pretty much conquered it, and it gave me, and I’m sure everyone else, the confidence to go on. It was just a matter of various guys picking out what they wanted as careers. We had a lot of guys with doctoral degrees, bank presidents, college presidents, politicians.”

WILLIAM MCDONALD, 79, of Durham.

Before the war: Grew up in Detroit. Interested in planes and pilots. Attending the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor when he applied to become an aviation cadet.
During the war: Shocked by segregation in the South. Trained as a pilot late in the war, but transferred from Tuskegee to Tampa.
After the war: Earned bachelor’s degree at Michigan in engineering. Did graduate work at Ohio State. Became a researcher for aerospace companies. Ended career as plant director in charge of facilities at NCCU.
Recollection: “In Cincinnati, on the train down from Detroit, they told us it was time to get on the ‘colored car.’ That was the first car after the coal car. I argued with the conductor because I was supposed to have a Pullman [a sleeping compartment] out of Cincinnati to Mississippi. They finally let me sneak in there late at night and sneak out early in the morning. That was my first experience with that.”

HERNANDO PALMER, 80, of Smithfield.

Before the war: Raised on his family’s farm in Macon, N.C. Started riding on planes at age 8 and decided he would try to learn how to fly. Attended North Carolina A&T State University for three years.
During the war: Trained as a bombardier and navigator after completing the Tuskegee aviation cadet program. Like other black airmen who learned to fly multi-engine bombers, never sent overseas.
After the war: Finished at A&T and earned a master’s degree in education at N.C. State College. Taught high school. Worked for the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, helping veterans returning from war learn more about agriculture. Participated in lawsuit alleging the extension service discriminated against black employees and farmers. Held various officer positions with North Carolina Mental Health Association. Serves on Johnston County’s election oversight board.
Recollection: “Here late, since the movie has come out, and people have learned something about the Tuskegee fliers, people in general have finally come to appreciate those of us who went through that experience at Tuskegee. They want to shake your hand, to hug you, to express their appreciation for what you did. So it’s just a different world, and it’s too bad that so many of our comrades didn’t live to see what a change has been made.”

JOHN B. TURNER, 81, of Chapel Hill.

Before the war: A senior at Morehouse College in his native Atlanta. Played football, sang in a quartet, studied to be an engineer. Friends with Martin Luther King Jr.
During the war: Became a first pilot, trained to lead a B-25 bomber crew. Flew all over the United States. Arrested and reprimanded for protesting segregation at Freeman Field, Ind.
After the war: Helped form an association to help black veterans get benefits. Switched from engineering to social work, receiving doctoral degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Worked for National Urban League and taught college. Served as dean of UNC-Chapel Hill’s School of Social Work.
Recollection: “I wanted to go overseas. I expected to go. But it wasn’t my decision. It was the decision of people who were against the integration of the services.”

HAROLD WEBB, 77, of Raleigh.

Before the war: A Greensboro native. Attended N.C. A&T State University. His brother was a civilian flight instructor who trained military pilots in Tuskegee.
During the war: Followed his brother to Tuskegee. Training as a fighter pilot when war ended.
After the war: Got involved in voter registration and civil rights movement. Received a master’s degree from North Carolina A&T. Worked as teacher, principal and deputy superintendent for the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Became director of North Carolina Office of State Personnel. Served on several university boards. Currently, a Wake County commissioner.
Recollection: “Having been trained to fight for your country, then living in a segregated system, you became motivated to continue fighting. They fought the war against the enemy. And then they fought the war against Jim Crow and segregationist.”

For more information on the Tuskegee airmen logon to www.ncmuseumofhistory.org

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