Davis Aerospace & Maritime Academy Brochure.pdf - Cleveland.com

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Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. (December 18, 1912 – July 4, 2002) Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., in 1912. He graduated from Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1929, attended Western Reserve University in Cleveland then went on to be one of the first black cadets at West Point. Before 1940, African Americans were barred from flying for the U.S. military. Early in 1941, the Roosevelt administration, in response to public pressure for greater black participation in the military as war approached, ordered the War Department to create a black flying unit. The military selected Tuskegee Institute, an African American school originally founded by Booker T. Washington, to train pilots because of its commitment to aeronautical training. Tuskegee had the facilities, and engineering and technical instructors, as well as a climate for year round flying. This training resulted in the formation of an all African-American pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Alabama. They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Captain Davis was assigned to the first training class at Tuskegee Army Air Field, and in March 1942 won his wings as one of five black officers to complete the course. He was the first black officer to solo an Army Air Corps aircraft. In July that year, having been promoted to lieutenant colonel, he was named commander of the first all-black air unit, the 99th Pursuit Squadron. The group escorted bombers on air combat missions over Europe. Davis himself flew sixty missions in P-39, Curtiss P-40, P-47 and P-51 Mustang fighters. In September 1943, Davis was called back to the United States to take command of the 332nd Fighter Group, a larger all-black unit preparing to go overseas. Colonel Davis and his 332nd Fighter Group arrived in Italy soon after that. The four-squadron group, which was called the Red Tails for the distinctive markings of its planes, flew many missions deep into German territory. After World War II, Davis served at the Pentagon and in overseas posts over the next two decades rising through the ranks throughout the years. He retired from active military service on February 1, 1970. On December 9, 1998, Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was advanced to the rank of General, U.S. Air Force (Retired), with President Clinton pinning on his fourstar insignia. This distinction marked Davis as the first African-American general in the United States Air Force. Davis followed in his father's footsteps in breaking racial barriers, as Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. was the first African-American general in the United States Army. General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. and the other Tuskegee Airmen's achievements paved the way for full integration of the U.S. military. References http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/exhibits/tuskegee/intro.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_O._Davis,_Jr. http://benjaminodavisjr.com/ http://www.af.mil/information/heritage/person.asp?dec=&pid=123006482 Davis Aerospace and Maritime Academy | INFORMATION PACKET
Dreams of Flight FOUNDING BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE DAVIS AEROSPACE & MARITIME ACADEMY: Kim Brandenburg Prince/Izant Company - CEO 5660 Parkwood Circle Chagrin Falls, OH 44022 (216) 577-1147 Kb@princeizant.com Mr. Michael Dolan Attorney at Law 615 W. Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH 44113 216-787-3344 mdolan@att.net Dr. Michael Koch Cleveland Clinic-Euclid Campus 18901 Lake Shore Blvd. Euclid, OH 44119 (216) 692-7875 kochm@ccf.org Jon Loufman Meteorologist – Channel 19CCF Owner—Atmosphere Adventures 31363 Roberta Drive Bay Village, Ohio, 44140 (440) 341-8634 jon@atmosphereadventures.com Peter J. Corrigan Prestolite - COO 3933 Kings Mill Run Rocky River, OH 44116 (216) 333-2028 peterjcorrigan@cs.com Richard Gash Mansfield Structural - Owner 29560 Lake Road Bay Village, OH, 44140 (440) 829-7048 skipper@seascoutship41.org Rev. Dr. Charles P. Lucas, Jr. Former Director, Cleveland Branch-NAACP cpl6060@gmail.com Mr. Frederick D. Middleton, Jr. Attorney at Law Frederick Douglas Middleton, Jr., Attn. 815 Superior Ave. Cleveland, OH 44114 216-566-8000 flegal31947@sbcglobal.net Chuck Ripepi Garland Industries, Inc. - CFO 2800 E. 91st Street Cleveland, OH 44105 (216) 430-3655 cripepi@garland.com Davis Aerospace and Maritime Academy | INFORMATION PACKET
Page 4 and 5: VISION STATEMENT Building upon the
Page 6 and 7: The aviation industry is an importa

Davis Aerospace & Maritime Academy Brochure.pdf - Cleveland.com

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