The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 13, April 1, 2007, Article 23

TUSKEGEE AIRMEN HONORED WITH CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL

"President Bush and Congress awarded the Tuskegee Airmen one of 
the nation's highest honors Thursday for fighting to defend their 
country even as they faced bigotry at home.

"For all the unreturned salutes and unforgivable indignities ... 
I salute you for your service to the United States of America," 
Bush told the legendary black aviators, standing in salute as some 
300 of them stood to return the gesture.

"At a ceremony in the sun-filled Capitol Rotunda, Bush then joined 
congressional leaders and other dignitaries in awarding the veterans 
— most of them in their 80s — the Congressional Gold Medal.

"Nearly 1,000 fighter pilots trained as a segregated Army Air Corps 
unit at the Tuskegee, Ala., air base. President Franklin D. Roosevelt 
had overruled his top generals and ordered that such a program be 
created.

"The medal for the airmen, made possible through legislation by Rep. 
Charles Rangel (news, bio, voting record), D-N.Y., and Sen. Carl Levin 
(news, bio, voting record), D-Mich., and signed last year by Bush, 
will go to the Smithsonian Institution for display. Individual airmen 
will receive bronze replicas." 

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

To read a related article, see: Full Story

For the history and recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal, see: 
Full Story 

For more information on the Tuskegee Airmen, see: www.tuskegeeairmen.org 

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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