 Captain Benjamin O. Davis and trainer
From: Double V: The Civil Rights Struggle of the Tuskegee Airmen |
Captain Davis was the first African American West Point graduate in 47 years. He was the son of the armed forces' "only other ranking African-American field officer and the only African-American General, Benjamin O. Davis, Sr." (Scott and Womack 153). Davis Jr. survived four years of the silent treatment and demerit system at West Point but still finished in the top forty of his class. He applied to the Air Corps Cadet program in 1935 but was told there was no plan for a Negro Air Corp. Instead, he was sent to the 24th Infantry at Ft. Benning, Georgia and there he attended infantry school. He was then assigned to African American colleges to teach military science and to command Junior ROTC units. These positions were very much segregated and did not allow for further advancements in the army. He was then assigned under his father who was now a Brigadier General. Finally, in March of 1941, he received orders to transfer to the Air Corps for the Negro 99th Pursuit Squadron cadet program. In March 1942 before graduating from Tuskegee, Davis was promoted two grades to Lieutenant Colonel, which was consistent for one who graduated from West Point in 1936. But his promotion to Major would be overdue. In late March of 1942, he was assigned to command the 99th Pursuit Squadron. Davis then commanded the 332nd and then was appointed to the 477th, which consisted of two bomber squadrons and one fighter squadron.
Davis then commanded Godman Field in the United States, becoming the first African American to command a military post in the United States. He was then assigned to the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations. In 1954, he was promoted to Brigadier General while Director of Operations and Training in Japan. Through the 60's, he commanded many position within the Air force. Col. Davis retired on February 1, 1970 and awarded many deserved medals.
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