| The 99th, 100th, 301st and 302nd Fighter Squadrons during World War II, collectively the 332nd Fighter Group. The 332nd Fighter Group's pilots were African-Americans, known as the Tuskegee Airmen. They were purposely put through more rigorous training than their white comrades because they were black. They also had to fight discrimination and racism throughout their careers as pilots in the U.S. Air Force. Some people thought they couldn't fly as well as Caucasians, and so were looked upon as second rate pilots.
The 332nd Fighter Group was commanded by Col. Benjamin O. Davis, who later became the first black Lt. General in the U.S. Air Force. The 450 Tuskegee Airmen flew over 15,000 sorties, completing 1,578 missions, in Sicily, North Africa and Europe. They destroyed 409 enemy aircraft, and sunk an enemy destroyer using only machine gun fire. Sixty-six of the Tuskegee Airmen were killed in combat and thirty-two were shot down and captured.
Combined, the Tuskegee Airmen were awarded 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 1 Legion of Merit, 1 Silver Star, 14 Bronze Stars, 8 Purple Hearts, and 744 Air Medal and Clusters. | 
