WILLIAM WHEELER, 87
Mr. Wheeler was a student at Howard University in 1943 and "swallowed his bitterness, boarded a segregated train in Washington, DC, and headed south" to become part of a landmark in aviation program that trained nearly 1,000 black pilots who became known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
Wheeler said, "I hated the country at the time and wasn't sure I wanted to fight for it. But I realized that despite our nation's injustices, even slaves had fought for this country and black people had fought in every US war since. I felt I couldn't let the tradition down..
In recent years Mr. Wheeler has been very active in keeping the Airmen's legacy alive.
While at Howard, President Roosevelt ended the Army's refusal to train black pilots and set up the school at Tuskegee, Alabama. In 2007, he was in attendance when President Bush collectively presented the Congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen.
To stand up against the segregation and attitudes of the time was a remarkable story. And then to serve and continue being treated badly. Congratulations Mr. Wheeler, one of the Greatest Generation.
From the July 21st Chicago Tribune.
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