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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
House Resolution 1
A resolution recognizing the service and sacrifice of 2
the Tuskegee Airmen and designating March 23, 2023, as 3
"Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day" in Florida. 4
5
WHEREAS, before World War II, African Americans had very 6
limited roles in the defense of the United States and none in 7
military aviation, and when the nation was drawn into the war, 8
African Americans were aspiring to more meaningful jobs in the 9
military, including flying and maintaining aircraft, and 10
WHEREAS, as the rapid expansion of aircraft production 11
during the war created a greater need for military pilots, 12
public outcry from civil rights groups and black professional 13
organizations exhorted the United States War Department to begin 14
training black pilots in the Army Air Corps, and 15
WHEREAS, the United States War Department's Civilian Pilot 16
Training Program (CPTP) authorized colleges and universities to 17
train students in order to increase the number of c ivilian 18
pilots and thereby increase the nation's military preparedness, 19
and 20
WHEREAS, Alabama's Tuskegee Institute was one of six black 21
colleges and universities chosen to participate in the CPTP, was 22
later selected to offer advanced training, and was the primary 23
flight training facility for the student pilots who would become 24
the Tuskegee Airmen, and 25
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
WHEREAS, the 99th Fighter Pursuit Squadron, the first black 26
flying squadron, trained at Dale Mabry Field near Tallahassee to 27
prepare for combat overseas, and the Eglin Field ranges in 28
Okaloosa County were used by advanced training cadets for 29
gunnery practice, and 30
WHEREAS, the outstanding performance of the Tuskegee Airmen 31
was unprecedented in military aviation history, and 32
WHEREAS, the month of March is sign ificant to the Tuskegee 33
Airmen, as it is the month in which the first cadets received 34
their wings; the first maintenance crew began training at 35
Chanute Field, Illinois; the first Pursuit Squadron, the 99th, 36
was activated; Eleanor Roosevelt visited Kennedy Field and flew 37
with Chief Alfred Anderson, an African American Instructor 38
Pilot; and President George W. Bush presented the Tuskegee 39
Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal, and 40
WHEREAS, General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr., born in 41
Pensacola, became the first African American to achieve the rank 42
of four-star general in the Armed Forces; Second Lieutenant 43
Charles P. Bailey, Sr., born in Punta Gorda, was the first 44
aviator from Florida to become a Tuskegee Airman pilot of the 45
99th Fighter Pursuit Squadron; L ieutenant Alvin J. Downing, born 46
in Jacksonville, was a Special Service Officer and renowned 47
musician and educator in the Army Air Forces Band and in the St. 48
Petersburg and Clearwater areas, and 49
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
WHEREAS, Second Lieutenant Alphonso Simmons from 50
Jacksonville became a casualty of war on March 3, 1945, and 51
First Lieutenant James Polkinghorne, Jr., of Pensacola was lost 52
on a combat mission over Italy on May 5, 1944, and 53
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy, residing in 54
Sarasota County, is a famed "Red Tail " P-51 pilot of the 332nd 55
Fighter Group; Daniel Keel, residing in Lake County, is one of 56
only five Tuskegee Airmen to receive a triple airman rating, 57
serving as pilot, bombardier, and navigator; Raymond Cassagnol, 58
residing in Seminole County, is one of fiv e Haitian Tuskegee 59
Airmen pilots; and Callie Odem Gentry, residing in Pasco County, 60
is a former stenographer and one of the women who served as 61
support personnel alongside the Tuskegee Airmen, and 62
WHEREAS, Tuskegee Airman Chief Master Sergeant Richard R. 63
Hall, Jr., of Winter Park was an aircraft mechanic in the 99th 64
Fighter Pursuit Squadron, served 30 years in the military, and 65
was one of the first African American Chief Master Sergeants; 66
and Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Hughes of Brevard County was a 67
Caucasian flight instructor, NOW, THEREFORE, 68
69
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of 70
Florida: 71
72
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
That the House of Representatives recognizes the service 73
and sacrifice of the Tuskegee Airmen and designates March 23, 74
2023, as "Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day" in Florida. 75