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Honor the Tuskegee Airmen, their Michigan ties

Most commonly associated with the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama from whence they drew their name, the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black pilots trained by the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II, actually have a rich connection to Michigan, including Northeast Michigan.

As reported recently on The News’ Lifestyles page, the airmen received advanced training beginning in 1943 by flying over Lake Huron out of metro Detroit and Oscodoa.

Unfortunately, 15 airmen died during their Michigan training, including five who died in Lake Huron.

The recent Lifestyles story documented the ongoing research on the Lake Huron bottom at the site of a crash that killed Frank H. Moody, a native Oklahoman who crashed during training in 1944.

With their bravery and skill, the Tuskegee Airmen contributed greatly to achieving racial equality in the American military, for which we all owe a great debt of gratitude.

Words can never fully express that gratitude, but we nonetheless say thanks to the Airmen and their families for all they did, and we honor their contributions to the history of this nation and this state.

And we urge all readers to join us in doing so.

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