The first black general in the United States Air Force was Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. His father, Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., was the first black general officer in the U.S. Army and the Armed Forces.
A Family Legacy
Davis Jr. followed in his father's footsteps heading into leadership in the U.S. military. Davis Jr. was the fourth black cadet ever to graduate from West Point.
In World War II, he became the commander of the Tuskegee Airmen, an all-African American group of the Army Air Corps. He was in charge of the 99th Fighter Squadron during Operation Corkscrew in 1943.
The operation was under Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who wanted to take control of Pantelleria and Lampedusa, two islands 50 miles off of the Tunisian coast. It was also in the perfect path for invading Sicily in Operation Husky.
Operational Success
Davis' squadron participated in the continual air attacks on the island from May until June 1943. Then, finally, Pantelleria surrendered, and the commander of the area, Col. J.R. Watkins, sent Davis a message saying, "I wish to extend to you and the members of the squadron my heartiest congratulations for the splendid part you played in the Pantelleria show.
"You have met the challenge of the enemy and have come out of your initial christening into battle stronger qualified than ever. Your people have borne up well under battle conditions, and there is every reason to believe that with more experience, you will take your place in the battle line along with the best of them."
Col. J.R. Watkins
The Air Force became its own entity in 1947 and became one service in 1949, largely in part to Davis Jr and the pilots in his squadron. On Oct. 27, 1954, he became a Brigadier General.
Davis retired as a Lieutenant General, though on Dec. 9, 1998, President Bill Clinton gave him a fourth star. General Davis died in 2002 at 89. He passed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Example of American Exceptionalism! A story that needed to be told! Appreciate Men and Women in our Armed Forces! A Patriot, with exceptional leadership qualities. Thank God for
the dedication and excellence of those who serve!
I did not know about General Davis before this article. I did get to meet General Chappie James in person and he was an Awesome and very personable.
Look for 1 of the movies about the Tuskeegee Airmen, 1 so titled, made for TV in the late '80s or '90s, & "Red Tails"made in the mid teens, but "Tuskeegee Airmen" showcases Davis much better, of those 2.
He is a true American hero, his squadron later achieved the almost miraculous feat of never losing a bomber entrusted to their protection! No other group achieved that!
This goes to prove that patriotism has nothing to do with outward appearance, color, race, or other often discriminated qualities of an individual. If you believe in our freedom and the constitution that guarantees our inalienable God given rights; There will always be exceptional men and woman to stand against tyranny to conserve and protect against all enemies great and small , no matter the threat to personal sacrifice. Join me in saluting and recognizing their dedication in honor. -God Bless America-
As a Christian, God created all the races, and said it was good. If all the races are His creation, then they had to be created by Him for a reason. There is no race, sexual differences or color in the spirit realm. We may look like ourselves in spirit, but all the rest was created for testing in this earth age.
I just happened to run across the first African American general and honored to read my comment but definitely is a country and had problems but we’re still the greatest country in the world and I see a great opportunity even though there is a lot of violence going on in our citiesWe basically know who’s partly responsible and knowing what’s going on and who is trying to stir up hatred against the races is a clue the enemy is after America People I feel the hardest thing is to quit putting a title before America like black Americans Asian Americans white Americans I don’t look at it that way I would rather see Americans striving to come together to battle the enemy this evil enemy that is attacking our nation and divide and conquer has always been one of the keys two attacking your phone and it’s the globalist coming against Americans Christian Americans for many years they have been taking God out of our schools 10 Commandments out of our schools and our courthouses quart room in one our biggest and best weapon is a relationship with our creator they have gotten rid of God as much as they can and of course with this Covid shutting down churches and meeting places where people can gather and discuss what’s going on please remember their goal is divide and conquer and they have been using every tactic that they can use knowing what the enemy tactics are we can gather the ammunition we need to fight disable because it tells us in our Bibles toward the end times what will happen and it’s starting to happen so I pray everyone pray for your fellow man regardless of who hot they are where they live now is the time for Americans to pull together regardless of our differences and come together in spite of our differences because we are a free nation we believe that our freedom is based on God given rights and that is what the enemy must destroy so make it a point to know your neighbor to help someone you see might need help regardless of who they are kindness begets kindness when is the first places I believe a lot of us can start is in our cars everyone’s in a hurry to get somewhere which is OK but you look straight ahead and you’re on a mission and you don’t think about anything or anyone else be prepared to let someone in line to let someone in front of you it’s time to pull together to fight this evil remember our nation our freedom it’s just a heartbeat away from losing and his socialist democratic criminal organization party members are saying and doing any and everything they can do to cause chaos to cause hatred to our fellow man look what they’re doing with criminals they’re letting these criminals go so they know they’ll be out in the streets causing chaos tell me that’s not sick we must gather together like we did in our world wars we must come together and fight the common evil for the common good the only place I see where evil is really running rampant disease big cities that allowed blacks to burn for destruction allowing criminals to go in and steal shutting down businesses causing chaos this is exactly what the socialist democratic criminal organization plan is the globalist they must get rid of the population to a manageable number they must get rid of the sick and weak that cannot produce this a drag on their ability to make moneyToo much money is going out trying to take care of the sick and infirm recognize your enemy prepare your hearts and minds strengths and wisdom and God bless the United States of America and remember what this evil is attacking and why they are attacking and don’t allow them how are you to hate your neighbor remember the 10 Commandments and look up and put on the whole armor of God the whole armor of God the belt of truth the breast plate of righteousness shoes of the gospel shield of faith helmet of salvation sword of the Spirit prepare the shall have no other gods before me they’ll shout not make into the eighth grade in image nails here not take the name of the Lord the God in vain remember the sabbath day to keep it holy honor thy father and thy mother Look him up don’t be lazy God bless the United States of America