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Tuskegee Airmen are on the march

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Lauren Main
  • 15th Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii- --  He looked up to the ceiling as he recollected memories of his years in the Air Force, as if to watch an invisible reel replaying his life for only him to see.

Retired U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Norman Artis, a Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. member since 2003, spoke of his swearing in merely three years after the Air Force had been established as its own branch of service. He enlisted in the Air Force Reserves Jun. 23, 1950, only two days prior to North Korean forces unleashing all-out attacks across the 38th Parallel and initiating the beginning of the Korean War.

"Basic training was supposed to be thirteen weeks, but due to the start of the war, it was cut in half," Mr. Artis said. "After that, I was stationed at O'Hare Air Reserve Station in Chicago and from there I was activated and sent to Korea."

Mr. Artis joined a newly desegregated military service still clinging to old prejudices, but nevertheless, he helped pave the path for African Americans to serve equally. He took the example of the Tuskegee Airmen, who served a decade earlier to become the first African American pilots and crew to serve in the Army Air Corps in squadrons of their own.

Mr. Artis was a logistics and supply maintenance troop who served during three major conflicts; the Korean War, the Cold War and the Vietnam War.

Mr. Artis is a man who understands the importance of history and heritage. In 2003, he became a Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. chapter member in order to dedicate his time to educating America on the legacy of those who came before us.

"I want to give people opportunities that I didn't have. I just wanted to give back to the community," Mr. Artis said. "A lot of people are interested; they just haven't been exposed to it yet."

Today there are fifty-five Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. chapters across the country dedicated to honoring the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen, introducing young people to the world of aviation and science by sponsoring programs to better the youth of America.

During a recent trip to Hawaii, Mr. Artis discovered the state does not have any chapters. While wearing his Tuskegee Airmen chapter jacket, he received numerous queries regarding a Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. chapter in Hawaii. After further investigation, he decided to start the first one on the island.

In order to start a chapter, He needs active and interested members to assist him in his mission. Though Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. derives from an Air Force background, interested individuals do not have to have any military service to join.

"There is a large misconception with who you have to be to join Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.," said Quincy Magwood, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. national membership chair person. "You don't have to be African American, you don't have to be in the Air Force, you don't even have to be retired from the military; anyone can join. I would really like to see a Hawaii chapter. "

Interest is currently limited due to lack of exposure, but Mr. Artis met an interested potential member on his recent venture to the Pacific Aviation Museum, Master Sgt. Chandra Davis, Pacific Air Force's surgeon general's office.

"I wanted to get involved with building a Hawaii chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen here because I appreciate what the Tuskegee Airmen have done and the path that they forged for Airmen like me," Sergeant Davis said. "The Tuskegee Airmen are a testament to the powers of faith and determination which are highly admirable qualities."

According to Sergeant Davis, the memory of the Tuskegee Airmen lives through young Americans who pass along their legacy to the next generation to follow.

"The mission of the Tuskegee Airmen today is no longer in the air, but on the ground and right in front of us which is our youth," Sergeant Davis said. I want to be a part of their passion to positively influence our youth by ensuring that they understand the value and importance of education and by providing them with tools such as scholarship programs and mentorship.

Mr. Artis thinks the Hawaii chapter is a chance to bring the Air Force's rich and diverse heritage to a place where it might not otherwise be known.

"A lot happened in the Pacific during World War II," he said. "The Tuskegee Airmen primarily served in the European theatre, but that doesn't mean their history should be forgotten in this region. I want to continue to expand their mission across the country; starting in Hawaii."

Mr. Artis' mission is to carry on a legacy of one of the greatest cultural achievements in American History. He seeks to remind people every day, through the example of the Tuskegee Airmen, there are no shortcuts to greatness.