Legacy of Tuskegee Airmen to be honored during Black History Month Event

The Department of External Affairs through the Douglas County Board of Commissioners will honor and recognize three members of the Tuskegee Airmen during a Black History Exhibit and Reception event on Tuesday, February 27th, 2018 at 6:30 p.m.

The event will occur on the 3rd-floor art gallery area of the Douglas County Courthouse, located at 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville, Ga. 30134.

Mr. Val Archer, Rev. Thomas Bristow and Mr. Hilliard Warren Pouncy Jr., Ph.D. are the three Tuskegee Airmen who will receive an award and proclamation for their service during World War II.

Mr. Archer was assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group, more popularly known as the (Tuskegee Airmen) at Lockbourne Air Base in Columbus, OH.  From January 1946 – September 1949, Mr. Archer was assigned as an airplane mechanic and later as an Aircraft Instrument Specialist to try the army, and on that day, the U.S. Army Air Corps processed him along with the other men.

Rev. Bristow enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1946 at age 17.  He received his Basic Training at Shepherd Air Base in Texas, and the Army Air Corps transferred Rev. Bristow to Shepherd Air Base in Texas.  After Basic Training, Bristow transferred to Chunte Field Air Base in Snoppville, Illinois where he completed training in Aircraft Sheet Metal and as a Fuel Cell Specialist.

In 2008, Mr. Pouncy received the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition for his service with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. A Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest awards given to a civilian by Congress as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.  According to The Atlanta Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. website, Mr. Pouncy said, “My story is a simple one.  In everything I did-whether for my country, my family, my people or my Maker-I did my best. I am convinced this is the meaning of being a Tuskegee Airman.”

Mr. Archer, Rev. Bristow, and Mr. Pouncy, Jr. are all members of The Atlanta Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen Inc., an education and community service organization dedicated to maintaining the traditions of the Tuskegee Airmen and preserving the legacy of the first generation of African American military aviators of World War II.

The Tuskegee Airmen (pronounced tus-KEE-gee) were the first African-American military pilots to fight in World War II as part of the U.S. Army Air Corps.  When World War II first began in 1939, African-American pilots weren’t allowed to train with white pilots.  When the U.S. military acknowledged 1,000 African-American pilots to train at an air base in Tuskegee, Alabama, it was a significant move towards integration between 1941 and 1946.  The name of the city where the pilots trained is how the Tuskegee Airmen got their name.

For more information or interview requests, please contact Director of Communications and Community Relations Rick Martin at 770-920-7303 or email at rickmartin@co.douglas.ga.us.