One of the grander ironies of American society circa WW II was that African Americans were segregated in public as in the military, yet expected to risk their life in protection of that society just the same. Many did just so, in the process becoming achieving fame reaching beyond skin color. Among them was a group of African American pilots from the 332nd Fighter Group. Better known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

On this day, June 2nd, in 1943 the Tuskeegee Airmen saw their first action, providing air combat patrol in support of Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa. Later they saw action in Sicily and Italy, before deployment as bomber escorts in Europe, where they were particularly successful.

Tuskegee pilots were given critical missions protection bomber planes over Italy. Though often outnumbered by German Luftwaffe planes, they nevertheless succeeded in keeping their bombers  protected. Their skill and valor in combat encouraged the Air Force to add three other squadrons to form the 332nd Fighter Group of the 15th Air Force. The Group switched to P-51 Mustang fighters, decorated with bright red spinners and tails, earning the name “Redtails.”