By Tim Troglen
The Summiteer

March 29 will be a special day to me. 

Nope. It’s not an early Easter Sunday or first day of spring. 

That day has been designated by an Ohio House Bill as Ohio Tuskegee Airmen Day. 

I love the Tuskegee Airmen and all the history surrounding the 332nd Fighter Group. 

I was excited to read in a recent edition of The Summiteer that an exhibit dedicated to the Tuskegee Airmen would be making stops throughout Summit County. 

The Celtic Club Green Man Project displayed the 7-foot retractable banner during Black History Month, highlighting the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. 

The banner displayed the name, rank and hometown of the 69 Ohio-born members of the mostly black fighter group.

The banner was displayed at a variety of locations including the University of Akron. 

The celebration of the Tuskegee Airmen will conclude in late May with a name reading ceremony at the MAPS Museum, a flyover, and participation from the official Tuskegee Airmen organization.

Why do I love the Tuskegee Airmen so much?

Because of the hundreds of news stories I’ve covered, the features I’ve written and the columns I’ve penned, a story covered more than 20 years ago about the Tuskegee Airmen touched my soul. 

I know as a journalist I am not supposed to get emotionally involved in a story. But I sat enraptured in the auditorium of Stafford Elementary School, in Maple Heights, as I listened to three members of the Tuskegee Airmen tell their stories. 

The men recounted the hate they faced by both white civilians and white military personnel simply because of skin color. The hate was felt by the men in the United States and Europe.

But something slowly happened.

The hate and “shouts of the “n-word” once used on the ground, were replaced in the air by respect and the shout of hero, as the Red Tails or Red Tailed Angels, demonstrated their combat prowess in the skies over the European Theater during World War II.

The Tuskegee Airmen earned the nickname of Red Tails and Red Tailed Angels because of the distinctive red markings on several tails of the fighter group’s aircraft. 

I was an immediate fan. 

When I returned to the office that day I Googled the group and learned all I could. 

From 1943 to 1945 the Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 sorties and had one of the lowest loss records of any escort fighter group. The group also helped pave the way for the desegregation of the military, with several members making individual histories of their own. 

Google the airmen. You won’t be sorry.

So why is it important that a group of old fliers have a special day in Ohio?

Because the group has either been forgotten or skipped over by today’s educational curriculums.

I asked my nephew, J.J., who is bi-racial, if he had ever heard of the Tuskegee Airmen. His answer was “no.”

I showed him clips on YouTube — he was an immediate fan.

When his mom returned to my house to pick him up J.J. asked if she had known about the Tuskegee Airmen. I believe her answer was “no.”

That’s why we need to recognize the airmen. 

I’m proud of Ohio for recognizing the Tuskegee Airmen.

But we are losing WWII veterans at an alarming rate. 

I just hope there are still some members around to take part in their special Ohio day.

Thank you Red Tailed Angels.