BOSTON — Gov. Maura Healey has enacted into law a special day in Massachusetts to honor the Tuskegee Airmen, the first all-Black aviation unit in World War II.
Healey on Thursday signed An Act Establishing the Fourth Thursday in March as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day, the governor said Friday. The day formally recognizes the service, sacrifice, and contributions of the military aviators known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
Brigadier Gen. Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse and Dr. Harold May, both Massachusetts veterans and original Tuskegee Airmen, joined the governor at the signing. Veterans Services Secretary Eric Goralnick, Major General Gary Keefe, and Sen. Cindy Friedman and Rep. Michelle Ciccolo also attended.
“This law honors and pays tribute to the extraordinary bravery and patriotism of the Tuskegee Airmen who served our nation with distinction and shaped our history,” Healey said.
“By establishing Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day in Massachusetts, we ensure that future generations understand their role in advancing equality and excellence in our service,” Healey said. “Thank you to Senator Friedman and Representative Ciccolo and all of the veterans and their families for advocating for this important bill.”
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military pilots and aircrew in U.S. history, trained as part of a groundbreaking program during World War II at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama.
Not allowed to practice or fight with their white counterparts, hundreds of Tuskegee Airmen saw combat throughout Europe, the Mediterranean, and North Africa, escorting bomber aircraft on missions and protecting them from the enemy.
Between 1941 and 1946, nearly 1,000 pilots graduated from the program, and more than 14,000 men and women served as pilots, navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, nurses and support personnel.
Dozens died in the fighting; others were held prisoners of war.
Today, fewer than a dozen original Tuskegee Airmen are believed to remain living nationwide.
Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day, a bill sponsored by Friedman and Ciccolo, requires the governor to issue an annual proclamation on the fourth Thursday in March.
The observance provides an opportunity for Massachusetts to honor the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and reflect on the lasting impact of their service on the nation’s military and civil rights history, state officials said.
“Establishing Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day ensures that their achievements and unwavering commitment to our nation will be remembered for generations to come,” Goralnick said. “It was a great honor to stand alongside Brigadier General Woody Woodhouse and Dr. Harold May — heroes whose lives embody the very best of our Commonwealth and our country.”
“The Tuskegee Airmen embodied courage and an unshakable belief in a country that did not always believe in them,” Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, said in a statement. ”By establishing Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day, Massachusetts affirms that their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten, and that their fight for equality is inseparable from our ongoing work to build a more just Commonwealth. We are deeply honored to recognize their extraordinary legacy.”
Rep. Joe McGonagle, House Chair, Joint Committee on Veterans and Federal Affairs, D-Everett, echoed her words.
“The Tuskegee Airmen are forever legends in American history,” McGonagle said in a statement. “I am eternally grateful for their sacrifice and service. I am also incredibly proud of Governor Healey and my colleagues in the Legislature for taking the initiative to cement their legacy in Massachusetts; to be honored year after year. This is what true patriotism looks like.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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