Flight Officer William Armstrong (October 30, 1924 – April 1, 1945) † was a member of the famed group of World War II-era African-Americans known as the Tuskegee Airmen. His plane was shot down on Easter Sunday in 1945 over Austria.[1] In 2018 he was inducted into the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame.[2]
On Easter Sunday April 1, 1945, he was among a group of Tuskegee airmen escorting bombers back to their base. The Tuskegee airmen were attacked by a group of German fighters and Armstrong's plane was one of two American planes shot down. His body was not recovered.[1]
Dogfightedit
The Tuskegee Airmen had a successful mission escorting bombers on a bombing mission over St. Polten, Austria April 1, 1945. Returning to base, the American planes were attacked by German fighter planes. The Tuskegee airmen broke away to take on the German fighter planes. The Tuskegee airmen were able to shoot down 12 of the German fighter planes, but two P-51s were shot down. Armstrong's plane crashed into the ground, his body was not recovered. Walter Manning was able to deploy his parachute but was subsequently lynched.[2][4]
Recovery of his bodyedit
After the war his stepfather petitioned the military to keep searching for William Armstrong's body. The Military found his remains buried in a grave in Austria and his body was flown back to Rhode Island in 1950.[2]
He was born in Washington D.C., but he his mother Evelyn, and his sister Evelyn moved to Providence, Rhode Island where his grandfather lived. His mother married Nelson Venter.[2] The city of Providence has erected a memorial to Armstrong in Providence Rhode Island at the intersection of Dodge and Cranston streets.[7]
The Tuskegee Airmen: An Illustrated History, 1939–1949[8]
Referencesedit
^ abcd"Profiles of Tuskegee Airmen: William Armstrong". redtail.org. CAF Red Tail Squadron. April 14, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
^ abcdef"2/LT William P. Armstrong". RI Aviation Hall of Fame. February 8, 2018. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
^Rice, Markus. "The Men and Their Airplanes: The Fighters." Tuskegee Airmen, March 1, 2000.
^Patterson, Brandon (May 27, 2018). "Tuskegee Airman honored 73 years after being lynched in Austria". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
^ abcd"William P Armstrong". honorstates.org. Honor States. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
^Beale, Stephen (November 10, 2010). "Tuskegee Airman to Be Honored Today". Providence News. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
^Caver, Joseph; Ennels, Jerome A.; Haulman, Daniel Lee (2011). The Tuskegee Airmen: An Illustrated History, 1939–1949. Montgomery: New South Books. p. 394. ISBN978-1588382443. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
Notesedit
^The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of P-51s as well as a red rudder; their P-51B and D Mustangs flew with similar color schemes, with red propeller spinners, yellow wing bands and all-red tail surfaces.[3]
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Armstrong (pilot).
william, armstrong, pilot, flight, officer, william, armstrong, october, 1924, april, 1945, member, famed, group, world, african, americans, known, tuskegee, airmen, plane, shot, down, easter, sunday, 1945, over, austria, 2018, inducted, into, rhode, island, a. Flight Officer William Armstrong October 30 1924 April 1 1945 was a member of the famed group of World War II era African Americans known as the Tuskegee Airmen His plane was shot down on Easter Sunday in 1945 over Austria 1 In 2018 he was inducted into the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame 2 Flight OfficerWilliam ArmstrongWilliam Armstrong in 1944Birth nameWilliam Pickney ArmstrongNickname s WillBorn 1924 10 30 October 30 1924Providence Rhode Island USDiedApril 1 1945 1945 04 01 aged 20 AustriaBuriedGrace Church Cemetery in ProvidenceAllegianceUnited StatesService wbr branchUnited States Army Air ForceYears of service1944 1945RankFlight OfficerUnit332nd Fighter GroupAwardsPurple Heart Medal Congressional Gold Medal 2007 posthumously Presidential Unit Citation Contents 1 Military service 1 1 World War II 1 2 Dogfight 1 3 Recovery of his body 1 4 Awards 2 Education 3 Personal life 4 See also 5 Further reading 6 References 6 1 Notes 7 External linksMilitary service editWorld War II edit nbsp The Tuskegee Airmen s aircraft had distinctive markings that led to the name Red Tails N 1 After his graduation September 8 1944 from the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama he was assigned to the 301st Fighter Squadron 332nd fighter group in Ramitelli Italy Armstrong flew missions escorting bombers to targets in Nazi territory 1 2 On Easter Sunday April 1 1945 he was among a group of Tuskegee airmen escorting bombers back to their base The Tuskegee airmen were attacked by a group of German fighters and Armstrong s plane was one of two American planes shot down His body was not recovered 1 Dogfight edit The Tuskegee Airmen had a successful mission escorting bombers on a bombing mission over St Polten Austria April 1 1945 Returning to base the American planes were attacked by German fighter planes The Tuskegee airmen broke away to take on the German fighter planes The Tuskegee airmen were able to shoot down 12 of the German fighter planes but two P 51s were shot down Armstrong s plane crashed into the ground his body was not recovered Walter Manning was able to deploy his parachute but was subsequently lynched 2 4 Recovery of his body edit After the war his stepfather petitioned the military to keep searching for William Armstrong s body The Military found his remains buried in a grave in Austria and his body was flown back to Rhode Island in 1950 2 Awards edit Air Medal 5 Purple Heart Medal 5 Congressional Gold Medal 2007 posthumously 6 Presidential Unit Citation 5 European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal 5 Education editCentral High School 1943 2 Tuskegee Institute 1944 1 Personal life editHe was born in Washington D C but he his mother Evelyn and his sister Evelyn moved to Providence Rhode Island where his grandfather lived His mother married Nelson Venter 2 The city of Providence has erected a memorial to Armstrong in Providence Rhode Island at the intersection of Dodge and Cranston streets 7 See also editExecutive Order 9981 List of Tuskegee Airmen Military history of African AmericansFurther reading editThe Tuskegee Airmen An Illustrated History 1939 1949 8 References edit a b c d Profiles of Tuskegee Airmen William Armstrong redtail org CAF Red Tail Squadron April 14 2018 Retrieved February 6 2020 a b c d e f 2 LT William P Armstrong RI Aviation Hall of Fame February 8 2018 Retrieved February 6 2020 Rice Markus The Men and Their Airplanes The Fighters Tuskegee Airmen March 1 2000 Patterson Brandon May 27 2018 Tuskegee Airman honored 73 years after being lynched in Austria Detroit Free Press Retrieved September 27 2019 a b c d William P Armstrong honorstates org Honor States Retrieved February 6 2020 Rangel Charles B April 11 2006 Tuskegee Airmen Gold Medal Signed Into Law Press Release United States House of Representatives Retrieved November 26 2008 Beale Stephen November 10 2010 Tuskegee Airman to Be Honored Today Providence News Retrieved February 6 2020 Caver Joseph Ennels Jerome A Haulman Daniel Lee 2011 The Tuskegee Airmen An Illustrated History 1939 1949 Montgomery New South Books p 394 ISBN 978 1588382443 Retrieved February 6 2020 Notes edit The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of P 51s as well as a red rudder their P 51B and D Mustangs flew with similar color schemes with red propeller spinners yellow wing bands and all red tail surfaces 3 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to William Armstrong pilot Tuskegee Airmen at Tuskegee University Tuskegee Airmen Archives at the University of California Riverside Libraries Tuskegee Airmen Inc Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site U S National Park Service Tuskegee Airmen National Museum Fly 2009 play about the 332d Fighter Group Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Armstrong pilot amp oldid 1217653451, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
