November 25, 1998 Clerow “Flip” Wilson, Jr., comedian and actor, died. Wilson was born December 8, 1933 in Jersey City, New Jersey. He lied about his age at 16 and joined the United States Air Force where his personality and funny stories made him popular. After his discharge, he became a regular at the Apollo […]
Tag Archives | Air Force
October 21st in African American History – Charles Edward Anderson
October 21, 1994 Charles Edward Anderson, the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in Meteorology, died. Anderson was born August 13, 1919 in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from Lincoln University in 1941. After graduating, Anderson enlisted in the United States Air Force and was sent to […]
October 11th in African American History – Malvin Greston Mal Whitfield
October 11, 1924 Malvin Greston “Mal” Whitfield, track athlete and diplomat, was born in Bay City, Texas. In 1943, Whitfield joined the United States Army Air Force and became a member of the Tuskegee Airmen with whom he flew 27 combat missions during the Korean War. After World War II he enrolled at Ohio State […]
October 9th in African American History – Eugene Jacques Bullard
October 9, 1894 Eugene Jacques Bullard, the only Black pilot in World War I, was born in Columbus, Georgia. While on a trip to Paris in 1914, World War I started and Bullard decided to join the French Foreign Legion. In 1916 he was wounded and awarded the Croix de Guerre. In 1917 he joined […]
October 6th in African American History – Lonnie George Johnson
October 6, 1949 Lonnie George Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker, was born in Mobile, Alabama. Johnson earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1973 and a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering in 1976 from Tuskegee University. After graduating, he worked for the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and […]