IN MAY 1949 THEY WERE THE THE VERY FIRST U. S. AIR FORCE TOP GUN PILOTS
332nd Fighter Group - Awarded First Place In The Conventional (Propeller) Aircraft Division
*** THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN ***
"Top Gun Commander" - Captain Alva Temple
Tuskegee Airman TAMPA, Fla. - Mr. Henry Cabot Lodge Bohler, Sr. died in Tampa, Florida on Friday, August 10, 2007 after a lengthy illness. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 18, 2007 in St. Mark Episcopal Church, Tampa. Henry, 82, was born in Augusta, Ga. and graduated from Haines Normal and Industrial Institute in 1942 (now Laney Comprehensive High School).
Growing up he always harbored hopes of one day becoming a pilot, but that was a dream that he had been told could never come true because he was black. On April 3, 1939, Public Law 18, allocating funds specifically for the training of African-American pilots, went into effect at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He wasted no time and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces at age 17, showing the tenacity and conviction that were a big part of his character by successfully convincing the recruitment officer to take him despite being one pound under the 110-lb minimum weight requirement. Bohler was duly sent to Tuskegee to train with the North American P-51 Mustang, becoming one of the famed ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ and aiming to fight in Europe like many Tuskegee graduates before him. His young age worked against him in that pursuit, however – by the time he completed training and earned his wings it was 1944 (Tuskegee Class: 44-J-SE; Graduation: 28 Dec 1944; Rank: Flight Officer), and the USAAF had all the pilots it needed to prosecute the war already at the front. As a result, Bohler did not see combat in World War II, but he remained in service to his country for a few years before leaving the Air Force as a 2ndLieutenant in 1947. On returning to civilian life Bohler also returned to school, earning a degree from Hampton University in Virginia. He also met the woman who would become his wife – Clifford Marie – at her aunt’s Augusta ice cream shop. He became the first licensed African-American electrician in Tampa, Florida and became one of the city’s successful African-Americans.
Survivors include his wife, Clifford Marie "Tunnie" Bohler; sons, George Allesandro (Yvonne) Bohler of Lanham, Md., Henry Cabot Lodge (Jacquelyn) Bohler, Jr., M.D. of Louisville, Ky.; daughter, Pamela Marie (Andre) Sampson of Melrose Park, Pa.; seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild; a brother, The Rev. Canon Lewis Penrose Bohler, Jr. of Augusta, Ga.; a sister, Fredericka Nadine Bohler of Augusta, Ga.; and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, bequests may be made to St. James Episcopal Church, 2708 Central Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33602 or Tuskegee Airman's Scholarship Fund, c/o Colonel Wm. Robinson, P.O. Box 91210, Los Angeles, Calif. 90009-1210, (310) 379-3529.
332nd Fighter Group - Awarded First Place In The Conventional (Propeller) Aircraft Division
*** THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN ***
"Top Gun Commander" - Captain Alva Temple
Tuskegee Airman TAMPA, Fla. - Mr. Henry Cabot Lodge Bohler, Sr. died in Tampa, Florida on Friday, August 10, 2007 after a lengthy illness. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 18, 2007 in St. Mark Episcopal Church, Tampa. Henry, 82, was born in Augusta, Ga. and graduated from Haines Normal and Industrial Institute in 1942 (now Laney Comprehensive High School).
Growing up he always harbored hopes of one day becoming a pilot, but that was a dream that he had been told could never come true because he was black. On April 3, 1939, Public Law 18, allocating funds specifically for the training of African-American pilots, went into effect at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He wasted no time and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces at age 17, showing the tenacity and conviction that were a big part of his character by successfully convincing the recruitment officer to take him despite being one pound under the 110-lb minimum weight requirement. Bohler was duly sent to Tuskegee to train with the North American P-51 Mustang, becoming one of the famed ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ and aiming to fight in Europe like many Tuskegee graduates before him. His young age worked against him in that pursuit, however – by the time he completed training and earned his wings it was 1944 (Tuskegee Class: 44-J-SE; Graduation: 28 Dec 1944; Rank: Flight Officer), and the USAAF had all the pilots it needed to prosecute the war already at the front. As a result, Bohler did not see combat in World War II, but he remained in service to his country for a few years before leaving the Air Force as a 2ndLieutenant in 1947. On returning to civilian life Bohler also returned to school, earning a degree from Hampton University in Virginia. He also met the woman who would become his wife – Clifford Marie – at her aunt’s Augusta ice cream shop. He became the first licensed African-American electrician in Tampa, Florida and became one of the city’s successful African-Americans.
Survivors include his wife, Clifford Marie "Tunnie" Bohler; sons, George Allesandro (Yvonne) Bohler of Lanham, Md., Henry Cabot Lodge (Jacquelyn) Bohler, Jr., M.D. of Louisville, Ky.; daughter, Pamela Marie (Andre) Sampson of Melrose Park, Pa.; seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild; a brother, The Rev. Canon Lewis Penrose Bohler, Jr. of Augusta, Ga.; a sister, Fredericka Nadine Bohler of Augusta, Ga.; and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, bequests may be made to St. James Episcopal Church, 2708 Central Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33602 or Tuskegee Airman's Scholarship Fund, c/o Colonel Wm. Robinson, P.O. Box 91210, Los Angeles, Calif. 90009-1210, (310) 379-3529.
IN MAY 1949 THEY WERE THE THE VERY FIRST U. S. AIR FORCE TOP GUN PILOTS
332nd Fighter Group - Awarded First Place In The Conventional (Propeller) Aircraft Division
*** THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN ***
"Top Gun Commander" - Captain Alva Temple
Tuskegee Airman TAMPA, Fla. - Mr. Henry Cabot Lodge Bohler, Sr. died in Tampa, Florida on Friday, August 10, 2007 after a lengthy illness. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 18, 2007 in St. Mark Episcopal Church, Tampa. Henry, 82, was born in Augusta, Ga. and graduated from Haines Normal and Industrial Institute in 1942 (now Laney Comprehensive High School).
Growing up he always harbored hopes of one day becoming a pilot, but that was a dream that he had been told could never come true because he was black. On April 3, 1939, Public Law 18, allocating funds specifically for the training of African-American pilots, went into effect at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He wasted no time and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces at age 17, showing the tenacity and conviction that were a big part of his character by successfully convincing the recruitment officer to take him despite being one pound under the 110-lb minimum weight requirement. Bohler was duly sent to Tuskegee to train with the North American P-51 Mustang, becoming one of the famed ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ and aiming to fight in Europe like many Tuskegee graduates before him. His young age worked against him in that pursuit, however – by the time he completed training and earned his wings it was 1944 (Tuskegee Class: 44-J-SE; Graduation: 28 Dec 1944; Rank: Flight Officer), and the USAAF had all the pilots it needed to prosecute the war already at the front. As a result, Bohler did not see combat in World War II, but he remained in service to his country for a few years before leaving the Air Force as a 2ndLieutenant in 1947. On returning to civilian life Bohler also returned to school, earning a degree from Hampton University in Virginia. He also met the woman who would become his wife – Clifford Marie – at her aunt’s Augusta ice cream shop. He became the first licensed African-American electrician in Tampa, Florida and became one of the city’s successful African-Americans.
Survivors include his wife, Clifford Marie "Tunnie" Bohler; sons, George Allesandro (Yvonne) Bohler of Lanham, Md., Henry Cabot Lodge (Jacquelyn) Bohler, Jr., M.D. of Louisville, Ky.; daughter, Pamela Marie (Andre) Sampson of Melrose Park, Pa.; seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild; a brother, The Rev. Canon Lewis Penrose Bohler, Jr. of Augusta, Ga.; a sister, Fredericka Nadine Bohler of Augusta, Ga.; and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, bequests may be made to St. James Episcopal Church, 2708 Central Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33602 or Tuskegee Airman's Scholarship Fund, c/o Colonel Wm. Robinson, P.O. Box 91210, Los Angeles, Calif. 90009-1210, (310) 379-3529.
332nd Fighter Group - Awarded First Place In The Conventional (Propeller) Aircraft Division
*** THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN ***
"Top Gun Commander" - Captain Alva Temple
Tuskegee Airman TAMPA, Fla. - Mr. Henry Cabot Lodge Bohler, Sr. died in Tampa, Florida on Friday, August 10, 2007 after a lengthy illness. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, August 18, 2007 in St. Mark Episcopal Church, Tampa. Henry, 82, was born in Augusta, Ga. and graduated from Haines Normal and Industrial Institute in 1942 (now Laney Comprehensive High School).
Growing up he always harbored hopes of one day becoming a pilot, but that was a dream that he had been told could never come true because he was black. On April 3, 1939, Public Law 18, allocating funds specifically for the training of African-American pilots, went into effect at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He wasted no time and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Forces at age 17, showing the tenacity and conviction that were a big part of his character by successfully convincing the recruitment officer to take him despite being one pound under the 110-lb minimum weight requirement. Bohler was duly sent to Tuskegee to train with the North American P-51 Mustang, becoming one of the famed ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ and aiming to fight in Europe like many Tuskegee graduates before him. His young age worked against him in that pursuit, however – by the time he completed training and earned his wings it was 1944 (Tuskegee Class: 44-J-SE; Graduation: 28 Dec 1944; Rank: Flight Officer), and the USAAF had all the pilots it needed to prosecute the war already at the front. As a result, Bohler did not see combat in World War II, but he remained in service to his country for a few years before leaving the Air Force as a 2ndLieutenant in 1947. On returning to civilian life Bohler also returned to school, earning a degree from Hampton University in Virginia. He also met the woman who would become his wife – Clifford Marie – at her aunt’s Augusta ice cream shop. He became the first licensed African-American electrician in Tampa, Florida and became one of the city’s successful African-Americans.
Survivors include his wife, Clifford Marie "Tunnie" Bohler; sons, George Allesandro (Yvonne) Bohler of Lanham, Md., Henry Cabot Lodge (Jacquelyn) Bohler, Jr., M.D. of Louisville, Ky.; daughter, Pamela Marie (Andre) Sampson of Melrose Park, Pa.; seven grandchildren, one great-grandchild; a brother, The Rev. Canon Lewis Penrose Bohler, Jr. of Augusta, Ga.; a sister, Fredericka Nadine Bohler of Augusta, Ga.; and several nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, bequests may be made to St. James Episcopal Church, 2708 Central Ave., Tampa, Fla. 33602 or Tuskegee Airman's Scholarship Fund, c/o Colonel Wm. Robinson, P.O. Box 91210, Los Angeles, Calif. 90009-1210, (310) 379-3529.
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