Description: Bernard S. Proctor in uniform, wearing a jacket and hat, standing in front of a large crowd behind him. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B03F17_B
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Tuskegee Airmen; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; 332nd Fighter Group; Men; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force; Military uniforms; People
 

Description: Bernard S. Proctor and Benjamin O. Davis Jr. posing for a photograph at a Tuskegee Airmen event. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B04F32
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Tuskegee Airmen; Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; 332nd Fighter Group; Men; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force
 

Description: Four (4) women and two (2) men sitting on a beach in Italy, with people and buildings in the distance. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B02F27_B
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Tuskegee Airmen; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; 332nd Fighter Group; Men; Women; Beaches; Buildings; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force
Places: Italy
 

Description: Five (5) men standing outside on a road with greenery behind them. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B02F27_A
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Tuskegee Airmen; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; 332nd Fighter Group; Streets; Trees; Men; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force
Places: Italy
 

Description: The 99th Armament Section of the Tuskegee Airmen. ALTERNATE TEXT: A group of men pose for a picture wearing military uniforms, including hats. There are two white buildings behind the men with trees to the left of the buildings. At the far left of the photograph, there is a pole with wires attached to a pole in the middle of the two buildings. 15 men stand in the top row. 15 men sit in the middle row. 16 men sit in the middle row, with an officer in the direct middle of the row. He wears a different uniform and hat. The left and right edges of the photograph are overexposed and hard to make out details. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B09F10_C
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Tuskegee Airmen; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force; Military uniforms; People
 

Description: Benjamin O. Davis Jr., the first African American general officer in the United States Air Force and commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen, outside on a porch in Italy. Two (2) men and one (1) woman are near the building behind him. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B02F27_G
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Davis, Benjamin O.; Tuskegee Airmen; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; 332nd Fighter Group; Men; Women; People; Porches; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force
Places: Italy
 

Description: Bernard S. Proctor and one (1) other man eating at a table outside in an enclosed area near the beach. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B02F27_E
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Tuskegee Airmen; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; 332nd Fighter Group; Men; Beaches; Buildings; Porches; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force
Places: Italy
 

Description: Bernard S. Proctor, one (1) other man, and two (2) women relaxing on a beach in Italy with several buildings behind them. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B02F27_C
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Tuskegee Airmen; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; 332nd Fighter Group; Men; Women; Beaches; Buildings; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force
Places: Italy
 

Description: Bernard S. Proctor, Benjamin O. Davis Jr., and two (2) United States Air Force officers sitting around a table in a building. The man sitting next to Proctor has a drink and a cigar in hand. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B02F27_H
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Davis, Benjamin O.; Tuskegee Airmen; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; 332nd Fighter Group; Men; People; Buildings; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force
Places: Italy
 

Description: A headshot of a young Bernard S. Proctor in uniform. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NAM_MSS23_B03F17_A
Subjects: African Americans; African American soldiers; Proctor, Bernard Shaw; Tuskegee Airmen; World War II; 99th Pursuit Fighter Squadron; 332nd Fighter Group; Men; United States Army Air Corps; United States Air Force; Military uniforms
Places: Italy
 

Description: This photograph shows various military aircraft at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. Two men are standing in the center background of the photograph. Beginning in the 1910s, with World War I's outbreak, the United States government began investigating the use of airplanes in war. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson created the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA). This committee suggested establishing a center to research the use of airplanes in the military and also to seek improvements in airplane technology. Due to the presence of several automobile and aircraft plants in Ohio, the NACA established this center at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio. By 1924 the United States Air Corps had outgrown the facilities at McCook Field. Hoping to keep the Air Corps in Dayton, city officials and residents donated 5,250 acres of land on the city's outskirts. The Air Corps accepted the land and built Wright Field on the site. The base was named Wright Field to honor Orville and Wilbur Wright's contributions to flight. The Wrights had tested many of their early airplanes in the vicinity of Wright Field. Wright Field formally opened in 1927. In 1926 the United States government created the Army Air Corps, replacing the earlier Air Corps. The Army Air Corps stationed its Materiel Division at Wright Field. Here, scientists continued to improve aircraft. The scientists also realized that they had to work together to create the best possible plane. Before creation of the Army Air Corps, researchers studied individual parts of the plane, like engines, armor, wings, and propellers. Now scientists continued to specialize in individual components of planes, but they realized that changes in a plane's armor would affect all other parts of the plane. The same held true for changes in engines, wings, and the other parts of a plane. Under the Army Air Corps, researchers now kept a dialogue open between the various experts. Despite Wright Field's existence, the United States Army Air Corps entered World War II at a severe disadvantage numerically and technologically when compared to the air forces of other nations. To help overcome these weaknesses, the federal government in 1940 designated $300 million to improve Wright Field and to create an Air Corps with at least 5,500 planes. In 1941 only forty buildings existed at Wright Field, but by 1944 the airfield consisted of more than three hundred buildings. During World War II, research continued on airplanes, with much attention focused upon improving the horsepower of plane engines, airplanes' ranges and maneuverability, safety features for crews, and weapons. Workers at Wright Field helped to design and to construct numerous airplanes, such as the C-47 Skytrain, the C-54 Skymaster, the Curtiss C-46 Commando, the Sikorsky XR-4, the Curtiss-Wright P-40 Warhawk, the B-24 Liberator, and the B-29 Superfortress, among many others, during World War II. After World War II, Wright Field continued to play a major role in aircraft research and construction. In 1947 the United States government created the United States Air Force, eliminating the Army Air Forces and establishing a new branch of the United States military. That same year the Air Force combined Wright Field with nearby Patterson Field, creating Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Research continues at the base's facilities today, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is also home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06663
Subjects: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (Ohio); United States. Army. Air Corps; Aviation--History; Military aircraft; Aeronautics, Military; United States. Air Force--History
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph shows several mililtary aircraft on display at Wright Field (now Wright-Patterson Air Force Base) in Dayton, Ohio. Four people (two adults and two children) are seen walking through the display. Beginning in the 1910s, with World War I's outbreak, the United States government began investigating the use of airplanes in war. In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson created the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA). This committee suggested establishing a center to research the use of airplanes in the military and also to seek improvements in airplane technology. Due to the presence of several automobile and aircraft plants in Ohio, the NACA established this center at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio. By 1924 the United States Air Corps had outgrown the facilities at McCook Field. Hoping to keep the Air Corps in Dayton, city officials and residents donated 5,250 acres of land on the city's outskirts. The Air Corps accepted the land and built Wright Field on the site. The base was named Wright Field to honor Orville and Wilbur Wright's contributions to flight. The Wrights had tested many of their early airplanes in the vicinity of Wright Field. Wright Field formally opened in 1927. In 1926 the United States government created the Army Air Corps, replacing the earlier Air Corps. The Army Air Corps stationed its Materiel Division at Wright Field. Here, scientists continued to improve aircraft. The scientists also realized that they had to work together to create the best possible plane. Before creation of the Army Air Corps, researchers studied individual parts of the plane, like engines, armor, wings, and propellers. Now scientists continued to specialize in individual components of planes, but they realized that changes in a plane's armor would affect all other parts of the plane. The same held true for changes in engines, wings, and the other parts of a plane. Under the Army Air Corps, the researchers now kept a dialog open between the various experts. Despite Wright Field's existence, the United States Army Air Corps entered World War II at a severe disadvantage numerically and technologically when compared to the Air Forces of other nations. To help overcome these weaknesses, the federal government, in 1940, designated $300 million to improve Wright Field and to create an Air Corps with at least 5,500 planes. In 1941 only forty buildings existed at Wright Field, but by 1944 the airfield consisted of more than three hundred buildings. During World War II, research continued on airplanes, with much attention focused upon improving the horsepower of plane engines, airplanes' ranges and maneuverability, safety features for crews, and weapons. Workers at Wright Field helped to design and to construct numerous airplanes, such as the C-47 Skytrain, the C-54 Skymaster, the Curtiss C-46 Commando, the Sikorsky XR-4, the Curtiss-Wright P-40 Warhawk, the B-24 Liberator, and the B-29 Superfortress, among many others, during World War II. After World War II, Wright Field continued to play a major role in aircraft research and construction. In 1947 the United States government created the United States Air Force, eliminating the Army Air Forces and establishing a new branch of the United States military. That same year the Air Force combined Wright Field with nearby Patterson Field, creating Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Research continues at the base's facilities today, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is also home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06664
Subjects: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (Ohio); United States. Army. Air Corps; Aviation--History; Military aircraft; Aeronautics, Military; United States. Air Force--History
Places: Dayton (Ohio); Montgomery County (Ohio)