Racism, war at front lines for these airmen

While America was fighting fascism overseas during World War II, a group of black pilots were also fighting racism.

The group, known officially as the 99th Pursuit (and later Fighter) Squadron and more popularly as the Tuskegee Airmen, gained fame for their bravery.

As an escort group that shielded American bombers on European missions, the 99th prided itself on never losing a bomber to enemy fighters. Later, members of the 99th distinguished themselves in combat.

On Sunday, the Brotherhood of Long Grove's Temple Chai paid tribute to the airmen with two members of the airmen's Chicago chapter: Welton Taylor, a liaison pilot in the 93rd Division, the first all-black division to see combat during World War II; and Beverly Dunjill, who volunteered as a pilot in World War II and later flew combat missions in the Korean War.

Sunday's gathering aimed to reflect on obstacles African-Americans have overcome, said Mike Kurman, president of the Temple Chai brotherhood.

Blacks had tried to join the Army Air Corps since World War I, but it wasn't until 1941 that a black flying unit was formed, with the intent of training them at Tuskegee, Ala. The highly educated unit was segregated -- the military was not integrated until 1948 -- and reluctantly admitted into combat.

Visiting speaker Taylor, 88, served as liaison pilot, directing artillery fire during missions in the Pacific.

He said his military tenure was dominated by constant reminders of racism. And although Taylor never was a flying member of the Tuskegee Airmen due to weak eyesight, he said, "Nobody in the Tuskegee Airmen was ever in three race riots like I was."

Taylor was an officer of the day when a riot erupted in a camp in Georgia, sparked when "one of our men was shot," Taylor said.

The conflict stemmed from a dispute over the man's uniform and escalated when the white corporal used the N-word.

"Well that cost (the corporal) two teeth," Taylor said.

The white corporal told a black counterpart to shoot the man, said Taylor.

"Both of them were corporals, but a white corporal is always the higher rank than a black corporal," Taylor said. "So he had his choice of refusing a direct order, which could get him court-martialed, or to shoot his own brother in skin. So he shot him in the leg."

The blacks in camp were subsequently rounded up so they could be kept out of harm's way and Taylor said he helped with this effort.

Taylor noted other tough situations faced by blacks in World War II when he said black pilots flew 70 missions before they went home, while white pilots only had to fly 50.

"Now what I would like to see is, of (those) that were killed in action, how many of them were killed between their 50th and their 70th mission, because that's pure racism," Taylor said. "Those dead are pure racism."

Fellow guest speaker Dunjill, 80, has wanted to fly for as long as he can remember and has been flying since age 16.

Today, he still flies out of Gary Airport.

Before he left active duty in 1953, Dunjill flew 100 combat missions in Korea, also working as a test pilot.

After returning to civilian life, Dunjill worked as the Midwest regional manager for a computing machines firm. Later, he worked for the state of Illinois as director of investigation for the Fair Employment Practices Commission.

Civilian life never included work as a pilot, though -- he said the airlines weren't hiring blacks as pilots until the mid-1970s.

"I was interviewed (in 1953) by one of the airlines for about three hours.

"They said, 'We'll get back to you,'" Dunjill said. "Well, they're going to call me any day now."