Black Knights

by Lynn M. Homan, Thomas Reilly

The story of the men and women who served at Tuskegee Army Air Field from 1941 to 1946.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, World War II, Aviation, Nonfiction, Military History

122 pages, Hardcover

First published January 31, 2001

Reviews

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well researched and written book on the Tuskegee Airmen. Many great photos to help personalize the aviators and others who helped and those who did not help the cause.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Tuskegee Airmen. This book covers the formation and training of the fighter pilots in the 99th Fighter Squadron, and later the 332 Fighter Group, the ground support personnel, and also the 477th Bombardment Group, which never entered combat in World War II. The book is loaded with their personal stories and their fight against racism within the Army Air Corps and from civilians (both northerners and southerners).

There is also a section at the end of the book that tells the stories of the black civilian aviation pioneers, both men and women.

[Rhonda Breiser · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a very well researched history of the Tuskegee program during WWII. It details the rampant racism which made it very difficult for the people to suceed. (Not just pilots - they also trained mechanics and navigators and all the other support personnel.) But succeed they did. And this book details the entire background from enception to the end of the war.

My problem with the book was in the listing of the names. So many names. It felt like a cast of thousands and I just started skimming the paragraphs that were just lists of names. It is a slog to get through, which is a shame. I had high hopes when I started it.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well researched and written, this book provides the reader with an accurate picture of the trials that early Black aviators faced. it also details the heroic achievements of these men and women who rose above discrimination and the normal challenges of military aviation to become true heros. Well worth the time to read.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good history of early black aviation up through WWII, but it necessarily comments on the extreme racism they faced in getting trained, deployed for WWII service, and then returning as civilians to Jim Crow laws and discrimination once the war ended.

[Halden Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. It shows, in detail, the stories of the Tuskegee Airmen both in combat and back at home, along with a few other stories of blacks in aviation. As an avid WW2 learner, this was an amazing read and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes anything WW2.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A compilation of pieces pulled together for an exhibit that tells the story of the many men (and women) who achieved such success in aviation and for the country.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

During World War II an all black fighter squadron was formed. They severed in North Africa and England with the primary task of escorting bombers. Despite discrimination they had one of the highest success rates in Europe.

[Bob]

Awesome, informative book on an interesting aspect of WWII history.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely worth reading. Definitely also a slog of "the 'begats' " proportions​ in the actual war passages, though, at least IMHO.
But I did learn a lot - including the answer to a seemingly rhetorical question "Why did they keep putting Col. Racist McRacistFace in charge of the all-black groups?" Oh right, because​ they *wanted* the experiment to fail. Just wow...