When Crockett entered the military in 1940, he was assigned to the first black field artillery regiment, the 349th, in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After being commended as a Model Soldier who exhibited \u201chigh technical skill\u201d and \u201csoldierly qualities of leadership, loyalty, and initiative,\u201d Crockett transferred to the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama to join a segregated unit of African-American Army Air Corps cadets. As a cadet, he excelled as a pilot, finding that his skills in math helped him calculate the correct trajectory for his targets.<\/p>\n
The group of African-American pilots and staff who trained at Tuskegee between the years of 1941 and 1946 are known as the \u201cTuskegee Airmen.\u201d Upon entering World War II, they quickly earned a reputation for their few losses when protecting American bombers. The red paint on the tails of their aircraft led to the nickname the \u201cRed Tails,\u201d and their reputation caused the Germans to call them the \u201cBlack Birdmen.\u201d In addition to the red paint, pilots often painted the name of their planes on the sides. Crockett\u2019s was the \u201cDaisy Mae\u201d after his wife Daisy McMurray. Crockett flew 149 missions from 1944-1945 and received two Soldier\u2019s Medals for rescuing pilots from burning aircraft, among countless other honors. The undeniable success of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II was a key step in achieving military integration.<\/p>\n When Crockett entered the military in 1940, he was assigned to the first black field artillery regiment, the 349th, in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. After being commended as a Model Soldier who exhibited \u201chigh technical skill\u201d and \u201csoldierly qualities of leadership,…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"Photographic](\"https:\/\/ualrexhibits.org\/characters\/files\/2017\/01\/Tusegee-airman-waving-hats-Fort-Sill-349th-Crockett-2.jpg\")
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