99th Tactical Fighter Squadron

The 99th Tactical Fighter Squadron, famously known as part of the Tuskegee Airmen, was activated in 1941 during World War II as the first African American fighter squadron in the United States Army Air Forces. Initially trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, the squadron was deployed to North Africa in 1943, flying combat missions in support of Allied operations. The 99th flew aircraft such as the P-40 Warhawk and later the P-51 Mustang, earning a distinguished combat record in Italy and the Mediterranean Theater. Their exemplary performance helped pave the way for the eventual desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces.