Search - The Tuskegee Airmen - They Fought Two Wars on DVD

Profile in Moral and Physical Courage

John A Lee III | San Antonio, TX | 05/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The stories of the 99th and the 332nd, the Tuskegee Airmen, are ones that should be heard by all Americans. As the subtitle states, they did fight two wars. They fought against the Nazis and they fought the civil rights war here at home.

This is a well done documentary that presents the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. Topics examined include the prewar state of affairs of black servicemen, their training in Tuskegee, Alabama, their air campaigns in North Africa and Europe and their less than triumphant return home after the war. At each step of the way, they had to fight individual and institutional racism and they did so in the best possible manner. They fought bigotry with sheer excellence. They remain the only fighter group never to have lost one of the bombers they were charged with protecting to enemy fire.

Participating in this documentary are some of the original airmen and their poignant recolections and anecdotes bring a very human face to go with their legendary exploits. These people include both pilots and the aircrews who kept them in the air. Ossie Davis provides narration and does a commendable job.

This documentary should be of interest to people interested in military history. It should also appeal to those concerned with the civil rights struggle. More than either of these, it should appeal to anyone who wants to see a true profile in courage."

Informative and interesting

Sgt. Bilko | Ca. USA | 10/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a must see for all Americans. The story of these heros, and the ground that they broke for African Americans is the best you will see. The film that came out several years ago is a travesty to the honor that is due to these brave Americans. Nothing in this PBS documentary cheapens their accomplishments and their dignity. This is the best of educational TV productions, which is why PBS excells in this and others do not. The narration by Ossie Davis is done with the quality that one would expect from a distinquished American who along with his wife long fought for the rights of African Americans. These airmen loved this country. The young African American men that fly over the skies of Iraq for freedom for that nation can be proud of those Americans who made it possible for them."

"It's their country, too!"

Gabriel E. Borlean | Odense, Denmark - birthtown of fairytale-writer H. | 02/08/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Tuskegee Airman - They Fought Two Wars - PBS, 60 min. (for a film of this historical event check out Laurence Fishburne's "The Tuskegee Airmen"

This documentary is a legacy to the men who fought two wars in WWII, the enemy abroad and racism at home. This documentary (along with others) is an important part to complementing the standard history books on American WWII era.

The Army had allowed the negros to try out for this flight program, only to see if the negro man was capable, mentally and physically, to make it thru pilot training. These were the elite of the African American community of those days, college educated negros. Negro is the term used during that era, and used in this review, only for historical purposes.

Starts off with the remaining living veterans aboard a bus going back to Tuskegee, Alabama - a veterans reunion. With scenes overlapping with recreated footage, one learns from the veterans what it was like to be a negro in pre-WWII America ("the white press did not publish anything favorable of the negros. The negros got their news and understood white America thru the black press"). The Intro. also mentions Bessy Coleman, as the first woman black pilot.

The vision the young educated negro cadets, to change their society thru their joined efforts to fight for their country and prove to white America that the negro man can fly and do a great job at that, is quite contagious. I could not, as a white Protestant, but just root for them and be glad that they proved their 1940 society, wrong.

SCENE SELECTIONS:
* Introduction
* Coming Home
* The Battle for the Right to Fight
* Welcome to Tuskegee
* Learning to Fly
* Winning their Wings
* Trial by Fire
* Victory for the Red Tails
* A Disappointing Homecoming
* An Everlasting Legacy
* Credits

It is so weird and ironic to learn, that today Tuskegee is a known town in Alabama, primarily because of the Tuskegee Airmen and the black Institute campus.

If you want to learn the real story, accurately, watch the PBS DVD (it is really well made). If you just want to watch a great film about a great story and with a plot that conveys the segregation and racism of the times (but without all the details being historically accurate), then watch the film by Laurence Fishburne. The PBS edition, also talks about what happened to the airmen after WWII, and one of the things mentioned is Truman's the bill for desegregation of the army.

The Tuskegee pilots of the 232 became known as the best in the business. Also, as "the Red Tails."

The message of this documentary is simply: "It's their country, too!""

We stand stronger than time and space

Kurupt | chicago | 03/23/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"More enlightening historical data to further show you how strong black people are. Two wars is definitely what these brothers fought because they had to fight White america in addition to the enemy across the ocean. This documentary features some of the surviving tuskegee airmen and they get to tell their story in their own words. To hear the history actually from the person who experienced it makes the story even more powerful. This is a great documentary and is highly recommended!!!!!!"