PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Wednesday marks 75 years since the Air Force integrated its ranks.
Stories from the war have spread the heroics of the all Black pilots that guided American bombers over Italy, defending them from German fighter planes.
“Whenever they saw a red tail pilot on their wings they knew they were safe, because they always stuck with them," said Rob Collings of the American Heritage Museum.
Today, the Air Force accepted a PT-17 aircraft to induct into the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
The PT-17 was the primary training aircraft for the Tuskegee Airmen.
Only two of them still exist – both telling the story of the all Black unit.
“Let us remember that those who flew and supported this plane, those who started their journey to conquer the skies ultimately changed our air force, our armed forces and the nation for the better," said Gen. C.Q. Brown, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force.
General Brown spoke about the advances the Air Force has made because of the Tuskegee Airmen, himself becoming the 22nd Air Force Chief of Staff being one of them.
“I like to think that maybe I had a little bit to do with some of the advancement over the years," said Carl Johnson, one of the Tuskegee Airmen honored today.
Lt. Col. Shelton Ware spoke about being at today’s ceremony.
“It’s good to be able to see what all this was about. That we didn’t do anything special there was a thousand other people doing the same thing. Not because we thought it was important because our country asked us to do it and we were proud to be able to be apart of the service that went towards the united states of America," said Shelton.
Of the thousands of airmen that flew or supported the aircraft, only a few remain.