Herman A. Lawson

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Major

Herman A. Lawson
Herman A. Lawson.jpeg
Herman A. Lawson and his aircraft WWII era photograph
Birth nameHerman Albert Lawson
Nickname(s)Ace
Born(1916-12-04)December 4, 1916
Fowler, California, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 1995(1995-04-09) (aged 78)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch United States Army Air Forces
Rank Major
Unit99th Pursuit Squadron, 332nd Division, Tuskegee Airmen
Battles/wars World War II
Awards

Herman Albert "Ace" Lawson (December 24, 1916 – May 9, 1995) was a former Sacramento, California city councilman, Fresno State University football standout, highly decorated U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer, combat fighter pilot, and combat flight instructor with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Pursuit Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails". He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots. [1]

Contents

The Tuskegee Airmen's aircraft had distinctive markings that led to the name, "Red Tails." Tuskegee P-51.jpg
The Tuskegee Airmen's aircraft had distinctive markings that led to the name, "Red Tails."

During World War II, Lawson earned the Silver Star, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Distinguished Flying Cross for aerial action on October 4, 1944. [3] [4]

Early life

Lawson was born on December 24, 1916, in Fowler, California, Fresno County [4] He was the son of Herman Lawson (1885–1935), an Oklahoma native, and Frances Anne Walker Lawson (June 30, 1881 - April 24, 1961).

Lawson attended Marysville High School, where he garnered the nickname "Ace" as its star football player. [5]

In the late 1930s after a year in the Civilian Conservation Corp, Lawson attended Fresno State University, one of three African American students there at the time. [6] While at Fresno, Lawson became the first African American to play four years of football there. [6] [7] He also served as the Fresno Football team's official photographer. A prolific athlete, Lawson was also Fresno's collegiate Light Heavyweight Boxing champion, a letterman in Basketball, and a letterman in track and field. [5]

At Fresno, Lawson met and later married fellow student Pearl Lee Johnson Lawson, an aspiring teacher. [6] [8] The Lawsons had seven children: Betty Lawson Davis, Patricia Lawson, Gloria Lawson-Riddle, Yvonne Lawson, Thomas Lawson, Tracey Lawson, and a child who died as an infant. [4]

After riding on an aircraft with a pilot friend, Lawson became interested in becoming a pilot and joining the U.S. Army Air Corps. [6] Lawson became one of the first African Americans in Northern California to earn a Private Pilot license. He also built his own functioning gliders. [5]

Military service

Class 42-I Left to right: Nathaniel M. Hill, Marshall S. Cabiness, Herman A. Lawson, William T. Mattison, John A. Gibson, Elwood T Driver, Price D. Rice, Andrew D. Turner Tuskegee Airmen - Circa May 1942 to Aug 1943.jpg
Class 42-I Left to right: Nathaniel M. Hill, Marshall S. Cabiness, Herman A. Lawson, William T. Mattison, John A. Gibson, Elwood T Driver, Price D. Rice, Andrew D. Turner

While a student at Fresno State University, Lawson and a group of friends attended an interview event with the U.S. Army Air Corps. After an hour's wait, an U.S. Army Air Corps Colonel and a Lieutenant dismissed Lawson, telling him that the military had no interest in recruiting "night fighters," a vague but albeit stark reference to Lawson's race. [9] Undeterred, Lawson wrote a letter to Congress and a separate letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's wife, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt who had been sympathetic to African American causes. [6] After receiving an U.S. Army Air Corps flight school acceptance letter in the U.S. mails, Lawson rushed to a local train station en route to Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, abandoning his car storing $1,000 worth of camera equipment in its trunk. [10]

Lawson became one of second group of 99th Fighter Squadron replacement pilots. Lawson and several other 99th Fighter Squadron pilots were sent to Brazil in error. [5]

During World War II, Lawson earned the Silver Star, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Distinguished Flying Cross for aerial action on October 4, 1944. [3] [4] Using P-40s, P-47s, and P-51s, Lawson flew 133 missions in World War II's European Theater including Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Austria, France, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia. [11] He survived two engine failures in P-40s; one of his P-40s landed him in the Mediterranean. Lawson later flew another P-40 named "Ace of Pearls", and another P-51B named "Ace of Pearls", both named in honor of Lawson's wife Pearl. [10] [11]

On September 22, 1944, as the 99th Fighter Squadron's flight leader, Lawson and his squadron escorted 5th Bomb Wing B-17 bombers on a mission to destroy an Allach BMW Engine Works plant in Munich, Germany. [12] One of Lawson's squadron pilots, Flight Officer Leonard R. Willette, radioed that he needed to bail from his aircraft as a result of low oil pressure. Though Lawson instructed Willette to change radio channels and head back to base, Willette, unable to bail, crashed. The Germans recovered Willette's body, returning it through the Red Cross. [13]

After his tour in Europe ended, Lawson returned to Tuskegee as a flight instructor. [11] After World War II, Lawson remained in the military, retiring after 25 years with the rank of Major. [4]

Awards

Post-Military, Politics

After leaving the military, Lawson worked 20 years for the State of California. [4] [11] In 1973, Lawson was appointed to the Sacramento, California City Council as District 2 Councilman, completing the remainder of then-recently deceased District 2 council member Rosenwald Robertson's term until 1975. District 2, located in the northeastern area of Sacramento, included the neighborhoods of Arden Fair, Ben Ali, Cannon Industrial Park, Del Paso Heights, Erikson Industrial Park, Glenwood Meadows, Hagginwood, Noralto, North Sacramento, Parker Homes, Robla, Strawberry Manor, Swanston Estates, Woodlake, Youngs Heights. [15] [16] [17]

Death

Lawson died on May 9, 1995, in Sacramento, California. He was 78. Lawson was interred at the Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes Memorial Park in Sacramento, California.

See also

Related Research Articles

The Tuskegee Airmen was a group of African American military pilots and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The name also applies to the navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, crew chiefs, nurses, cooks, and other support personnel. The Tuskegee airmen received praise for their excellent combat record earned while protecting American bombers from enemy fighters. The group was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Wise Jr.</span> Tuskegee Airman and physician (1920–2003)

Henry A. Wise Jr. (POW) was an American physician and World War II Tuskegee Airman fighter pilot with the 99th Pursuit Squadron, 332nd Division. He was shot down over Romania and was a prisoner of war. After the war, he became the medical director at Bowie State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lee Archer (pilot)</span> Tuskegee Airman fighter Ace (1919–2010)

Lee Archer WW2 Fighter Ace

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milton Crenchaw</span> American Tuskegee Airman aviator (1919–2015)

Milton Pitts Crenchaw was an American aviator who served with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II and was the first Arkansan to be trained by the federal government as a civilian licensed pilot. He served during World War II as a civilian flight instructor. He was one of the two original supervising squadron members. In 1998 he was inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame. The grandson of a slave, he was known as the "father of black aviation in Arkansas" who broke through color barriers in the military.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spann Watson</span> Tuskegee Airman and US government official (1916–2020

Spann Watson was an American military aviator and civil servant who served with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II. He flew over 30 missions in North Africa, Italy and Southern Europe. On March 2007, Watson attended a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol rotunda, where he and other surviving veterans of the Tuskegee Airmen were honored with the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their service. He died on April 15, 2010, aged 93.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James B. Knighten</span> Tuskegee airman

James Bernard Knighten was one of the first twelve African-Americans to become a pilot in the United States Army Air Corps after graduating from flight school at the Tuskegee Army Air Field. He became a member of the famed 99th Fighter Squadron, part of the World War II-era group of highly decorated African-American aviators known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Knighten flew in the first combat mission by African American pilots on June 9, 1943. Knighten's military career continued through the Korean and Vietnam Wars. After retiring from the military in 1968, he had a 20-year career with the Federal Aviation Administration as an operations inspector in New York and later in Los Angeles. Known as a jokester through his military career, Knighten began performing as a stand-up comedian in Las Vegas under the name of Jay Bernard during his years at the FAA, finally moving to Las Vegas to perform full-time after retiring from his position with the FAA.

2nd Lt. Leonard Robert Willette † was a World War II Tuskegee Airman fighter pilot. He was killed in action while flying over Germany escorting a group of American bombers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred Gorham</span> Tuskegee Airman (1920–2009)

2nd Lt. Alfred M. Gorham (1920–2009) (POW) was a Tuskegee Airman from Waukesha, Wisconsin. He was the only Tuskegee Airman from Wisconsin, and he was a prisoner of war after his plane went down over Munich, Germany in World War II.

Joseph D. Elsberry (April 25, 1921 – March 31, 1985) was a U.S. Army Air Force officer and a prolific African-American World War II fighter pilot in the 332nd Fighter Group's 301st Fighter Squadron, best known as the famed Tuskegee Airmen, "Red Tails," or “Schwartze Vogelmenschen” among enemy German pilots. Elsberry destroyed three enemy aircraft over France in a single mission on July 12, 1944, and a fourth aircraft in July 20, 1944, becoming the first African American fighter pilot in history to do so. He is only one of four Tuskegee Airmen to have earned three aerial victories in a single day of combat: Clarence Lester, Lee Archer (pilot), and Harry Stewart.

Edward Lucien Toppins was a U.S. Army Air Force officer, commanding officer of the 602nd Air Engineering Squadron, and a celebrated African-American World War II fighter pilot within the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen, "Red Tails," or “Schwartze Vogelmenschen” among enemy German pilots. He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James H. Harvey</span> American Tuskegee Airman fighter pilot (born 1923)

James Henry Harvey III is a retired United States Army Air Corps/United States Air Force (USAF) officer and former African American fighter pilot who served with 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen, "Red Tails", or among enemy German pilots, Schwartze Vogelmenschen. He is one of the 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen pilots.

Harry Thaddeus Stewart Jr. is a retired United States Army Air Forces officer, a Distinguished Flying Cross recipient, and a fighter pilot who served in the 332nd Fighter Group, best known as the all-African American Tuskegee Airmen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George J. Iles</span> United States military officer and fighter pilot (1918–2004)

George Jewell Iles was a U.S. Army Air Force officer, former World War II Prisoner of War in Nazi Germany, and combat fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the all-African American Tuskegee Airmen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James T. Wiley</span> Tuskegee Airman (1918–2000)

James Thomas Wiley was a U.S. Army Air Forces/U.S. Air Force officer and combat fighter pilot of the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Pursuit Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails".

George Richard Bolling I was a U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer and combat fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the famed Tuskegee Airmen. He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots.

Charles Blakesly "Buster" Hall was an American combat fighter pilot and U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Walter I. Lawson</span> Tuskegee Airman pilot (1919–1952)

Walter Irving "Ghost" Lawson was a U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer and combat fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Pursuit Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails". He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie H. Fuller</span> American Tuskegee Airman fighter pilot (1919–1995)

Willie Howell Fuller was a U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer, combat fighter pilot, and combat flight instructor with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Pursuit Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails". He was the first black flight instructor for the single engine planes at Tuskegee. He was the only black flight instructor until December 1944. He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots. He flew 76 combat missions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Price D. Rice</span> Tuskegee Airman (1916–1999)

Price D. Rice was a U.S. Army Air Corps/U.S. Air Force officer and combat fighter pilot of the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen. He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots.

Yancey Williams was a U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer and pilot with the 85th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails".

References

  1. ↑ "Tuskegee Airmen Pilot Roster". CAF Rise Above. CAF Rise Above. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  2. ↑ Rice, Markus. "The Men and Their Airplanes: The Fighters." Tuskegee Airmen, 1 March 2000.
  3. 1 2 "MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Barrow, Genoa (2021-06-18). "A Salute To Fathers: Lessons From Dad". The Sacramento Observer. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Black Then. "HERMAN "ACE" LAWSON: PART OF THE FIRST GROUP OF REPLACEMENT PILOTS FOR THE 99TH FIGHTER SQUADRON." JAE JONES. NOVEMBER 14, 2018.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 Alumni, Fresno State (2018-02-16). "Taking flight: The legacy of Fresno's own Tuskegee Airman". Medium. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  7. ↑ "Fresno State Campus News | The legacy of Fresno's own Tuskegee Airman". campusnews.fresnostate.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  8. ↑ Baker, Ann. "Family leaves legacy of optimism". Denver Water. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  9. ↑ The Official Tony Brown's Journal - The Tuskegee Airmen - The Black Eagles . Retrieved 2024-05-07– via www.youtube.com.
  10. 1 2 c_brunberg (2008-01-12), P-40L-15 42-10888 ACE OF PEARLS of 2Lt. Herman ‘Ace” Lawson, 99th FS, Madna, Italy, December 1943 , retrieved 2024-05-07
  11. 1 2 3 4 Tuskegee Airmen Heritage Chapter.
  12. ↑ 332d Fighter Group mission report number 83
  13. ↑ Museum, American Legacy (2015-07-14). "Lt. Leonard Robert Willette 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, Killed in Action". American Legacy Museum. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  14. ↑ Rojas, Josh. "Tuskegee Airman George Hardy, 87, Broke Down Racial Barriers". postnewsgroup. Post News Group. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  15. ↑ "Online Collections | Center for Sacramento History". sacramento.pastperfectonline.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  16. ↑ Smith, Harlin (1974-02-03), Herman Lawson, new City Council member, at a reception with his wife, daughter and friends , retrieved 2024-05-07
  17. ↑ Black Politics After the Civil Rights Movement. David Covin. 2009. Page 84.

Notes

  1. ↑ The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of P-51s as well as a red rudder; their P-51B and D Mustangs flew with similar color schemes, with red propeller spinners, yellow wing bands and all-red tail surfaces. [2]
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