Page 12 - Black History Month 2021 - Combined Special Edition of Luke AFB Thunderbolt — Davis Monthan AFB Desert Lightning News

12 January 28, 2022 Aerotech News
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LIFE, from Page 4 ______________ Dr. Dybczak wasted no time in rebuilding started a chemical engineering program. Dr. Dybczak made a momentous decision
the electrical and mechanical engineering His devotion, brilliance and hard work that allowed me to continue in school. He
Dr. Dybczak earned a Mechanical Engineer- programs. He had the zeal of a new coach made the Tuskegee’s College of Engineer- wanted me to rededicate myself to going
ing degree from the University of London in turning a losing program into a winner. It is ing and its graduates top competitors in the forward with my life.
1950 and worked as an instructor and design dif cult to have a rst-class program without nation. Enrollment of engineering students “I gratefully accepted this unprecedented
engineer before migrating to Toronto. While competent and brilliant candidates joining increased from approximately 130 to 600 in opportunity and promised Dr. Dybczak he
there, he was a lecturer at the University of your university, so Dr. Dybczak initiated a his nal years at Tuskegee. would not be sorry. This man literally saved
Toronto and simultaneously earned his doctor- vigorous recruitment program for faculty and Dr. Dybczak worked tirelessly to bring my life.”
ate degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1959. promoted engineering as a realistic career for Black colleges together and was a founder Many graduates owe Dr. Dybczak a
His Ph.D. opened the door to numerous op- minorities and women. of the Black Engineering College Develop- tremendous debt. He received numerous
portunities. He accepted a position with the What’s more, within two years, he started a ment Committee of the American Society awards, citations and letters, including
Atomic Energy Commission in the United graduate program in electrical and mechani- of Engineering Education. He stayed the one from former president Bill Clinton.
States. Shortly afterward, it was on to his new cal engineering and eventually nuclear engi- course in his 21 years, despite the obstacles These small mementos cannot begin to ap-
job at Tuskegee University. neering, which would attract senior faculty and sacri ces he and his family endured. propriately honor this great American and
His appointment to his new position was and graduate research assistants. Retired Air Force Colonel, Richard Toliver servant of mankind.
a good t not only because of his quali ca- The new dean realized the importance said that he owes a tremendous debt to Dr. Dr. Dybczak died Nov. 22. 2020. Thank
tions and education, but because having of grass-roots participation by encouraging Dybczak. God, it is He who will ultimately bestow a
escaped the tyranny of Hitler and Stalin. Dr. faculty visibility at high school career days, “Although I was deeply committed to just reward upon this incredible, matchless
Dybczak had a deep empathy and compas- school visitations and involvement in the graduating in engineering, my academic Uncaged Eagle, Colonel Toliver said.
sion for oppressed African-American people, Southeastern Consortium of Minorities in results were sporadic at best,” Colonel Toli- Editor’s note: The author would like to
particularly in the south. He and his wife had Engineering. ver recalled. “I had demonstrated the ability thank retired Air Force colonel, Richard
to endure vicious name calling and threats, Dr. Dybczak had personally recruited a to do well is some courses or when work Toliver for his invaluable help in offering
especially when local whites learned they diverse faculty of 18 people with a wide and personal distractions were lessened. his recollections and supplying vital infor-
were living among the African-American range of specialties, experience and na- After a hard scrutiny of the likelihood of mation that made writing and putting this
faculty at the campus. tionalities by 1965, and by the 1970s he being successful and a candid discussion, article together possible.

TUSKEGEE, from Page 5 _______ to Nellis AFB, found the information and pre- Force Weapons School marking the 332nd Lehoski, U.S. Air Force Weapons School
sented it to the Air Force that a change was Fighter Group’s victory at that rst Top Gun. commandant. “We take young of cers and
different airplane, that pilot scored the highest worked. As of April 1995, the almanac shows “We’re nally being recognized for some- put them through the most rigorous train-
in panel stra ng. the 332nd Fighter Group as the winners of the thing we accomplished 73 years ago,” said ing we can to make them ready for combat.
“He went up and clobbered the target, he 1949 weapons meet. Harvey. We learned this from Lt. Col. Harvey and his
had tons of bullets in that target,” Harvey Harvey went on to be the rst black pilot to On Jan. 11, 2022, Gen. Mark Kelly, Air generation, and I can’t thank him enough for
said. “I’m thinking, not only did they give him y a ghter jet in Korean air space, received Combat Command commander, presided over the example he set for the Air Force and the
another airplane, they gave him extra bullets.” the Distinguished Flying Cross and retired the unveiling of the plaque commissioned to Weapons School.”
The 332nd won the weapons meet, but in the grade of lieutenant colonel. Temple reaf rm the accomplishments of the 332nd The Tuskegee Airmen blazed a path of
Temple was aced out of the best individual retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant Fighter Group’s win. excellence for the Air Force through their
award after the panel stra ng mission. How- colonel. Stewart retired from the Air Force “We stand on the shoulders of giants in this piloting expertise, determination to denounce
ever, in print, the 332nd was never recognized Reserves as a lieutenant colonel. Alexander profession, and Lt. Col. Harvey is one of those racist beliefs and resiliency to overcome sig-
as the winner. was killed in an F-86 aircraft accident over giants,” said Kelly. ni cant obstacles, which still motivates and
The Air Force Association puts out an alma- New England. Although the plaque is 73 years late, it will inspires the diverse population of Airmen
nac each year highlighting the winners of Air “Be the best you can be; don’t take anything be displayed prominently at the U.S. Air Force serving in the U.S. Air Force today.
Force Weapons Meets, 1949 through present less,” Harvey said. “When you strive to be the Weapons School forever. “Thank you, it’s been a long time coming,
day. Each year the winners of the 1949 weap- best, it will pay off.” “At the Weapons School, our mission today and it’s a step in the right direction,” said
ons meet were listed as unknown. It wasn’t In January 2022 Harvey returned to Nellis is exactly what it was when Lt. Col. Harvey Harvey. “I can nally close the pages on this
until 1993, when Col. Harry Stewart returned for the unveiling of a plaque at the U.S. Air was here 73 years ago,” said Col. Daniel chapter and say, ‘mission accomplished.’”

MAIL, from Page 6 _____________ backlogged in the rst place, many soldiers Birmingham, welcoming the WACs into but if you go, you go under my command.”
simply didn’t have the time to keep their their homes and treating them with a re- Adams turned to make a dramatic exit
stacked ceiling-high were piles of mail — address cards up to date as their units ad- spect many had never experienced at home and almost ran into the ship’s captain. He
years’ worth of letters and packages wait- vanced, which sometimes required two or — or with their own countrymen in Europe. corrected her: The women would have only
ing to be delivered to millions of service three changes a week. Soldiers also changed Standing up to Racism 17 minutes to disembark. No one did.
members, civilians and aid workers all over units. And then there were the name dupli- Although Black and white WACs had ini- “What’s more important? The military
the continent. cations. tially used the same Red Cross hotels and policies and customs and courtesies or
It was a massive undertaking, but the “At one point,” Adams wrote, “we had recreation facilities without incident, one blatant racism?” asked Bonnell, noting
women knew mail from home meant every- more than 7,500 Robert Smiths. … There day Red Cross of cials proudly announced that military courtesies usually won out.
thing to soldiers on the line, so they buckled were, of course, tens of thousands of Roberts that they had procured a separate hotel for She explained that after the war, many of
down and worked three shifts a day, seven with other last names. Moreover, there were the 6888th in London, suggesting the WACs the WACs used their GI Bill bene ts for
days a week. This was actually the reason variations of rst names, nicknames that are would prefer it that way. It was a nice hotel, college and even graduate school, becom-
the general accused Adams of incompetence. used in the United States: Bob, Rob, Bobby, ing educators, lawyers, community leaders
He expected to inspect the whole battalion Robby, Bert, and so forth, just for Robert.” but Adams told them, “As long as I am a and social activists. Adams herself became
and was livid when only a third of the sol- In addition to tracking down soldiers, the commanding of cer … not one member of a college dean.
diers were available. He later apologized WACs also had to censor the mail, blacking that unit will ever spend one night here.” “The experience of African-American
and told her he respected her for standing out sensitive information. They had to print As far as she knew, no one ever did. It women at this particular time lays the
up to him. V-mail cards. The military would photograph was, she wrote, “an opportunity to stand groundwork for change, not only for their
“They supplied us with les, the names certain letters and send them overseas on together for a common cause.” race, but also for women in general,” she
of men who were enlisted in the Army in micro lm. It saved space and weight but The nal insult came on the troop ship continued. “We see progress in terms of the
the European Theater,” remembered Pfc. was time-consuming. They processed some home. Adams, who would soon be promoted changes in military policy and opportuni-
Dorothy Turner. “You know what was so 65,000 pieces of mail a shift and nished a to lieutenant colonel, was the highest-rank- ties taking place for women in part because
exciting about that? There was part of the six-month job in three. Then they were off ing woman aboard, leaving her in command of the challenges women experienced in
history of these men on the les. … You could to Rouen, France, to tackle another backlog, of not only her unit, but also a white Army World War II, none more so than African-
see the last time that this man got mail and and then Paris. Nurse Corps detachment. They refused to American women.”
you were so determined to nd him because Tragedy struck in France, where three of accept Adams’ authority. Tired and fed up, (Author’s Note: One of the last veterans
you had this pile of mail that he should have the WACs died in a jeep accident while on Adams struggled to keep her temper under of the 6888th Central Postal Directory
gotten over the years and packages. … You furlough. They were buried in Normandy. control. Battalion, Army Cpl. Alyce Dixon, died,
knew that he had not gotten any news from Furloughs were common, however, and “If you cannot go home under my com- Jan. 27, 2016, at the age of 108, as soldiers
his family or friends … and you were deter- the women found time to relax and travel mand, I suggest you pack your belongings. began work on this story. All of the veterans’
mined to try to nd him.” despite their heavy workloads. The 6888th … We sail at midnight,” she told the recal- quotes come from oral histories supplied by
It required immense attention to detail. veterans also all spoke of how friendly the citrant troops. “You have 20 minutes to get the Veterans History Project and Lt. Col.
For the same reasons the mail had gotten people of were, particularly the people of off. I don’t care whether you go home or not, Charity Adams Earley’s memoirs.)