Page 6 - Black History Month 2022 - Combined Special Edition of Aerotech News and Review — Nellis AFB - Creech AFB Desert Lightning News

Tuskegee Airmen compete, win 1st ever weapons

meet, receive recognition 46 years later

by Staff Sgt. William P. Coleman and
Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus
Nellis AFB, Nev.
Lt. Col. James Harvey and his team of Tuskegee Airmen came to
Las Vegas in 1949 and won the first ever Air Force Weapons’ Meet
(Top Gun), but their victory was hidden for years and the trophy
was nowhere to be found.
In May of 1949, the then Chief of Staff of the Air Force sent a
directive to all the fighter groups in the United States, stating there
would be a competition between the three highest scoring fighter
groups. This was the first Top Gun Weapons Meet the Air Force
ever held. Air Force photograph
The 332nd Fighter Group, formed by Tuskegee Airmen, had Capt. Alva Temple, 1st Lt. James Harvey, 1st Lt. Harry Stewart
impressive scores, and despite the racial tension at that time, was and 1st Lt. Halbert Alexander pose with their 1949 Weapons Meet
trophy in May 1949 at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas.
invited to the competition. The primary competitors were: Capt. Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus
Alva Temple, 301st Fighter Squadron; 1st Lt. Harry Stewart, 100th Col. Scott Mills, 57th Operations Group commander, talks to
Fighter Squadron; and 1st Lt. James Harvey, 99th Fighter Squadron. that target,” Harvey said. “I’m thinking, not only did they give him retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. James Harvey about the new and
The alternate was 1st Lt. Halbert Alexander also from the 99th FS. another airplane, they gave him extra bullets.” advanced capabilities of the F-35 Lightning II at Nellis Air Force
There were only two trophies to be presented, one for best team The 332nd won the weapons meet, but Temple was aced out of Base, Nev., Jan. 10, 2022.
and one for best individual, and Col. Benjamin Davis, 332nd Group the best individual award after the panel strafing mission. However,
commander, told his four pilots, “If you don’t win, don’t come in print, the 332nd was never recognized as the winner.
back.” The Air Force Association puts out an almanac each year high- Lehoski, U.S. Air Force Weapons School commandant. “We take
The 332nd Group’s competitors were flying P-51 Mustangs and lighting the winners of Air Force Weapons Meets, 1949 through young officers and put them through the most rigorous training we
F-82 Twin Mustangs. The Tuskegee Airmen were flying obsolete present day. Each year the winners of the 1949 weapons meet were can to make them ready for combat. We learned this from Lt. Col.
P-47 Thunderbolts. The missions were aerial gunnery at 12,000 listed as “Unknown.” It wasn’t until 1993, when Col. Harry Stewart Harvey and his generation, and I can’t thank him enough for the
and 20,000 feet, dive bombing, skip bombing, rocket firing and returned to Nellis AFB, found the information and presented it to example he set for the Air Force and the Weapons School.”
panel strafing. the Air Force that a change was worked. As of April 1995, the al- The Tuskegee Airmen blazed a path of excellence for the Air
After both aerial gunnery events, the 332nd was leading, and manac shows the 332nd Fighter Group as the winners of the 1949 Force through their piloting expertise, determination to denounce
Temple was the high scorer. weapons meet. racist beliefs and resiliency to overcome significant obstacles, which
“The next day was dive bombing, we didn’t do to good that day; Harvey went on to be the first Black pilot to fly a fighter jet still motivates and inspires the diverse population of Airmen serving
no one did,” said James Harvey. “We were still leading at the end in Korean air space, received the Distinguished Flying Cross and in the U.S. Air Force today.
of the day, and Capt. Temple was still the high individual.” retired in the grade of lieutenant colonel. Temple retired from the “Thank you, it’s been a long time coming, and it’s a step in the
The team moved on and got the highest score in skip bombing. Air Force as a lieutenant colonel. Stewart retired from the Air Force right direction,” said Harvey. “I can finally close the pages on this
Skip bombing was performed by releasing a bomb so low to the Reserves as a lieutenant colonel. Alexander was killed in an F-86 chapter and say, ‘mission accomplished.’”
ground that it didn’t have a chance to nose over. Instead, the bomb aircraft accident over New England.
would land flat and skip on the ground until it hit a target. Each pilot “Be the best you can be; don’t take anything less,” Harvey said.
got six bombs for skip bombing. “When you strive to be the best, it will pay off.”
“Captain Temple scored six for six, Stewart scored six for six,
and I scored six for six,” Harvey said. “The next day was rocket In January 2022 Harvey returned to Nellis for the unveiling of a
firing; Temple had six for six, Stewart had five for six, and I had plaque at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School marking the 322nd
five for six.” Fighter Group’s victory at that first Top Gun.
The 332nd Fighter Group was winning the contest and had best “We’re finally being recognized for something we accomplished
individual score. With only one mission left, they were sure to win. 73 years ago,” said Harvey.
“This is my thinking, not the Air Force’s,” Harvey said. “We’ve On Jan. 11, 2022, Gen. Mark Kelly, Air Combat Command com-
got a lock on this weapons meet; we’ve won it. Captain Temple mander, presided over the unveiling of a plaque commissioned to
is winning it as high individual, and they couldn’t stand to see the reaffirm the accomplishments of the 332nd Fighter Group’s win.
332nd win everything.” “We stand on the shoulders of giants in this profession, and Lt.
During the panel strafing mission, one of their competitor pilots Col. Harvey is one of those giants,” said Kelly.
had to abort and restart the panel strafing portion of the mission and Although the plaque is 73 years late, it will displayed prominently Air Force photograph by Airman 1st Class Zachary Rufus
get a new plane. After getting a different airplane, that pilot scored at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School forever. Retired Lt. Col. James Harvey admires the 322nd Fighter Group’s
the highest in panel staffing. “At the Weapons School, our mission today is exactly what it plaque, commissioned for winning the U.S. Air Force’s inaugural
1949 Fighter Gunnery Meet “Top Gun,” at Nellis AFB, Nev.
“He went up and clobbered the target, he had tons of bullets in was when Lt. Col. Harvey was here 73 years ago,” said Col. Daniel

Courtesy photograph Courtesy photograph Courtesy photograph Courtesy photograph
James Harvey Alva Temple Harry Stewart Halbert Alexander

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