WASHINGTON — The East Coast Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (ECCTAI) will recognize the groundbreaking legacy of the World War II service members during its annual Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day (TACD) and Wreath-Laying Ceremony from 10 a.m. to noon on March 27 at the U.S. Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Virginia.
Typically held on the fourth Thursday of each March, TACD ensures the bravery, sacrifice and enduring impact of deceased members of the nearly 19,000 primarily Black men and women who comprised the “Tuskegee Airmen Experience” are never forgotten.
This year’s event will feature speaker Kelly V. Porter, author of “The Weather Officer,” a biography of her father, Alonzo Smith Jr., a Navy and Air Force veteran who was among the nation’s first Black meteorologists. Inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen, Porter said her father dedicated his career to breaking barriers in weather forecasting, a field critical to aviation success.
H. Thomas "Tommy" Herndon Jr., president of ECCTAI, emphasized the importance of acknowledging the Tuskegee Airmen’s contributions and advancing their mission.
“The Tuskegee Airmen fought enemy forces abroad and prejudices at home,” Herndon said. “Their victories — on the battlefield and in American society — paved the way for integration in the military and beyond. We must continue to honor their memory, educate future generations and maintain their spirit of excellence.”
Invited guests include key legislators from the Washington, D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, senior military and veteran officials, as well as aviation executives. Together, they will pay tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen’s enduring contributions and recommit to preserving their legacy for future generations.
In a collective tribute to the valiant spirit of the Tuskegee Airmen, Gov. Wes Moore of Maryland, Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., each issued proclamations declaring March 27, 2025, as Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day. The unified recognition across the region underscores a joint commitment to uplifting the legacy of the airmen.
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African American military aviators in U.S. history, serving in the Army Air Forces during World War II. More than 16,000 men and women, including pilots, navigators, flight engineers, bombardiers, mechanics and support personnel were part of the Tuskegee Airmen Experience. The pilots flew more than 15,500 combat sorties and earned 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses. Their success in combat helped lead to the integration of the U.S. armed forces in 1948.
However, their numbers are dwindling. Of the nearly 1,000 original combat pilots, only one remains, and about 16 Tuskegee Airmen are still alive, according to Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., the national organization that has oversight of the more than 50 chapters around the country and tracks the original airmen.
ECCTAI continues the mission of the Tuskegee Airmen by exposing high school students to aviation and aerospace sciences with its Youth in Aviation Program, and by supporting college students through an educational-assistance award program.
For more information about Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day and information about ECCTAI, visit www.ecctai.org.
ABOUT THE EAST COAST CHAPTER TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, INC.
Founded in 1973, the East Coast Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (ECCTAI) is the oldest and largest chapter of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. ECCTAI has about 100 members from diverse backgrounds, which include Tuskegee Airmen heritage-kindred descendants, active-duty and retired military, civil servants and private citizens from all walks of life. At one time, the chapter included more than 50 Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen, combat veterans of World War II who received their military training at Tuskegee, Alabama. ECCTAI provides educational assistance scholarships to students and produces a Youth in Aviation Program that preserves the Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy and supports workforce development initiatives in underserved and underrepresented communities. ECCTAI’s geographical focus area is the District of Columbia and its surrounding areas in Maryland and Virginia. The chapter is incorporated in Washington, D.C., and has its 501(C)3 designation.
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