In honor of America's first black military pilots, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, the wreckage of a World War II fighter jet has been recovered from the frigid waters of Lake Huron, off the coast of Michigan.
The pilot of the unfortunate plane was Second Lieutenant Frank Moody, 22-year-old Tuskegee Airman, who was part of a distinguished group of black pilots. The Tuskegee Airmen, also nicknamed "Red Tails" because of the distinctive coloring of their aircraft, were not only the first black military pilots in the US, but also included black navigators, bombers, mechanics, medics, and cooks.
On April 11, 1944, tragedy struck when Frank Moody's P-39 Airacobra crashed in Lake Huron while on a training flight. The crash was caused by critical propeller damage from the aircraft's own cannons, claiming Moody's life. The wreckage of the plane, resting about 32 feet underwater, was discovered in 2014 by divers who originally salvaged the sunken barge in the same area.
Despite their dedication and skill, they faced the harsh reality of racial segregation within the armed forces, which led to their separate training and activities.
Source livescience.com
