A historic World War II painting that was displayed in Marco Island will have a new permanent home at the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum in Detroit.
Painted by artist Dr. Clint Martin, the art piece has been loaned to Marco Island Senior Squadron since 2014. It has previously been featured at the Pentagon, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the Smithsonian Institution.
The painting, called “The Longest Mission,” depicts American B-17 bombers being escorted deep into enemy territory by P-51 Mustang fighter aircraft during the late stages of World War II. The piece highlights critical air combat battles during the war.
Donors Dave and Jeanne Rice, who were also accompanied by a Civil Air Patrol delegation from Florida, presented the artwork to the museum in a meeting in early June. The donors were longtime friends and neighbors of Martin and his family.
The Tuskegee Airmen Museum serves as a vital repository of aviation history, featuring a STEM hangar filled with pictures and artifacts from the pilots, ground crews, and service personnel of the 99th Pursuit Squadron and the 477th Bombardment Group.
Honoring the famed “Red Tails”
The “Red Tails” were the pioneering African American aviators who completed their flight training at two airfields in Tuskegee, Alabama — Moton Field, for primary flight training, and the Tuskegee Army Airfield, for basic, advanced, and operational training.
During a bombing mission on March 24, 1945, the Tuskegee Airmen were responsible for defending an armada of 150 U.S. bombers targeting heavily defended German industrial sites.
The airmen faced a fleet of German Focke-Wulf 190s, ME-410s, and the formidable ME-262 jet fighters. The Tuskegee airmen successfully defended the bombers and shot down three of the ME-262 jets.
The legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, who willingly gave their lives for their country despite facing severe racism at home, continues to command deep respect and admiration.
About Civil Air Patrol
Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and aerospace education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.
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