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Robert Bailey


Sheet size: 33 1/2" wide x 24" high.

Tuskegee Junction by Robert Bailey
120 Group Edition prints w/ELEVEN signatures.
US $275

 

Captain Howard L. Baugh was born in Petersburg, Virginia. He joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in March of 1942. He was with the 99th Fighter Squadron in Sicily in July 1943 and flew 135 operational sorties in P-40's and P-51's. He struck artillery batteries, truck convoys and radar installations. Other duties were escorting B-17 and B-24 formations. He shared a Fw-190 victory and retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

1st Lieutenant John F. Briggs was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He flew 125 combat sorties in the P-39 Bell Airacobra over Naples and the Anzio beach head in the 12th Air Force Tactical Air Command. He also flew 70 combat missions in the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang in the 15th Air Force Strategic Air Command. He served with the 99th and 100th Fighter Squadrons. He retired as a Major and was decorated with the DFC and Air Medal with 7 Oak Leaf Clusters. 1st Lieutenant Briggs has an Me109 to his credit.

Lieutenant James H. Harvey is originally from Montclair, Nevada. In April of 1944 he was within one hour of embarking to join the 332nd in Italy, when his group received word that the Italians had surrendered. He joined the 99th in June 1945, at Goodman Field, Kentucky. They were slated to go to Okinawa to escort bombers attacking Japan. But the A-bomb was dropped and the war ended. He flew the P-40, P-47 and P-51. He retired from the force as a Lieutenant Colonel. Awards include DFC, Air Medal with 10 O.L.C.'s, and the Distinguished Unit Citation with 10 O.L.C.'s.

1st Lieutenant William H. Holloman III was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He flew P-51's with the 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, during early 1945. After World War II he flew P-47's with the 301st Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, and during the Korean War was a MATS pilot. On one mission he was flying the wounded back to the States from the Far East and Korea. He was also the first black helicopter pilot in the Air Force. Bill Holloman later flew with Pacific Western Airlines in Canada. He was recalled to active duty in 1966, serving in Vietnam and later in Europe. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

1st Lieutenant Alexander Jefferson was born in Detroit. He graduated from Tuskegee Army Air Field and after combat training, joined the 'Red Tail' 332nd Fighter Group, 301st F.S. at Ramitelli, Italy. He flew 18 long-range escort missions for B-17 and B-24 bombers. On August 12th 1944, three days prior to the invasion of southern France, he was shot down by ground fire while strafing coastal radar installations. He spent the rest of the war as a POW and was liberated by General Patton's 3rd Army. He visited Dachau concentration camp and returned to the U.S. as an instrument instructor at Tuskegee Field. Decorations include the Purple Heart and Air Medal. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Lieutenant Hiram E. Mann is originally from New York, New York. He completed Single-Engine Combat Pilot Training at Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama, on June 27th, 1944. (Class 44-F). He served in the 302nd and 100th Fighter Squadrons of the 332nd Fighter Group, 477th Composite Group. Decorations include Air Medal, AMC, WWII V, AFR and Korean Service Medals with Presidential Unit Citation. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. He also co-authored the book 'FOREVER DREAMING', to impress minority youth on the need to set goals and to preserve.

1st. Lieutenant Charles E. McGee was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He enlisted in the army in October 1942 and entered aviation cadet training in class 43-F, receiving Silver Wings and 2nd Lieutenant commission on June 30, 1943. Assigned to the 302nd Fighter Group, he flew 82 missions in the P-39 Airacobra for the 12th Tactical Air Force. He also flew 54 missions in the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang for the 15th Strategic Air Force. His combat missions were flown from bases in Italy from January to November 1944. He had one victory, and received thirteen air medals. His aircraft 'Kitten' is featured in TUSKEGEE JUNCTION.

    

Tuskegee Junction

Escort duties for the 15th Air Force Fighter Groups were a mixed bag of encounters and depending on the targets, would often involve enemy fighters and flak. Some of the missions were easier than others, but few could be called 'milk runs'. For not only did they face the Luftwaffe pilots and anti-aircraft batteries, but the formidable mountainous obstacles of the Swiss, Italian and Austrian Alps as they penetrated deeply into Germany's heartland. Always present was the numbing cold at the higher altitudes that drained away their flying skills on the four to six hour-plus missions.

The Tuskegee Airmen, an all-black Fighter Group, had an exemplary record on escorting bombers from the 12th and 15th Air Force Bomb Groups, to and from the target. But it did not come without cost. Casualties resulted from the inevitable air battles and from fending off the ever present marauding German fighters and the flak. Attacking ground targets of opportunity accounted for a disproportionate number of pilots not returning to their home bases after missions.

Once relieved of their escort duties, pilots were free to pursue targets of opportunity at lower altitudes as they raced across the enemy occupied countryside, always bearing south toward the relative safety of their home field at Ramatelli, Italy.

In Robert Bailey's painting, titled 'Tuskegee Junction', three Mustang fighters from the 302nd Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, have finished their escort part of the mission and now scream across an Austrian marshalling yard at over 300 m.p.h. Selecting a goods train, they bear down with all guns blazing. It so happens that the boxcars contain ammunition, a cargo that will never reach its destination. The resulting explosion causes instant chaos in the rail head, and now poses a serious risk to the well being of the three pilots who desperately seek an escape from the growing fireball and anticipated secondary explosions. Dodging the new threat of flying debris and flak, each pilot firewalls his plane to war emergency power in order to exit the target area.

2nd Lieutenant Christopher W. Newman received his training at the Tuskegee Institute, Alabama, and Selfridge Airfield, Michigan. He flew 24 patrol missions with the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, over Naples Harbor and Anzio beachhead in Italy, before being injured in a fiery crash. He returned to the 100th F.S. and flew 66 combat missions before the war ended. He also flew 97 more combat missions in the Korean War. Christopher Newman holds the DFC, Purple Heart, Air Medals with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters, plus 3 more Oak Leaf Clusters from Korea.

1st Lieutenant Harry A. Sheppard was with the 99th Pursuit Squadron, 302nd Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group. He enlisted in April 1941 and was subsequently based in Naples, Italy. He flew 87 tactical missions and 36 long-range missions. He retired as a Colonel in June 1974 with over 33 years of honorable service. Decorations include Air Medal with Oak Leaf Clusters.

Staff Sergeant James A. Sheppard is originally from New York City, New York. He enlisted in the Air Force in October 1942 and was assigned to the Tuskegee Army Airfield with the 332nd Fighter Group, as an Aviation Maintenance Technician. He served with the 100th F.S. and later with the 301st F.S. in the U.S. and in Europe as a Mechanic and Crew Chief. James Sheppard holds the following certificates: Aviation Mechanic, Senior Parachute Rigger and Airplane Pilot S.E.L. He retired in 1987 from the F.A.A. where he was a Supervisory Aviation Safety Inspector.

2nd Lieutenant Harry T. Stewart Jr. was born in Newport News, Virginia. He entered service in March 1943 as an aviation cadet and flew 43 combat missions with the 15th Air Force from Italy. 2nd Lieutenant Stewart Jr. was with the 332nd Fighter Group, 301st and 302nd Fighter Squadrons. His aerial victories total three. He remained on active duty as a fighter pilot until 1950 and stayed in the Reserves until retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel. He flew the P-40, P-47 and P-51. Decorations include DFC, Air Medal with six O.L.C.'s.

Captain Walter McCreary was born in San Antonio, Texas. He joined the Service in 1942 as an Air Cadet at Tuskegee, Alabama. He is one of the original pilots with the 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, which was based in Italy. Walter McCreary flew 89 missions and holds the Air Medal (5 Oak Leaf Clusters) and the POW Medal.