The Tuskegee Airmen

THIS FILM IS BASED ON A TRUE STORY.

Wait for me!

Franklln Delano Roosevelt wlll address the Natlon.

The Presldent, speaklng from the Whlte House...

... wlll be dellverlng one of hls famlllar flreslde chats.

He's expected to talk to the Amerlcan people on the year-old war...

... whlch began wlth the attack by the Japanese In Hawall...

... on December 7th of last year.

Ladles and gentlemen, the Presldent of the Unlted States.

My fellow Amerlcans, thls war Is a new klnd of war.

It Is dlfferent from all other wars of the past...

... not only In It's methods and weapons...

... but also In It's geography.

It Is warfare In terms of every contlnent...

... every Island, every sea...

... every alr lane In the world.

Hannlbal, the nelghbors are waltlng to say goodbye.

Thanks, Dad.

Nice of you to come.

- Come on, you're gonna miss the train. - Okay.

- Make it back. - I promise I will.

Bye.

Chlcagol

Next stop, Chicago!

Keep your tickets to reboard!

You see any lipstick on me?

Lipstick? No.

No? Frances sure did.

That girl's got eagle eyes when it comes to spottin' lipstick on me.

If I ain't got nothin' on me she probably slapped it off.

- Is that seat taken? - Have a sit down.

Tickets, please.

"Stick and Rudder"? You a pilot?

Me neither.

But I will when Uncle Sam finishes kickin' my ass and pinnin' them wings on me.

- You fellas on your way to Tuskegee? - Yes.

- You, too? - Finally.

Yes, I am.

Excuse me?

A licensed pilot.

I bet he didn't even have to take the test.

Billy Roberts.

On the block they call me, "Train". As in "A-Train". Quickest way to Harlem.

- Block? - Lennox and 125th.

What block you from?

I'm from a small town in Iowa. Ottumwa.

Iowa?

I didn't know they had colored folk in Iowa.

But now I got livin' proof sittin' here next to me.

What'd you get on that exam there, Iowa?

Ninety-eight.

Ninety-eight. That's very good.

So you did take that test?

That is very good.

But it ain't as good as mine, which is one-zero-zero.

But congratulations on bein' second best.

Here we go.

Getup. Come on, get up.

- What? - Move it. That's what.

Get your stuff and move it up front. Now. Let's go.

- Move it, boy! - All right.

- I won't ask you to do it again, damnit! - Excuse me, please.

- Where are we? - I don't know.

But why are we getting off the train?

See that?

The car you are in is now for white folks only.

That's why you're gettin' off.

Keep in line now. One behind the other.

Keep it tight.

- German prisoners. - Make way!

I'll be damned.

German pro car's in the front, boys.

Shit.

We give up seats for German prisoners?

This train's leavin, boy. Either get on or back off.

All aboard!

Hold up!

Where you goin'?

That's me. Just like a raven.

Let's go!

Drill Sergeants, give me two lines of six!

Get the lead out! You gotta start movin'!

- Put your bag behind you! - Behind you!

Turn to your right!

Your military right!

Pick your bag up with your right hand!

Follow me!

Left, right, left, right, left, right, left!

Cadets march!

Left, left, left. Group, halt!

Turn to your left.

Push your man on your left to your left.

Come on. Come on. Move over.

Put your bag down on your right.

Post.

Gentlemen, welcome to Tuskegee Army Airfield.

I'm Colonel Noel Rogers, the Commanding Officer.

This is Major Sherman Joy, Director of Training...

...and Lieutenant Glenn, Liaison Officer.

It is the task of myself, Major Joy, Lieutenant Glenn...

...and others at this training facility...

...to train and evaluate you men as potential combat pilots.

There have been many obstacles on the road to getting you here.

Now that you are here, the only obstacle you will encounter...

...will be how quick you learn...

...how well you obey orders...

...and how expert you fly.

If I am the first to tell you...

...that your being here is an experiment...

...take time to understand just what that means.

There are people in very high places wonderin' if this will succeed.

If I and my staff have anything to say about it, it will.

However...

...we will cut no corners.

We will allow no favors.

Our business is killin' our enemies from the air...

...as efficiently and expeditiously as we know how.

Assuming you make it through this training, that task will be your honor.

- Lieutenant. - Major.

Why did you join the Air Corps?

Cadet?

Sir.

I don't like repeatin' myself, Cadet.

To serve my country, sir.

Your country?

Boy, are you stupid?

No, sir.

You people...

Don't you know how bad we treat you people?

Servin' your country...

This ain't your country.

Your country's full of apes and gorillas...

...malaria...

...missionaries.

Ain't no gorillas in Harlem.

Why'd you join the Air Corps, boy?

This country has enemies and there are people who need protecting from them.

What people, nigger?

All people, sir.

To my knowledge the Germans aren't sparing the coloreds.

To my knowledge, the colored aren't up to fightin' the Germans, let alone, beatin' 'em.

Max Schmeling found out differently, sir.

You know what?

My job is to see if you Joe Louises can fly.

In case the Colonel gave you the wrong impression, let me clear it up.

You are nothing...

...special.

You just heard two very different speeches...

...from two very different officers.

I hope you were paying attention.

It is my job as Liaison Officer to ease your transition to military life.

Reveille's at zero six-hundred PT's at zero six-thirty...

...and breakfast is at zero seven-thirty.

At the top of the military command structure...

...is President Roosevelt as Commander and Chief.

At the bottom is you, the cadet.

Everything you need can and will be found on this base.

Everything you need to know has the words "U.S. Army Air Corps"...

...written on the cover.

If it doesn't...

...you don't need it.

We got weekends.

I klnd of flgured that would happen.

Hey, Iowa.

Yeah?

You ready for all of this?

I mean, "We in the Army now, boy."

Well, it's not Ottumwa, but... I've been ready for this for a long time.

What about you, Walter?

What, Stick?

Stick was born ready.

He probably popped out his mama with a full bomb load.

Come graduation...

...none of your names will be in front of mine.

Is that right?

Guaranteed.

What might that name be, Reverend Book Worm? "Stick" or "Rudder?"

Peoples.

Walter Derrick, the third.

Aeronautical Engineer.

Hannibal Lee, Jr. Pre-med.

Lewis Johns. English Literature.

William "A-Train" Roberts. Political Science.

Roy Jonas Cappy. Art History.

Andrew Turner. Sociology.

Charles Tate. Halfback.

William Pitts. Economics.

Class. Attention!

Take your seats.

Take one and pass 'em back.

What is this?

Permission to speak, sir?

What is it, cadet?

Sir, I believe we've already taken this test before.

And I believe you'll take it again.

May the cadet ask why, sir?

You don't have time for an explanation, cadet.

You have one hour for this exam.

Begin and end on my mark.

Name an element.