World War II Honoree

Charles Walter Dryden Sr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

New York, New York

Honored By

Charles Henry Atkinson

IN AUGUST 1941, SELECTED FOR AVIATION CADET TRAINING AT THE TUSKEGEE ARMY FLYING SCHOOL IN ALABAMA. HE WAS COMMISSIONED ON APRIL 29, 1942 AS A 2ND LIEUTENANT IN A CLASS OF ONLY 3 GRADUATES, WHICH WAS THE SECOND CLASS OF AFRICAN AMERICAN PILOTS TO GRADUATE IN THE HISTORY OF THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE FAMED 99TH PURSUIT SQUADRON, LATER THE 332ND FIGHTER GROUP, WHICH SERVED IN NORTH AFRICA, SICILY AND ITALY DURING WWII. ON JUNE 9, 1943, THEN LIEUTENANT, IN HIS P-40 NICKNAMED 'A-TRAIN' LED A FLIGHT OF 6 PILOTS ENGAGING ENEMY FIGHTER AIRCRAFT IN AERIAL COMBAT OVER PANTELLERIA, SICILY. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN PILOTS OF THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS ENGAGED AIRCRAFT IN COMBAT.