World War II Honoree

Joseph Elsberry

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Stillwater, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

ONE OF ABOUT 1000 BLACK SERVICEMEN SELECTED FOR PILOT TRAINING AT TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE, ALABAMA DURING THE WAR. ON SEPTEMBER 6, 1942, BECAME THE 36TH BLACK PILOT TO BE AWARDED HIS SILVER PILOT WINGS AND COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE ARMY AIR FORCES. THIS GROUP GAVE THEMSELVES THE NAME 'BLACK EAGLES' BUT BECAME BETTER KNOWN AS THE 'TUSKEGEE AIRMEN'. SERVED IN THE EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER WITH THE 332ND FIGHTER GROUP, 15TH AIR FORCE. BECAME A FIGHTER PILOT 'ACE' ON JULY 12, 1944 WHEN HE DOWNED 3 GERMAN LUFTWAFFE FOCKE-WULF (FW 190) FIGHTER AIRCRAFT ON THAT DAY. HIS SQUADRON BECAME THE FIRST TO SINK A GERMAN DESTROYER WITHOUT THE USE OF BOMBS ON JUNE 25, 1944. CONTINUED IN MILITARY SERVICE AFTER THE WAR UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT WITH THE RANK OF MAJOR.