World War II Honoree

Grover Crumbsy

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Pensacola, Florida

Honored By

Randall McDaniel

SERVED DURING WWII IN THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS AS A BOMBARDIER. HE WAS ONE OF THE ORIGINAL TUSKEGEE AIRMEN. DUE TO HIS HEIGHT HE WAS NOT ABLE TO FIT INTO THE COCKPIT OF A P-40 FIGHTER. BUT HE WAS ACCEPTED INTO THE CADET CORPS, ENTERED A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TRAINING PROGRAM, AND GRADUATED IN 1945 AS A B-25 CO-PILOT. HE WAS ONE OF ABOUT 1,000 BLACK PILOTS TRAINED BETWEEN 1940 AND 1946 AT TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY, WHICH WAS AWARDED THE U.S. ARMY AIR CORPS CONTRACT TO HELP TRAIN AMERICA'S FIRST BLACK MILITARY AVIATORS.