World War II Honoree

Ferrier H. White

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Elyria, Ohio

Honored By

An Indebted American

Relationship

None

ENLISTED IN THE SERVICE IN JANUARY 1942. TRAINED, RECEIVED HIS WINGS, AND BECAME A TUSKEGEE AIRMAN, SECOND LIEUTENANT IN OCTOBER 1944. WAS ASSIGNED TO THE 100TH FIGHTER SQUADRON, 332ND FIGHTER GROUP BASED IN ITALY. ON APRIL 5, 1945, WAS ON AMISSION WHEN HE WAS SHOT DOWN OVER THE ADRIATIC SEA--HIS REMAINS WERE NEVER FOUND. FROM 1941 TO 1945 SOME 1,000 BLACK PILOTS WERE TRAINED AT TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE IN ALABAMA. THESE AIRMEN VOLUNTEERED TO BECOME AMERICA'S FIRST BLACK MILITARY AIRMEN. THEY ESCORTED BOMBERS DURING WWII AND HAD ONE OF THE LOWEST LOSS RECORDS OF ALL THE ESCORT FIGHT GROUPS. THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN WERE IN CONSTANT DEMAND FOR THEIR SERVICES BY THE ALLIED BOMBER UNITS.