Two members of the esteemed Tuskegee Airmen group paid a visit to John Ehrhardt Elementary School on Nov. 13. SMSgt George Porter and CMSgt Leonard Yates..it is with great sadness that I let you know about the passing of CMS Sgt. Yates.  Both of the airmen who visit our campus this year are no longer with us in body, but will always be part of Ehrhardt in spirit.

The World War II veterans of the elite African American pilot group who were trained at the historic Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, spoke to the students about breaking down racial barriers in the military, and how important it is for them to work hard to be their best at whatever they choose.

Retired airplane mechanic SMSgt George Porter and CMSgt Leonard Yates, a retired fighter pilot, often educated their audience with humor as they stood before the students to recite their significant tales of long ago.

President of Sacramento Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. SMSgt. Walter Suggs facilitated the affair.

Suggs – a retired airplane mechanic and Vietnam War veteran – kicked off the afternoon presentations by delivering a short overview.

The students were first asked if they were familiar with the movie Red Tails, George Lucas’ recent film that tells the story of the respected pilots, as Porter played “Sgt. Coffee” in the movie.

Most of the students raised their hands in awareness of the film, as they’d recently watched it in class. Yet they all sat still, attentively listening to Suggs’s commentary, seemingly wanting to learn more.

The facilitator’s brief overview touched on President Franklin Roosevelt’s reluctance to allow African-Americans to fly planes during World War II – and how the president’s wife, Eleanor, strongly believed in their ability to do so.

“Eleanor (Roosevelt) went down to Tuskegee, Alabama and met one of the guys who was training to fly airplanes there…she asked him to take her for a flight,” Suggs said. “After Eleanor got the okay from President Roosevelt to ‘fly with a colored person,’ she enjoyed the experience and told him that blacks could fly airplanes just as good as whites.”

Suggs mentioned that it was Eleanor’s affirmation that initiated the authorization to allow African-Americans to fly airplanes in the military, hence the beginning of the Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy.

When the spotlight shined on Porter, he touched on his history as a Tuskegee Airman, but focused mainly on how his experiences made him a stronger person.

“I’m here to tell you how you can succeed in life,” he said. “We took a lot of insults back then, but that didn’t stop us from doing our job.”

Porter, 91, told the students that they could be whatever they wanted to be in life, no matter what race they are.

He advised them to stay clear of friends who try to prevent their success and attempt to take them “from the sidewalk to the gutter.”

He also spoke about the importance of staying in school, called out for proper parenting, and urged the students to be strong while facing challenges.

“Just remember three words: respect, love, and obedience…use your eyes and your brain for the right purposes,” he said.

When Yates, 87, spoke to the children he focused more on his beginnings in the Air Force and the technical aspects of his career as a fighter pilot.

He mentioned the “Hammerhead Stall” with a Split-S formation, a stalling technique that the airmen used to shoot down the first German jetfighter.

The maneuver was also shown in the movie, Red Tails.

“Those of you who’ve taken flight instructions will understand what I’m talking about…talk to your instructor,” Yates joked.

The students were encouraged to ask the speakers questions at the end of the event.

One question particularly sparked the airmen’s interest.

“Why did you fight for your country while everyone else was treating you bad,” one student asked.

Yates responded, “You said it right…it’s ‘my country,’ that’s why I fought for it – I fought for my homeland.”

The students eagerly approached the airmen for autographs and more answers to their questions as the occasion came to a close.

James Gardner Jr., Chief Master Sergeant of Squad 14 of the Civil Air Patrol, was instrumental in bringing the program to the school through his association with Tuskegee Airman, Inc.

The Sacramento chapter of the organization is the third largest out of 57 chapters in the United States.

“We’re very excited and fortunate to have had these prestigious men speak at our school,” said principal, Robin Riley.