Black History Month gives us the opportunity to learn about, celebrate and honor Black Americans who blazed paths for future generations. The Tuskegee Airmen are among those trailblazers.
Nicknamed the “Red Tails” for the distinctive red-painted tails of their fighter planes, the Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 individual sorties and some 1,500 combat missions in World War II.
In almost 200 escort missions, the Red Tails lost just 27 bombers, significantly less than the average loss of 46. But these pilots weren’t just fighting against fascism overseas – they were also battling racism at home. To learn more about the Red Tails watch the documentary Red Tail Angels.
When I was in the Air Force I observed first-hand the rivalry and perhaps envy between the fighter pilots and everyone else. If you watched Top Gun you see fighter pilots characterized as brash, cocky, risk-takers and fearless. In a salute to the fighter pilots enjoy these jokes.
1. “Dad, I want to be a fighter pilot when I grow up!” “You can’t do both, son.”
2. How do you identify a fighter pilot at a bar? You don’t, he’ll come up and tell you.
3. Three fighter pilots are walking through the forest when they come upon a set of tracks. The first pilot says, “Those are deer tracks.”
The second pilot says, “No, those are elk tracks.”
The third pilot says, “You’re both wrong! Those are moose tracks.”
The pilots were still arguing when the train hit them.
4. During WWI, an English fighter pilot is shot down over Germany. The accident is terrible, and he wakes up as a prisoner in the hospital, badly injured.
The German doctor arrives, “Ve haf bad news – ve haf to amputate your arm.”
The English pilot responds, “Oh no, that’s bloody unfortunate. Can you do me a favor, – have one of your pilots drop it off over my country of England; I’d feel better knowing it will rest on home soil.” “Ya, OK, ve do zis for you” replies the doctor.
A week later, the German doctor returns, “Ve haf more bad news – now ve haf to amputate your leg.” “Bloody hell” replies the Englishman. “Please please – have one of your pilots drops it over jolly ol’ England for me, it would mean a lot to me”. The German doctor hesitates but reluctantly agrees.
A week later, the German doctor again visits the prisoner, “Now ve haf to amputate ze ozzer arm.” Despondent, the Englishman asks for the same favor. The German doctor suddenly shouts, “Nein! Ve do zis no more! Ve zink you’re trying to escape!”
5. How many fighter pilots does it take to change a light bulb? One…he just holds the bulb and the world revolves around him.
Are you a fan of the Air Force? Enjoy these 10 Air Force jokes.
