Two Tuskegee Airmen Honored

Two Windsor Mill residents who are former members of the Tuskegee Airmen were the center of attention Monday afternoon at the Woodlawn Senior Center.

They're the only two remaining members of the Tuskegee Airmen in Baltimore County, according to a news release from Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz's office.

Interestingly, the two former airmen, Cyril O. Byron Sr., 91, and Lemuel Arthur Lewie Jr., 92, reside within five minutes of each other, the release states.

Monday afternoon at the Woodlawn Senior Center, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz gave each an executive citation.

And he honored them for their military service so many years ago during World War II.

The Tuskegee Airmen was an elite group of African-American pilots, according to the release.

"They were pioneers in equality and integration of the Armed Forces," it states.

Because most flight training was done at the Division of Aeronautics of Tuskegee Institute and at a separate facility at Tuskegee Army Air Field, they were named "Tuskegee Airmen."

Byron was an administrative lieutenant major in the U.S. Army Air Corps,  99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, it states.

He served in Sicily, Italy, North Africa, and elsewhere in Europe.

Lewie was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Corps 477th Bomber Group, and trained as a bombardier, pilot, navigator, machine gun operator and radio communicator, it states.

In February,  a film called "Red Tails" was released about the Tuskegee Airmen.

"Segregation during World War II spilled over into U.S. military ranks, but an all African-American fighter pilot crew formed within the Army Air Corps made a major impact in helping to break down racial barriers," according to a February report from Armed Forces Press Service.

The Essex Branch Library recently held an exhibit in honor of the airmen. Lewie and Byron helped with that exhibit, according to a report in Essex Patch.