Today, we’re looking back on the local legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, and the preservation efforts being made in the community to honor the country’s irst Black American military pilots.
The San Antonio Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen is proposing a street name change in the Denver Heights neighborhood where some of the airmen grew up. They’re asking the City of San Antonio to rename the street Tuskegee Airmen Way.
Once reviewed by various local government agencies + homeowner associations, if approved, it would mean the installation of street signs, dedication ceremony, and a permanent bronze memorial plaque in the neighborhood — ensuring their honorable legacy lives on in Military City USA.
Sky-high history
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black aviators in the Armed Forces. From 1942 through 1946, 992 airmen graduated from Tuskegee Army Air Field (TAAF) in Tuskegee, Alabama, receiving their pilot wings. During that time frame, approximately 445 airmen were deployed overseas, and 150 lost their lives.
Alamo City Legacy
Air Force Col. Eugene Derricotte — the last remaining Tuskegee Airman in San Antonio — died Friday, March 31, 2023 at the age of 96. Dr. Derricotte’s career was extensive both in military and civilian life.
- 1944 — Drafted into the Army.
- 1946 — Volunteered for the pilot training program at Tuskegee Air Force base in Alabama.
- 1950 — Earned a pharmacy degree at the University of Michigan
- 1958 — Earned a degree in dentistry at the University of Michigan
- 1985 — Relocated to San Antonio, where he became Chief of Oral Surgery at Lackland Air Force Base, and an assistant professor at the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio.
Dr. Derricotte is one of 17 Tuskegee Airmen who called San Antonio home. He was a member of the San Antonio Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Founded in 1996, the chapter hosts youth programs and community outreach events throughout the year — like their Air Force JROTC Award Program, which honors high school cadets for their outstanding community service, academic achievement, and involvement of cadet activities.
