Halbert Alexander facts for kids

Halbert Leo Alexander (born June 12, 1922 – died March 25, 1953) was a brave pilot in the U.S. Army Air Forces and later the U.S. Air Force. He was part of the famous Tuskegee Airmen, an all-African American group of pilots who fought during a time of segregation. Halbert Alexander was one of the 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen pilots.

He is especially known for winning the U.S. Air Force's first-ever "Top Gun" team competition in 1949. His team was made up of other skilled African American pilots from the 332nd Fighter Group.

Early Life and Pilot Training

Halbert Alexander was born in North Carolina on June 12, 1922. He grew up to become a pilot.

On November 20, 1944, Halbert Alexander finished his training at Tuskegee. He earned his pilot wings and became a second lieutenant. After his training, he joined the 99th Pursuit Squadron.

Winning the 1949 "Top Gun" Competition

In January 1949, the head of the U.S. Air Force asked all Air Force groups to join a flying competition. This competition would test their skills with aerial weapons.

In May 1949, Halbert Alexander was chosen for the 332nd Fighter Group's pilot team. This team went on to win the very first "Top Gun" competition. The event took place at Las Vegas Air Force Base, which is now called Nellis Air Force Base.

The Competition Events

The "Top Gun" competition was tough and lasted for 10 days. Pilots had to complete six different challenges:

• Shooting targets from the air at 20,000 feet high.
• Shooting targets from the air at 12,000 feet high.
• Dive bombing (flying down quickly to drop bombs).
• Skip bombing (dropping bombs that bounce across the water).
• Firing rockets.
• Strafing (shooting at ground targets) with panels.

Alexander and his team were amazing. They stayed in the lead from the very beginning of the competition until the end.

Alexander's Winning Team

Halbert Alexander's team from the 332nd Fighter Group included other talented pilots:

• First Lieutenant Harry Stewart, Jr. from the 100th Squadron.
• James H. Harvey from the 99th Squadron.
• Captain Alva Temple from the 300th Squadron.

Their aircraft crew chief was Staff Sergeant Buford A. Johnson. The team flew older P-47N Thunderbolts. Even though their planes were not as new as those of other teams, they still won!

A Hidden Victory

For 55 years, the results of this important competition were not widely known. The 3-foot tall silver trophy was kept in a storage area at Wright Patterson Air Force Base Museum. It was not until 1995 that the U.S. Air Force archives finally recognized their victory.

Halbert Alexander's teammate, James H. Harvey, later said, "They knew who won, but did not want to recognize us." This shows how important their win was, especially during a time when African American soldiers faced unfair treatment.

Death

On March 25, 1953, Halbert Alexander was flying his F-51 Mustang plane. He was 32 years old. His plane suddenly nosedived out of a group of seven planes. It crashed in a heavily forested area near Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He died instantly in the accident.