Lowell Steward facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lowell Steward
|
|
|---|---|
_after_graduating_from_flight_training_at_Tuskegee_Army_Air_Field,_Tuskegee,_AL.jpg)
Lowell Steward (1943)
|
|
| Born | February 25, 1919 Los Angeles, California, US |
| Died | December 17, 2014 (aged 95) Ventura, California, US |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Airforce, United States Army Air Corps |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 100th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group |
| Awards | Congressional Gold Medal awarded to Tuskegee Airmen Distinguished Flying Cross European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters |
Lowell Steward (February 25, 1919 – December 17, 2014) was born in Los Angeles, California. He was a brave pilot and a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. He flew many important missions during World War II. For his amazing service, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross and several other important medals.
The Tuskegee Airmen
Lowell Steward joined the Army Air Corps in 1942. This was when black men were first allowed to become pilots. He was sent to Tuskegee Institute in Alabama for training. This base was segregated, meaning black and white soldiers were kept separate.
The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of African American pilots and support staff. They were brought together from all over the United States. Their main job was to fly fighter planes. These fighters would protect larger bomber planes during dangerous missions.
Flying Missions
When the Tuskegee Airmen first went to Europe, they faced unfair treatment. Some people even called them "Spookwaffe" in a mean way. But they soon proved how skilled and brave they were. Their reputation for protecting bombers grew quickly. Soon, bomber crews specifically asked for the Tuskegee Airmen to escort them.
Lowell Steward shared his own story about joining:
When I left school to sign up for the air force, I found out I could not go into the service with my friends. I was the only black on the basketball team. We had decided among ourselves that we would all go into the air force. The others did. When I went down to sign up, they didn't know what to do with me. Just told me they couldn't send me to the air force. Ten months later I was finally called. That's when they decided what they could do with me. I was sent to Tuskegee, an all-segregated base, deep in the heart of Alabama. (p. 187)
After his training at Tuskegee Army Air Field, Steward went to Italy in 1944. He was part of the 100th Fighter Squadron. From Capodichino Air Base in Naples, Italy, he flew planes like the Bell P-39 Airacobra and Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. Later, he flew many more missions from Ramitelli Airfield in P-51 Mustangs. In total, Lowell Steward flew an amazing 143 missions during the war.
After World War II ended, Steward returned to Los Angeles. He helped start the Los Angeles chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. This group also created a scholarship foundation. In 2007, Steward was there when President George W. Bush honored the Tuskegee Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal. This is one of the highest civilian awards in the United States.
Lowell Steward's Life
Lowell Steward was born in Los Angeles. He was a childhood friend of the famous baseball player Jackie Robinson. Steward went to Jefferson High School. In 1937, he started college at Santa Barbara State College. There, he became the first black captain of the Gauchos basketball team.
In 1941, his team made it to the semifinals of a big basketball tournament. However, Lowell was not allowed to play in that game because he was black. He graduated from college in 1941 with a business degree. He met his wife, Helen, in Santa Barbara, California. They got married in Los Angeles in 1943. They had one son and two daughters.
After his military service ended in 1946, Lowell and Helen wanted to buy a house in Los Angeles. But they faced challenges getting a home loan because they were black. Because of this, Lowell decided to go to real estate school. He got his real estate license. In the 1950s, he helped many families find homes. He played a part in making some areas of Los Angeles more open to everyone.
Lowell Steward passed away on December 17, 2014, at the age of 95. He died peacefully from natural causes. His wife, Helen, had passed away ten years earlier in 2004, after 60 years of marriage.
See also
- Executive Order 9981
- List of Tuskegee Airmen
- Military history of African Americans
- Tuskegee Airmen
