Robert Ashby (Tuskegee Airman) facts for kids

Robert Ashby (born July 17, 1926 – died March 5, 2021) was a brave pilot and officer. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force and later the U.S. Air Force. He was part of the famous all-African American group known as the 332nd Fighter Group – the Tuskegee Airmen. Robert Ashby was one of 1007 documented Tuskegee Airmen pilots.

In 1973, Ashby was hired by Frontier Airlines. This made him one of the first African Americans to fly as a commercial airline pilot for a major airline. During his training at Frontier, he learned alongside Emily Howell Warner. She was the first woman ever to become an airline captain at a major commercial airline.

Ashby was also the only Tuskegee Airman to become a commercial airline pilot captain with a major U.S. airline.

On March 29, 2007, Robert Ashby and all the Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal. This is the highest award a civilian can get from the U.S. Congress.

Robert Ashby's Early Life and Education

Robert Ashby was born on July 17, 1926, in Yemassee. This town is in Hampton County, South Carolina. When he was a child, Ashby delivered the local African American newspaper. He did this to earn some money. He finished high school at James J. Ferris High School in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Later, Ashby continued his education while serving in the military. He took college classes through special programs on military bases. He studied at the University of Maryland and the UCLA.

Ashby was married to Dorina Ashby. They had three sons together.

Military Service as a Tuskegee Airman

When he was 17, Ashby joined the U.S. Army Air Corps's Aviation Cadet program. In August 1944, he went to Keesler Field in Mississippi. There, he had basic training and took tests for the Aviation Cadet Program. In December 1944, Ashby moved to Tuskegee, Alabama. This is where he began his pilot training. He learned to fly planes like the Stearman PT-17, the AT-6, and the B-25.

On November 20, 1945, Ashby successfully graduated. He was part of the Tuskegee Cadet Pilot Class TE-45-H. He also became a 2nd Lieutenant.

After World War II, the U.S. Air Force sent Ashby to Japan. He was there to help with the post-war efforts. However, two all-white flying units would not let him fly. This was because of their unfair racial segregation rules. He was later stationed in South Korea and in Europe. During these assignments, he worked as a flight instructor.

In July 1965, Ashby retired from the U.S. Air Force. He had reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Flying for Commercial Airlines

After his military career, Robert Ashby wanted to keep flying. In 1965, United Airlines hired him. He worked as a flight operations instructor. He helped create the training program for their first Boeing 747 flights. However, United Airlines later had to let Ashby go. This was because they were reducing the number of pilots. It was based on a "last hired/first fired" rule.

In July 1973, Ashby achieved another milestone. He became one of the first African Americans to fly for a major commercial airline, Frontier Airlines. This was possible partly because of Marlon Green. In 1963, Marlon Green, an African-American pilot, won a very important case. The United States Supreme Court decided that airlines could not use racial discrimination. This helped open doors for African American pilots in the American airline industry. Marlon Green flew for Continental Airlines from 1965 to 1978. His case led to David Harris becoming the very first African-American commercial airline pilot for a major airline in 1964.

When Ashby started at Frontier, he trained with Emily Howell Warner. She was the first female commercial airline Pilot Captain for a major airline. At Frontier, Ashby flew several types of planes. These included the Twin Otter, Convair 580, Boeing 737, and MD-80.

In 1986, Ashby retired from Frontier Airlines as a Captain. He is believed to be the first African American commercial airline pilot for a major airline to reach the mandatory retirement age of 60. He was also the only known Tuskegee Airman to become a commercial airline Pilot Captain for a major airline.

Later Life and Passing

Robert Ashby passed away on March 5, 2021. He was 95 years old. He died in Sun City, Arizona. His body was cremated. At the time of his death, Ashby was one of only three last-surviving Tuskegee Airmen living in the U.S. state of Arizona.

See also

• Executive Order 9981
• List of Tuskegee Airmen
• List of Tuskegee Airmen Cadet Pilot Graduation Classes
• Military history of African Americans