Robert Searcy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Searcy
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Searcy in uniform during World War II
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| Born | 1921 Mount Pleasant, Texas |
| Died | September 17, 2009 (aged 88) Atlanta, Georgia |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army Air Forces |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Robert J. Searcy (1921 – September 17, 2009) was a brave American who served in World War II. He was part of the famous Tuskegee Airmen. This was a special group of African American pilots and support staff. They served with great honor in the US Army Air Corps. After the war, Searcy lived in Los Angeles, California. He passed away in September 2009 at 88 years old.
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Who Were the Tuskegee Airmen?
Robert Searcy was born in Mount Pleasant, Texas. He went to Prairie View A&M University. In 1942, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps. This was after the United States entered World War II. Searcy got his basic training at Ft. Hood, Texas. He was then chosen to lead a group of airmen to Tuskegee, Alabama.
Fighting for Fairness on the Train
Searcy remembered his first experience with segregation on the train. Segregation meant keeping people of different races separate. His men were not allowed to eat or sleep in the main part of the train. Searcy stood up for his men. He demanded they be allowed to pass. The train workers, many of whom were African American, eventually agreed. Searcy said, "I was put in charge of those men. I felt I had to represent what the Constitution was for those men. That's what leadership is."
Searcy's Service in World War II
Searcy served with the Tuskegee Airmen from 1942 to 1945. He was in places like Italy, France, and the Balkans. He also served in the Rhineland and other parts of Europe. He received awards for helping with combat missions. These missions were over Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. He was honorably discharged from the military in 1945.
Life After the War
After the war, Searcy tried to forget his time as a Tuskegee Airman. He felt his service in the segregated military was "lost time." He had hoped to become a pilot. Instead, he worked in a support role as a clerk. He had also wanted to become a doctor before the war. But he did not finish college after returning home.
Working and Living in Los Angeles
In the 1950s, Searcy worked for United Airlines. He cleaned aircraft. He also worked at a U.S. Post Office in downtown Los Angeles. Later, he sold women's clothing. He even opened several clothing stores in Los Angeles, California. Searcy got married but did not have any children. His wife passed away in a car accident in 1990. In his later years, Searcy lived in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California.
Attending a Special Inauguration
Even though he was a Republican, Searcy supported Barack Obama for president. He encouraged others at his retirement home to vote for Obama. When Obama became president, he invited all living Tuskegee Airmen to his inauguration. This is a special ceremony where the president takes office.
A Flight to Remember
A doctor from Mississippi, Dr. Lynn McMahan, flew Searcy and three other Tuskegee Airmen to Washington, D.C.. He used his private jet. Dr. McMahan said, "The Tuskegee Airmen are to pilots like Michael Jordan is to basketball." In a video, Searcy said about Obama's inauguration, "When I leave this earth, I leave it with a smile on my face." This shows how proud and happy he was to be there.
His Final Years
Robert Searcy passed away in September 2009. He was 88 years old. He died while visiting his granddaughter in Atlanta, Georgia.
See also
- Dogfights (TV series)
- Executive Order 9981
- Freeman Field Mutiny
- List of Tuskegee Airmen
- Military history of African Americans
- The Tuskegee Airmen (movie)
