Walter Manning facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Walter P. Manning
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Walter Manning in 1944
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| Birth name | Walter Peyton Manning |
| Born | May 3, 1920 Baltimore City, Maryland, US |
| Died | April 3, 1945 (aged 24) Austria |
| Plot K, Row 36, Grave 37 |
Lorraine American Cemetery, France
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| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
United States Army Air Force |
| Years of service | 1943–1945 |
| Rank | 2nd Lieutenant |
| Unit | 301st Fighter Squadron |
| Awards |
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| Relations | Dicey Thomas (Fiancé) |
Walter P. Manning (born May 3, 1920 – died April 3, 1945) was an American fighter pilot. He was part of the famous African American group known as the Tuskegee Airmen. These brave pilots flew many missions during World War II.
Walter Manning flew 50 missions. He earned the Air Medal for his bravery six times. In 1945, his plane was shot down over Austria. He was captured and later killed by a group of people. Years later, in 2007, he was given the Congressional Gold Medal. This award was given to him and all other Tuskegee Airmen after their deaths. Walter Manning is the only known Black man to have been killed in this way in Austria during World War II.
Contents
Serving His Country
Joining the War Effort
In 1942, Walter Manning wanted to join the military. But he was turned down because of a problem with his toe. He really wanted to fly, so he used his own money to have surgery to fix it. In 1943, he was finally able to join the Army Air Force.
In 1944, he finished his training at the Tuskegee Institute. He became a 2nd Lieutenant. He was then sent to the 301st Fighter Squadron, which was part of the 332nd Fighter Group. He flew his missions from Ramitelli Air Base in Italy.
A Fierce Air Battle
On April 1, 1945, which was Easter morning, Walter Manning was in a big air battle. This kind of battle between planes is called a dogfight. It happened over the Danube River in Austria. The Tuskegee Airmen were protecting B-24 bombers. The bombers were on a mission to attack the town of St. Polten, Austria.
On their way back to Italy, the pilots saw enemy German planes near Wels, Austria. Seven Tuskegee Airmen fought against the German planes. The American pilots shot down 12 German planes! But three Tuskegee Airmen's planes were also hit. One pilot managed to land safely. Another pilot was killed right away. Walter Manning's plane was badly damaged, and he had to jump out with his parachute.
A Tragic End
After parachuting, Walter Manning was captured. He was held in a jail at a German Air Force base near Linz, Austria. On April 3, 1945, a group of people broke into the jail. They were stirred up by German soldiers. They tied Walter Manning's hands behind his back. Then, they took him outside and killed him.
American soldiers later found his body buried in a shallow grave near the air base. A local person had marked the spot with a wooden cross. Even though there were clear signs of murder, the US officials closed his case early. Some people were thought to be involved, but no one was ever punished for this terrible act.
Remembering Walter Manning
In 2013, some historians from Austria, Nicole-Melanie Goll and Georg Hoffmann, worked with Jerry Whiting. They studied what happened to Allied pilots who were shot down over Austria. They found out that 150 Allied pilots were killed on the ground. Most of them were killed by civilians. Because of their important findings, the Austrian Army put up a special plaque. This plaque remembers Walter Manning at the place where he was killed.
Awards and Honors
Walter Manning received several important awards for his service:
- Air Medal for heroism with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters (this means he earned it six times)
- European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal (EAME)
- Purple Heart Medal
- Congressional Gold Medal (awarded in 2007, after his death)
About Walter's Life
Walter Manning was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He loved to swim and always dreamed of flying planes. He went to Howard University. Before he left for the war, he was engaged to a woman named Dicey Thomas.
See also
- Rüsselsheim massacre - a similar event where American airmen were killed in Germany
- Freeman Field Mutiny
- List of Tuskegee Airmen
- Military history of African Americans
