T he Be s t-Kept Sec r e t

DURING THE FINAL YEARS OF WORLD

WAR II, U.S. BOMBERS PERFORMED
FREQUENT RAIDS DEEP INTO
GERMANY TO STRIKE THEIR TARGETS.
LARGE AND SLOW, THE BOMBERS
RELIED ON EACH OTHER AND THEIR
FIGHTER ESCORTS FOR PROTECTION
FROM GERMAN INTERCEPTORS.
DURING THIS PERIOD OF THE WAR,
ONE MYSTERIOUS GROUP OF U.S.
FIGHTERS GAINED A REPUTATION
FOR PROVIDING OUTSTANDING
PROTECTION TO THE BOMBERS
UNDER THEIR CARE. WHO WERE THE
PILOTS OF THESE RED-TAILED P-51S,
AND WHAT MADE THEM DIFFERENT?

Use this Graphic Book with

The Tuskegee Airmen
at Level V.

Written by
John Rousselle
Illustrated by
Silvio Kiko
Visit www.readinga-z.com
for thousands of books and materials. www.readinga-z.com
 THAT WE WERE
BLACK? YES, WE HEAR
THAT A LOT . . .

I BET YOU DO.

YOU GUYS MUST BE
THE BEST-KEPT SECRET
OF THE WAR!

YOU’LL BE OUR GUESTS UNTIL

THE WEATHER IMPROVES. COME WITH
ME AND WE’LL GET YOU SQUARED
AWAY WITH A HOT MEAL AND A WARM
PLACE TO SLEEP.

The Best-Kept Sec r e t

N DECEMBER 29, 1944, 180 WHITE CREWMEN FROM A SQUADRON

OF 18 B-24 BOMBERS LANDED AT RAMITELLI, ITALY, HOME OF THE
RED TAILS. FOR FIVE DAYS, THE WHITE AIRMEN BUNKED, ATE,
DRANK, AND TALKED WITH THEIR FELLOW SERVICEMEN FROM THE
TUSKEGEE AIRMEN. IT WAS THE FIRST REAL INSTANCE OF FORCED
DESEGREGATION IN THE ARMY. ONCE THEY RECOVERED FROM Written by
THEIR INITIAL SHOCK, THE WHITE AIRCREWS FOUND THEY HAD A Graphic Book
LOT IN COMMON WITH THEIR BLACK COUNTERPARTS AND CAME TO John Rousselle © Learning A–Z
DEEPLY RESPECT THEM AND THEIR WORK. AS ONE OF THE TUSKEGEE
AIRMEN PUT IT, “THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS SEGREGATION WHEN
Illustrated by All rights reserved.

YOU’RE FIGHTING SIDE BY SIDE.” Silvio Kiko www.readinga-z.com

12
 NOVEMBER 14, 1944:
DEEP OVER GERMANY YOU’VE GOT THE WELCOME TO RAMITELLI
PLANE, MCLAWHORN. AIR BASE, GENTLEMEN.
DROP WHEN READY.

WHO THE
HECK ARE
YOU GUYS?

BOMBS
AWAY!

WE’RE THE 332 ND

ALL-NEGRO FIGHTER GROUP.
YOU MIGHT KNOW US BETTER
AS THE RED TAILS.

CLOSE THE BOMB

BAY DOORS AND LET ’S I KNEW THIS
GO HOME! HAD TO BE THE
RED TAILS’
BASE!
ROGER
THAT!
IT’S JUST
THAT WE HAD
NO IDEA . . .
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Tuskegee Airmen: The Best-Kept Secret | Graphic Book
 HOLY MACKEREL! THERE ARE

!
RED-TAILED P-51S EVERYWHERE.

M
THIS MUST BE THE RED TAILS’ BASE!

OO
I CAN FINALLY BUY THAT PILOT WHO
SAVED OUR BACON A DRINK!

WE’VE GOT TRUCKS AND

JEEPS WITH GROUND CREWS
COMING OUT TO MEET US.

WE TOOK A BAD HIT.

THE ENGINES LOOK OKAY,
THOUGH. HOW ARE THE
CONTROLS, SKIPPER?

MCLAWHORN!
GET UP HERE AND CHECK
ON THE SKIPPER!

...
WAIT A MINUTE.
THEY’RE ALL NEGROES!
DID WE ACCIDENTALLY
FLY TO AFRICA?
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Tuskegee Airmen: The Best-Kept Secret | Graphic Book
 HOLD UP, SKIPPER. I JUST
GOT A CALL ON THE RADIO.
HE’S NOT HIT. THAT FLAK BURST OUR BASE IS UNDER FIVE INCHES
KNOCKED OUT ONE OF OUR OXYGEN OF SNOW. THEY WANT US TO
SYSTEMS. WE’VE GOT THREE OTHER DIVERT TO SOME “RAMITELLI
GUYS CONNECTED TO THAT SYSTEM. AIR BASE” IN ITALY.
THEY’RE PROBABLY PASSING OUT IN
THE BACK, TOO.

THERE’S NO SUCH
PLACE ON MY MAP.
WHAT IS IT, SOME KIND
OF SECRET BASE?

LISTEN UP, EVERYBODY. WE CAN’ T I DON’T KNOW,

STAY WITH THE FORMATION. WE HAVE TO BUT THEY SENT US
DROP DOWN TO WHERE WE CAN BREATHE. THE COORDINATES.
BRACE FOR POWER DIVE.
IF WE LEAVE THE OTHER
BOMBERS, WE’LL BE SITTING DUCKS
FOR GERMAN FIGHTERS.
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Tuskegee Airmen: The Best-Kept Secret | Graphic Book
SIX WEEKS LATER . . .
WE CAN’ T STAY UP HERE
WITHOUT OXYGEN, OR FOUR OF
OUR GUYS WILL DIE FOR SURE,
INCLUDING THE SKIPPER.

WELL, WHEN YOU PUT

IT LIKE THAT . . .

DIDN’T ANYONE
TELL THE ARMY IT’S
DANGEROUS TO FLY
IN A SNOWSTORM?

LISTEN UP! THE MISSION’S

BEEN SCRUBBED DUE TO
WEATHER. WE’RE ABORTING
BACK TO BASE.

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Tuskegee Airmen: The Best-Kept Secret | Graphic Book
 LEVELING OFF AT 15,000
FEET. WHEN THE REST
OF THE CREW WAKE UP, ONE OF OUR
TELL THEM TO GET THEIR ESCORTS MUST HAVE
PARACHUTES ON AND FOLLOWED US DOWN
TO WATCH OUT FOR TO PROTECT US.
GERMAN FIGHTERS.

I LOVE THESE RED-TAILED

WHOA!
FIGHTER COMING IN HOT
P-51S. THEY STICK TO THE
BOMBERS LIKE GLUE, UNLIKE
SOME OF THOSE OTHER
FIGHTER JOCKS.
OFF OUR PORT WING! WAIT, IT’S OKAY!
IT’S GOT A RED TAIL!
HOURS LATER . . .

I’VE GOT OUR AIRFIELD

IN SIGHT. THAT P-51
ESCORTED US ALL THE WAY
HOME. I’M GIVING HIM
A “THANK YOU” WAVE.

HE WAGGED HIS
WINGS GOODBYE.
I WISH I COULD BUY
THAT GUY A DRINK!

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Tuskegee Airmen: The Best-Kept Secret | Graphic Book