Yenwith Whitney
Yenwith K. He had been an enthusiastic 18-year-old Bronx native who had grown gonna a mainly light university and you will regional chapel. After graduating senior high school through the World war ii, he subscribed to the brand new fledgling black colored aviation system.
My personal first proper expertise in black infants are living in the newest military heavens corps. It had been my personal earliest serious experience of are element of a great category which had been entirely black colored.
Of numerous commanders didn’t need blacks starting not menial work in the World war ii. It don’t thought blacks was basically wise enough to do things eg fly airplanes. I got my personal earliest trained in Biloxi, Skip. I’d not ever been on South ahead of and it don’t create me personally pleased to get in Biloxi. It told all of us before first-rate web site to study i ran Southern, i merely got that purpose getting here and therefore was to train. Do not get in virtually any kinda trouble.
Of Biloxi, Whitney continued to apply from the Tuskegee Institute’s 66th Air Force Traveling School at the Tuskegee Institute when you look at the Alabama.
There was singular issue we imagined hence try getting our wings. For individuals who washed out, it was more disastrous question which could happen to you. We started off having 64 within our classification, but simply twenty-six had its wings and you can finished. Which had been a day of my entire life. I experienced reached things tall.
In 1944, the guy proceeded to help you serve as an excellent pilot in another of five every-black combatant devices on the 332 Combatant Classification (“Red Tails”), allotted to the brand new all of the-black colored 301st Fighter Squadron, of fifteenth Heavens Push. Within the war, Whitney flew 34 combat objectives during the European countries as the a fighter pilot escorting big bombers, earning an air Medal and you will about three Clusters to have their service.
Autographed 3×5 postcard depicting Tuskegee Airman Yenwith Whitney of 332 Fighter Class (“Reddish Tails”), allotted to brand new most of the-black colored 301st Fighter Squadron, of 15th Sky Force, california. 1944.
Post-Conflict
Even after generating an air Medal and you can about three Clusters to own their provider, Whitney are not able to get a position with a professional airline adopting the war.
I became aggravated. I found myself just as licensed just like the someone else. We signed up for an informed college or university I am able to consider.
The guy applied to MIT according to the GI Bill and was acknowledged. When you look at the 1949, Whitney gained an excellent Bachelors in Aeronautics and Astronautics (Path XVI) off MIT within the 1949.
Shortly after generating their education away from MIT, Whitney struggled to obtain Republic Aircraft to the stress investigation, upcoming on the EDO Firm towards architectural design of routes drifts. For the 1958, the guy with his family gone to live in Cameroon, in which Whitney coached math and you will physics at the an effective Presbyterian purpose. The family returned to New york ten years later, regardless of if Whitney continued working for the fresh new United Presbyterian Chapel within the minority degree and you can all over the world training during the Africa, the latest You.S., and you can China. Whitney as well as earned a Master’s degree from inside the mathematics training and you will good doctorate when you look at the Global Studies away from Columbia School.
After his later years when you look at the 1992, Whitney turned into active on the MIT Alumni Association, in which he had been in it to their national choices panel. The guy offered on panel regarding directors of one’s MIT Pub of Southwestern Fl, once the an informative specialist, and also as chairman from Black Alumni/ae of MIT (BAMIT).
“Whenever i went to MIT, I was well-treated and had a beneficial knowledge of new dorm, brand new fraternity, along with intramural sports,” the guy told MIT Technical Feedback. “Yet there have been just around three other black colored pupils once i was at the MIT, for this reason I was very finding BAMIT. I do believe BAMIT was an invaluable part of MIT and you may important having black colored children.”
