Alfred Gorham

2nd Lt. Alfred M. Gorham (1920-2009) was a Tuskegee Airman from Waukesha, Wisconsin.[1] He was the only Tuskegee Airman from Wisconsin, and he was a prisoner of war after his plane went down over Munich, Germany in World War II.[2][3]

Alfred M. Gorham
2nd lieutenant Alfred Gorham in 1944
Born1920
Waukesha, Wisconsin
Died2009
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance United States
Service/branchUnited States Army Air Forces
Years of service1942-1946
RankLieutenant Colonel
Unit332nd Fighter Group
Commands held301st Fighter Squadron
Awards

Military service
The Tuskegee Airmen's aircraft had distinctive markings that led to the name, "Red Tails."[N 1]

World War II

After joining the Army Air Force in 1942[5] Gorham became a pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen. He graduated from the Tuskegee University February 8, 1944.[6]

On August 7, 1944 Gorham was part of a group of Tuskegee Airmen escorting B-24 bombers. The mission was a bombing raid on oil refineries inside Germany at Blechhammer. Gorham got lost while returning from the mission. He tried to land at Lesina Airfield. The airfield had no lights and Gorham crash landed into Lake Lesina. The P-51 burst into flames but Gorham survived.[7]

He saw action over Budapest Hungary and shot down two German Focke-Wulf 190 Fighters. In 1945 his P-51 had engine trouble over Munich Germany and he bailed out. He was captured and held by the Germans until the end of the war.[2][8]


Awards

Personal life

After graduating from Waukesha High School in 1938 Gorham was accepted to Carrol College. However he took a job as a precision tool grinder. He later enlisted in the army and eventually he was accepted to the Tuskegee Airmen.[1]

References
  1. "Alfred Gorham Missing, Report". Waukesha Daily Freeman. March 21, 1945. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  2. "Olympian, Doctor, Tuskegee Airman Being Inducted to Wall of Fame at Waukesha South". Patch Media. August 28, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  3. "List of Pilot Graduates". tuskegee. Tuskegee University. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  4. Rice, Markus. "The Men and Their Airplanes: The Fighters." Tuskegee Airmen, 1 March 2000.
  5. "Waukesha Co. Airport hosting RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit to honor Wisconsin's only Tuskegee Airman". TRIBUNE BROADCASTING. August 29, 2019. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  6. "The Tuskegee Airmen Pilot Roster". redtail. CAF Red Tail Squadron. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  7. "CAF Red Tail Squadron®" (PDF). Redtail. The CAF Red Tail Squadron. Retrieved August 30, 2019.
  8. Caver, Joseph; Ennels, Jerome A.; Haulman, Daniel Lee (January 1, 2011). The Tuskegee Airmen: An Illustrated History, 1939-1949. Montgomery, Alabama: NewSouth Books. p. 177. ISBN 978-1588382443.
  9. Shilobrit, Tracy (August 27, 2019). "RISE ABOVE event to Honor Waukesha's Tuskegee Airman". Patch Media. Retrieved August 30, 2019.

Notes
  1. The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of P-51s as well as a red rudder; their P-51B and D Mustangs flew with similar color schemes, with red propeller spinners, yellow wing bands and all-red tail surfaces.[4]
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