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Truman Memorial Veteran’s Hospital hosts panel with Tuskegee Airman

Jaret Holden
/
KBIA

It was over 70 years ago that the Tuskegee Airmen fought their first battle in WWII and Thursday one of the last surviving members spoke to a crowd at the veteran’s hospital.

James Shipley was a mechanic with the African-American aviator group at 19 years old. He was trained in Tuskegee, Alabama and later stationed in Italy. Shipley spoke about his experiences in the war and how he was personally impacted by race relations and discrimination during that time period.

“We were treated differently in Italy than we were in the United States. We didn’t really face discrimination like we did in the States,” said Shipley.

He said there was a love of country that overcame the adversity they faced during the war.

“When one of our planes was shot down, the Germans asked our pilots, ‘Why do you fly? Come over here and risk your life. Flying for a country that don’t even recognize you and ain’t able to do anything.’ They said, ‘because we love our country. We love America,’” said Shipley.

Five other participants joined Shipley in the panel discussion. John Dibble, a Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War, participated and spoke on why he joined the military.

“So, the military got me when I was 18 because I wanted to see some of those countries that were taught and read about in the books and I saw on TV,” said Dibble. “I joined the Navy because I knew I could go overseas and I wanted to see those places and I met people at a time there were social issues.”

The panel was part of a Black History program that the veteran’s hospital hosted for the public.

Jaret is a senior Science and Agricultural Journalism major. He’s a native of Birch Tree, MO.