One of the remaining original member of theTuskegee Airmen — the first mathematical group of African - American pilots to serve in the U.S. military — extend forth on Friday . Lieutenant Colonel Robert Friend was surround by family and friends when he succumbed to sepsis at 99 years old on June 21 , fit in toCNN . His passing travel along that ofDr . Granville Coggs , another Tuskegee veteran who die in May .
The Tuskegee Experience , an Army Air Corps computer program contrive to check African - American pilots for fighting , was establish in 1941 by the Roosevelt Administration . The group , soon to become have a go at it as the Tuskegee Airmen , would eventually contribute more than 15,000 air attacks during World War II and aid to carry President Truman to desegregate the armed forces in 1948 .
Born in South Carolina but raised in New York City , Friend read aninterestin aviation while observing Zeppelin aircraft and constructing model planes . According to theLos Angeles Times , Friend himself flew 142 missionary station during the war , and would later see activity in Korea and Vietnam .
His first wife ’s likeness can be seen in the manikin of the famous " Bunny " painting foundon the sideof the regenerate P-51 Mustang he once aviate . He would retire as a lieutenant colonel after 28 year of service , although flying aircraft was not his only field of expertness : Friend directedProject Blue Book — a serial of studies launch by the U.S. Air Force that dealt with UFO sightings . In a 2012 audience concerning the projection , Friend toldHuffPost , " I , for one … think that the probability of there being life elsewhere in this fully grown world is just absolutely out of this world — I think the probability is there . "
CNN report that Friend ’s funeral will most likely be reserve the weekend of July 4 .
[ h / tCNN ]
