Red Tails Page #2

Yes, sir.

I'm trying to live.

Come on, Maurice.

Come on, boy.

Come on, boy, get in there!

Hold on.

Come on, Maurice.

Wait, you've got to back up.

How'd it go up there, Ray?

I'm telling you, Deacon.

Lightning almost got himself

killed again today.

He's one crazy pilot.

I'm going to pray for him if we

ever get to see any real combat.

Well, hey, I see you here

after every mission.

I'm sure your

prayers are helping.

Thanks, Deke.

Black Jesus, we thank you for bringing

Red Squadron back home to us.

Lightning's usual elegant work.

Although I understand your plane

didn't fare any better than the train.

Sir.

That old Lightning don't

never have his brakes on.

Questions, gentlemen.

Does it really matter, sir?

- Lights up.

- Here we go.

What was your question?

What we do, how well we

do it, does it matter?

Strafing runs and

coastal patrols.

They got us out here using

planes to mop floors, fellas.

I don't normally

go in for loose talk,

but we won't even be

doing that for long.

Ain't that why Colonel

Bullard went stateside?

The Colonel's business

stateside is above your grade.

All due respect, sir,

but are they back there

deciding if they

should shut us down?

Just a rumor, Winky.

You know this how?

Pass it up.

Read it, Easy.

Out loud.

Go ahead, son.

"The use of Negroes in the Army

Air Corps may yet be halted."

"A report has been forwarded calling

the performance by Negro pilots"

"unsatisfactory."

"A plan to assign the Negroes

to routine convoy cover may be"

"all that remains

for those who seem"

"to have neither

the intelligence"

"nor the proper reflexes

for such a complicated task"

"as fighter pursuit.

The great Tuskegee..."

"The great Tuskegee experiment"

"to allow the Negro type

to fly airplanes has failed."

And you all thought what?

You'd sign up.

You get shiny boots, a uniform,

and that'd be the end

of 100 years of bigotry?

You're colored men

in a white man's army.

It's a miracle you're

flying fighters in Italy,

and not mopping

latrines in Milwaukee!

You want it straight?

Yes, the old man's stateside,

fighting the good fight.

And when he

comes through for us,

we better be damn sure we're

ready to do the same for him.

Any of you feel otherwise, any of

you want to wash yourselves out,

well, Negro, please do so,

and I'll have you on the

next thing smoking back home

to make room for the men

who want to stand and fight.

Get your head up, son.

You're fighter pilots.

Watch the rest of the film.

Learn something.

When we came under

your command, Colonel,

you stated very clearly that

we would never find Negroes

who could pass a pilot's exam,

make it through flight school,

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