By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
West Virginia native Thomas Mayfield was a college junior when three of his friends convinced him to join them in signing up for the Army Air Corps the forerunner of the Air Force in 1941.
The four students were tested, but only Mr. Mayfield made the cut. A very surprised Mr. Mayfield found himself on a train, headed to Alabama and the Tuskegee Institute’s Moton Field.
He was on his way to becoming one of the thousands of Tuskegee Airmen black pilots, navigators, bombardiers and their support staff in the segregated Army Air Corps who served during World War II.
The Tuskegee Airmen those black men who served in the Army Air Corps between 1941 and 1948 are the subject of a recent film “Red Tails.” The movie title refers to the red color scheme on the nose and tail of the planes flown by the black pilots.
Mr. Mayfield, who made a 29-year career in the Air Force and rose through the ranks to become a lieutenant colonel before retiring, shared his experiences with more than 75 audience members at Rider University on Feb. 9.
”American History in Person The Tuskegee Airmen Tell Their Stories” was one of several events scheduled by the college to celebrate Black History Month.
Mr. Mayfield, who lives in Willingboro, was joined by Tuskegee Airmen Robert Baker and Leslie Hayling, and Barbara O’Neal, whose late brother, Elwood “Woody” Driver, was a fighter pilot in the 99th Fighter Squadron that was based in Italy during World War II.
”I’m glad to see so many young people in the audience,” said Mr. Mayfield. “You need to hear about the Tuskegee Airmen. ‘Red Tail’ is a good movie. It shows that we (blacks) could do something. I was looking for more about the beginning (of the Tuskegee Airmen’s origin), but the movie showed we were never afraid to fly or to fight.”
It was not easy serving in the segregated military, nor was it easy to become a pilot, said Mr. Mayfield.
”Perseverance was the only way to make it,” he said.
Mr. Mayfield acknowledged that he enjoyed his service in the Army Air Corps. He was “ready” for civilian life when he was discharged from the military in December 1945, but the lack of job opportunities “it was just that way” convinced him to rejoin the military. He served in the Air Force, which was created after World War II.
”I enjoyed it. I’m still here. It has been a very long haul. You can’t fly a plane unless you have support from the ground people. The people on the ground are the only reason that we stayed in the air,” Mr. Mayfield said, with a nod to Mr. Baker, who was an engineer/mechanic and airfield builder.
Mr. Baker, who grew up in Trenton and lives in Ewing Township, said he wanted to go to Italy not as a soldier, but to take part in the Olympics as a track star. In fact, he was the captain of Trenton High School’s track team.
One day, Mr. Baker received a letter from “Uncle Sam” an invitation to join the military, otherwise known as a draft letter. He went through basic training and was assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group.
After his training was completed, he was put on a ship to Europe. A ship in the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of winter was no fun, he said, adding that “being sick on a boat for 30 days is bad.”
Once the boat landed in Italy, the soldiers spent the next 30 days living in pup tents at an airfield, said Mr. Baker. The Germans bombed the airfield, leaving “big holes” in the ground in their wake. He was transferred to another air base in northern Italy, where he spent the next two years.
When Mr. Baker’s three-year enlistment was up in 1945, he had to choose between re-enlisting or going home. The decision was easy he was going home. He found a job at a General Motors Co. plant, and worked there for the next 32 years.
Mr. Hayling, who also grew up in Trenton, recounted the testing that would-be pilots had to undergo, and the hazing the aviation cadets had to withstand. But despite the hazing, it was fun, he said.
”To be a pilot, you had to stand up under pressure. There are bullets flying all around you (in the air),” said Mr. Hayling, who became a dentist after his military service ended. He still lives in Trenton.
Ms. O’Neal, who grew up in Trenton but who now lives in Hillsborough Township, recalled her brother, Elwood “Woody” Driver, who was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Her older brother graduated from The College of New Jersey formerly known as Trenton State College and joined the Army Air Corps and graduated from pilot training in 1942.
Ms. O’Neal said her brother always wanted to fly a plane, and washed airplanes in exchange for flying lessons. It was natural for him to seek to join the Army Air Corps when the opportunity presented itself.
Upon completion of the training courses to become a military pilot, Mr. Driver was assigned to the 99th Fighter Squadron. He shot down a German plane in Italy in 1944. He flew more than 100 missions during the war and received several awards, said Ms. O’Neal.
Mr. Driver remained in the Air Force until his retirement in 1962, she said. He embarked on a second career, serving on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He was appointed to the National Transportation Safety Board by President Jimmy Carter, and later worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
”This man is a legend and a hero. His dedication to his country and to his race should never be forgotten,” said Ms. O’Neal.

