The RED DOOR Films: Mildred and Herbert Carter

Showing posts with label Mildred and Herbert Carter. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Herbert and Mildred Hemmons Carter: pioneers for change

by Jess Clackum

It takes pioneers to force change. Herbert and Mildred would play their part in the years ahead. But in those early days, they didn't see themselves as trailblazers. They were young and in love.

Their rendezvous point: 3,000 feet above a bridge at Lake Martin, 25 miles away from base. He'd fly a repaired AT6 trainer. She'd be in a much slower Piper J-3 Cub.

The two would become known as Tuskegee's "First Couple".

Herbert earned his wings as a Second Lieutenant. He flew 77 missions with the Tuskegee Airmen during WWII and served 27 years in the US Air Force. He earned his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Education from the Tuskegee Institute. Upon his retirement from a distinguished military career, he served Tuskegee Institute in a variety of positions including Associate Dean.

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Lt. Colonel Herbert Carter would fly 77 missions during WWII and serve 27 years in the USAF before retiring and becoming an Associate Dean at Tuskegee University. [/caption]

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Mildred earned her pilot’s license in 1941, becoming the first black woman in Alabama to do so. To this day, she is counted among the history-making Tuskegee Airmen. While Mildred was denied admission to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) because of her race, she was not deterred from flying. She taught and mentored African-American fighter pilots. Seventy years after she’d earned her license, Mildred was recognized as a member of the WASP and received a medal with the inscription: “The First Women in History to Fly America.”

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Mildred being honored as Alabama's first Female Pilot by Tuskegee Human and Civil Rights Multicultural Center in 2011 [/caption]

Herbert and Mildred were happily married for 69 years until Mildred passed away on October 26, 2011. Herbert followed her on November 8, 2012.

We honor their service to our country!

Thursday, December 24, 2015

A Midair Courtship: Tuskegee's Historic Love Story.

by Jess Clackum

Herbert Carter and Mildred Hemmons had no time for dating in the early months of 1942. He was training to become a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, the nation's first military program for African-American pilots. She was the bold, daring woman who caught his eye. At 18, she'd become the first black woman in Alabama to earn a pilot's license. She had hopes of becoming a military pilot, too.

Flying was intoxicating.

On February 1, 1941, she entered history, becoming the first black woman in the state to earn her pilot's license. A month later, flying solo, she came in for a landing at Tuskegee. As she set down the plane, she saw a commotion and a throng of photographers. She was told somebody wanted to meet her. "How's flying?" asked first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who had come to the airfield to publicly support the project.

Mildred had her business degree and well over 100 hours of flying. She was named "Miss Tuskegee Army Flying School" by the airfield newsletter, and Anderson ranked her among his best pilots.

But the rejection came swiftly. "The U.S. government does not have plans at this time to include colored female pilots in the WASP."

Flying provided Herbert and Mildred a sense of freedom -- to be themselves, to dream big. The in-your-face racism of the segregated South was gone, if only for a while. In the air, the sky was literally the limit. More than anything, flight provided a rare opportunity to see each other. He'd call her up on Fridays: "Are you gonna be flying this weekend?" "Of course," she'd say.

They'd pick a time to meet. Their rendezvous point: 3,000 feet above a bridge at Lake Martin, 25 miles away. He'd be flying a repaired AT6 trainer. She'd be in a much slower Piper J-3 Cub. At the end of their aerial encounter, he'd peel away, only to circle back. He'd sneak up behind her, pull in front and leave her in a trail of airwash. Her tiny craft shook mightily. She'd come to expect it every weekend.

"It didn't faze me," she'd say. "I was the better pilot. ... I just didn't fly the fastest aircraft."

Herbert would go on to earn the rank of lieutenant colonel in a 27-year Air Force career. He remains one of the few men in U.S. history to be a fighter pilot and a squadron maintenance chief, a designation he noted with pride.

Mildred, who had once been denied admission to the WASP because she was African American was recognized as a WASP seventy years after she’d earned her license. She even received a medal noting she was one of the first women to fly for her country.

The Carter's were happily married for 69 years until Mildred passed away on October 26, 2011. Herbert followed her on November 8, 2012. Still an inspiration to many, they will forever be remembered as the "First Family" of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Monday, August 31, 2015

Mildred and Herbert Carter, a love story in the air...

From the Director: Mildred and Herbert Carter, a love story in the air...

It takes pioneers to force change. Herbert and Mildred would play their part in the years ahead. But in those early days, they didn't see themselves as trailblazers. They were young and in love.

Their rendezvous point: 3,000 feet above a bridge at Lake Martin, 25 miles away from base. He'd be flying a repaired AT6 trainer. She'd be in a much slower Piper J-3 Cub.

The two would become known as the first couple of the Tuskegee Airmen. Herbert earned his wings as a second lieutenant. Mildred Hemmons Carter earned her pilot’s license, becoming the first black woman in Alabama to do so.

Mildred is counted among the history-making Tuskegee Airmen. She learned that the military had created a new initiative to recruit female pilots with a program called the Women’s Air Service Pilots (WASP). As the WASP were restricted due to the military's segregation policy, Mildred was denied admission because she was African American.

Seventy years after she’d earned her license, Mildred was recognized as a member of the WASP. She even received a medal with an inscription reading: “The First Women in History to Fly America.”