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Herman A. Lawson

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Major

Herman A. Lawson
Herman A. Lawson and his aircraft WWII era photograph
Birth nameHerman Albert Lawson
Nickname(s)Ace
Born(1916-12-04)December 4, 1916
Fowler, California, U.S.
DiedApril 9, 1995(1995-04-09) (aged 78)
Sacramento, California, U.S.
AllegianceUnited States
Service / branchUnited States Army Air Forces
RankMajor
Unit99th Pursuit Squadron, 332nd Division, Tuskegee Airmen
Battles / warsWorld War II
Awards

Herman Albert "Ace" Lawson (December 24, 1916 – May 9, 1995) was a former Sacramento, California city councilman, Fresno State University football standout, highly decorated U.S. Army Air Force/U.S. Air Force officer, combat fighter pilot, and combat flight instructor with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Pursuit Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen or "Red Tails". He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots.[1]

The Tuskegee Airmen's aircraft had distinctive markings that led to the name, "Red Tails."[N 1]

During World War II, Lawson earned the Silver Star, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Distinguished Flying Cross for aerial action on October 4, 1944.[3][4]

Early life

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Lawson was born on December 24, 1916, in Fowler, California, Fresno County[4] He was the son of Herman Lawson (1885–1935), an Oklahoma native, and Frances Anne Walker Lawson (June 30, 1881 - April 24, 1961).

Lawson attended Marysville High School, where he garnered the nickname "Ace" as its star football player.[5]

In the late 1930s after a year in the Civilian Conservation Corp, Lawson attended Fresno State University, one of three African American students there at the time.[6] While at Fresno, Lawson became the first African American to play four years of football there.[6][7] He also served as the Fresno Football team's official photographer. A prolific athlete, Lawson was also Fresno's collegiate Light Heavyweight Boxing champion, a letterman in Basketball, and a letterman in track and field.[5]

At Fresno, Lawson met and later married fellow student Pearl Lee Johnson Lawson, an aspiring teacher.[6][8] The Lawsons had seven children: Betty Lawson Davis, Patricia Lawson, Gloria Lawson-Riddle, Yvonne Lawson, Thomas Lawson, Tracey Lawson, and a child who died as an infant.[4]

After riding on an aircraft with a pilot friend, Lawson became interested in becoming a pilot and joining the U.S. Army Air Corps.[6] Lawson became one of the first African Americans in Northern California to earn a Private Pilot license. He also built his own functioning gliders.[5]

Military service

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Class 42-I Left to right: Nathaniel M. Hill, Marshall S. Cabiness, Herman A. Lawson, William T. Mattison, John A. Gibson, Elwood T Driver, Price D. Rice, Andrew D. Turner

While a student at Fresno State University, Lawson and a group of friends attended an interview event with the U.S. Army Air Corps. After an hour's wait, an U.S. Army Air Corps Colonel and a Lieutenant dismissed Lawson, telling him that the military had no interest in recruiting "night fighters," a vague but albeit stark reference to Lawson's race.[9] Undeterred, Lawson wrote a letter to Congress and a separate letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's wife, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt who had been sympathetic to African American causes.[6] After receiving an U.S. Army Air Corps flight school acceptance letter in the U.S. mails, Lawson rushed to a local train station en route to Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, abandoning his car storing $1,000 worth of camera equipment in its trunk.[10]

Lawson became one of second group of 99th Fighter Squadron replacement pilots. Lawson and several other 99th Fighter Squadron pilots were sent to Brazil in error.[5]

During World War II, Lawson earned the Silver Star, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Distinguished Flying Cross for aerial action on October 4, 1944.[3][4] Using P-40s, P-47s, and P-51s, Lawson flew 133 missions in World War II's European Theater including Greece, Bulgaria, Germany, Austria, France, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Czechoslovakia.[11] He survived two engine failures in P-40s; one of his P-40s landed him in the Mediterranean. Lawson later flew another P-40 named "Ace of Pearls", and another P-51B named "Ace of Pearls", both named in honor of Lawson's wife Pearl.[10][11]

On September 22, 1944, as the 99th Fighter Squadron's flight leader, Lawson and his squadron escorted 5th Bomb Wing B-17 bombers on a mission to destroy an Allach BMW Engine Works plant in Munich, Germany.[12] One of Lawson's squadron pilots, Flight Officer Leonard R. Willette, radioed that he needed to bail from his aircraft as a result of low oil pressure. Though Lawson instructed Willette to change radio channels and head back to base, Willette, unable to bail, crashed. The Germans recovered Willette's body, returning it through the Red Cross.[13]

After his tour in Europe ended, Lawson returned to Tuskegee as a flight instructor.[11] After World War II, Lawson remained in the military, retiring after 25 years with the rank of Major.[4]

Awards

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Post-Military, Politics

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After leaving the military, Lawson worked 20 years for the State of California.[4][11] In 1973, Lawson was appointed to the Sacramento, California City Council as District 2 Councilman, completing the remainder of then-recently deceased District 2 council member Rosenwald Robertson's term until 1975. District 2, located in the northeastern area of Sacramento, included the neighborhoods of Arden Fair, Ben Ali, Cannon Industrial Park, Del Paso Heights, Erikson Industrial Park, Glenwood Meadows, Hagginwood, Noralto, North Sacramento, Parker Homes, Robla, Strawberry Manor, Swanston Estates, Woodlake, Youngs Heights.[15][16][17]

Death

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Lawson died on May 9, 1995, in Sacramento, California. He was 78. Lawson was interred at the Sunset Lawn Chapel of the Chimes Memorial Park in Sacramento, California.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Tuskegee Airmen Pilot Roster". CAF Rise Above. Retrieved 11 August 2020.
  2. ^ Rice, Markus. "The Men and Their Airplanes: The Fighters." Tuskegee Airmen, 1 March 2000.
  3. ^ a b "MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN" (PDF). Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Barrow, Genoa (2021-06-18). "A Salute To Fathers: Lessons From Dad". The Sacramento Observer. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  5. ^ a b c d Black Then. "HERMAN "ACE" LAWSON: PART OF THE FIRST GROUP OF REPLACEMENT PILOTS FOR THE 99TH FIGHTER SQUADRON." JAE JONES. NOVEMBER 14, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e Alumni, Fresno State (2018-02-16). "Taking flight: The legacy of Fresno's own Tuskegee Airman". Medium. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  7. ^ "Fresno State Campus News | The legacy of Fresno's own Tuskegee Airman". campusnews.fresnostate.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  8. ^ Baker, Ann. "Family leaves legacy of optimism". Denver Water. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  9. ^ The Official Tony Brown's Journal - The Tuskegee Airmen - The Black Eagles. Retrieved 2024-05-07 – via www.youtube.com.
  10. ^ a b c_brunberg (2008-01-12), P-40L-15 42-10888 ACE OF PEARLS of 2Lt. Herman 'Ace" Lawson, 99th FS, Madna, Italy, December 1943, retrieved 2024-05-07
  11. ^ a b c d Tuskegee Airmen Heritage Chapter.
  12. ^ 332d Fighter Group mission report number 83
  13. ^ Museum, American Legacy (2015-07-14). "Lt. Leonard Robert Willette 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, Killed in Action". American Legacy Museum. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  14. ^ Rojas, Josh. "Tuskegee Airman George Hardy, 87, Broke Down Racial Barriers". postnewsgroup. Post News Group. Archived from the original on 25 July 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  15. ^ "Online Collections | Center for Sacramento History". sacramento.pastperfectonline.com. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
  16. ^ Smith, Harlin (1974-02-03), Herman Lawson, new City Council member, at a reception with his wife, daughter and friends, retrieved 2024-05-07
  17. ^ Black Politics After the Civil Rights Movement. David Covin. 2009. Page 84.

Notes

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  1. ^ The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of P-51s as well as a red rudder; their P-51B and D Mustangs flew with similar color schemes, with red propeller spinners, yellow wing bands and all-red tail surfaces.[2]
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