Lt. Roscoe Brown Jr.
Tuskegee Airmen
"BUNNIE" P-51D
By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
Print size 12 x 18"
Limited Edition $60.00
Limited Edition prints are signed and numbered by the artist and signed by the aviator.
Open Edition $18.00
Open Edition prints are signed by the artist.
Lt. Roscoe C. Brown Jr.
By Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
Roscoe
Brown received pilot training and his wings at the Tuskegee Army Air Base. He
then received his combat and advanced training at Selfridge Field in Michigan
and at Walterboro Air Base, South Carolina. He finished his training and
graduated in March 1944. He was to be sent to the Mediterranean Theatre of
Operation to join the other units of Tuskegee Airmen who were already in combat.
Lt.
Brown arrived in Italy in July assigned to the 100th Fighter Squadron
of the 332nd Fighter Group. His Squadron was flying the P-51 Mustang painted with the
distinctive red tails that were becoming legionary with the bomber groups they
escorted into battle. His first mission was to escort bombers to the heavily
defended Ploesti oil fields in Roumania in August.
The
leader of the Tuskegee Airmen, Col. Benjamin Davis was strict with his fighter
pilots. Their mission was to protect the bombers. They were to stay close and
guard them from the attacking Germans aircraft. These tactics paid off with their accomplishments being
recognized by their superiors and the President. The four squadrons flown by the
Tuskegee Airmen never lost a bomber in air-to-air combat against Germans pilots.
By
March 24th, 1945 Lt. Brown had been in Italy eight months and had
flown 60 missions. His group was sent on a mission that day escorting B-17’s
that were to bomb Berlin. Their squadron was to fly north and turn the bombers
over to another Fighter Group who were to finish escorting the B-17’s onto
their target.
The relief escort did not show up. They knew that they could not send the bombers to their target without fighter protection. They decided to continue their support of the bombers despite concern of their fuel supply. This was to be the longest escort mission of any 15th Air Force squadron. The Tuskegee Airmen flew sixteen hundred miles round trip.
Brown
was the Squadron Commander on this mission, but was flying “tail end
Charlie” so they could break in a new flight leader. As they came closer to
the German capital, Brown scanned the skies looking for incoming enemy aircraft.
Our Bombers had been experiencing attacks by the new Messerschmitt Me 262 jets
over Berlin. They were expecting another encounter that day from the Luftwaffe.
Brown
spotted an incoming flight of the German jets. He called out “Bogies 9
o’clock” to alert the rest of the group. Brown winged over and down to the
left bringing him level with the bombers. He then pulled back to the right to
come in behind the jets. Brown then noticed a lone jet pulling up off to the
side. Even thought the Jet was some distance away, Brown nosed up on the Jet and
fired two long burst he recalled from 2000 feet away or so. The Jet caught one
of the two volley's of fifty-caliber bullets. One of the engines caught on fire
and Brown witnessed the pilot bail out quickly. The pilot was unaware that he
was being targeted. A direct hit had raked the German
aircraft rocking it with an explosion. The German pilot ejected as his aircraft
blossomed into flame. Roscoe
Brown became one of the first 15th Army Air Force pilots to down one
of the German Jets. The Red Tailed Mustangs of the 332nd would claim
a total of three of the jets during this escort mission earning them the
Presidential Unit Citation.
On
March 31st, during a sweep of the Munich area the Red Tails mission
was the German railways and other targets of opportunity. Lt. Brown and his
group destroyed seven locomotives and sixteen enemy fighters. Lt. Brown received
credit for downing one Bf-109, and the destruction of one of the locomotives.
Roscoe Brown was promoted to Captain in April 1945 and Commander of the 100th Fighter Squadron. He finished the war flying 68 combat missions with two aerial victories, three enemy aircraft on the ground and 13 plus locomotives to his credit. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Eight Oak Leaf Clusters and the Presidential unit Citation.
Roscoe Brown and Lee Archer at the Eighth Air Force Museum in Savannah, Georgia.
Roscoe Brown and the Artist.
Red Tail
If you are interested in purchasing the original paintings of the Tuskegee Airmen I have worked with, please contact me personally below.
All research, writings and artwork are by Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette.
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Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette
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2-9-07