Atlanta Tuskegee Airman celebrated by his hometown Published Feb. 26, 2010 By Master Sgt. Stan Coleman Public Affairs EATONTON, Ga. -- The congregation of a small Putnam County, Ga. church--Texas African Methodist Episcopal--sang, rejoiced and praise-danced in celebration to God and to honor a hometown hero--Mr. Hiram E. Little, an original Tuskegee Airman, Feb. 21 Little, born in Eatonton, Ga., currently serves with the Atlanta Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. and lives in Atlanta. For 11 years members of the Atlanta Chapter TAI drove more than 70 miles southeast of Atlanta in celebration and participation of the Texas A.M.E. Church tribute to Mr. Little. Various TAI members--men and women, white and black--of different professions--pilots, teachers, Airmen--active duty and reservists, attend the event. Many of the members are veterans and students as well. The Atlanta Chapter members are privileged to enjoy the down-home hospitality, preaching and good country cooking to celebrate the Tuskegee Airman legacy that Mr. Little lived and represented as a black man who helped break the racial stereotype of not having the intellectual ability to serve as a pilot, mechanic, or any other aviation-related career field in the Army Air Corps during World War II. Master Sgt. Floyd Stanfield of the 94th Maintenance Group, president of the Atlanta Chapter TAI credits Mr. Little and Mr. Wilber Mason (another Atlanta-based original Tuskegee Airman who attended the service) as "his inspirations and mentors." During his introduction of the honored guest, Sergeant Stanfield said, "Hiram achieved an education long before he turned 80 years old. At 83 he returned to school to get a degree in carpentry. (Mr. Little will turn 91 on March 31st.) "Through this example, I'm telling all of our young folks to stay in school," said Sergeant Stanfield. "Mr. Little has proven that it's never too late to go back." Mr. David Kapple, one of the Atlanta Chapter historians and an Atlanta-based school teacher presented an April 29, 1941 front page of the Atlanta Daily World which featured a photograph of 13 Morehouse College men who were members of the 99th Pursuit Squadron. One of the men in the photograph was Mr. Little who was an instructor at Tuskegee Army Air Base in Alabama. "I feel that these guys were the grandfathers of the Civil Rights movement," said Mr. Kapple. Mr. Little was born in Eatonton March 31, 1919. His family moved to Atlanta during his youth. In 1941 Mr. Little enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and was trained to perform the job of an aircraft armorer as part of the Tuskegee Aviation Program. He also served as a part-time instructor at Tuskegee Army Air Base in Tuskegee, Ala. He applied for flight training during the latter part of 1943 and was assigned to the 477th Bombardment Group as a crew member on a B-25 bomber in 1944. While training with the 477th at Freeman Field, Indiana, Mr. Little was one of the Tuskegee Airman who refused to obey an order that barred black aviators from the officer's club there. The refusal to obey the order by Mr. Little and other black officers is better known as the Freeman Field Mutiny. "I had experienced segregation all of my life," said Mr. Little. "I was not about to support a policy I didn't believe in. "Today when I go by Greenbriar Mall (in Atlanta) I see signs that advertise that you can get a haircut for $10.00," said Mr. Little. "Back when I was growing up, if you got your haircut Tuesday thru Friday, the cost was 15 cents. If you got it on Saturday, in preparation for Sunday-go-to-meeting you had to pay a quarter. I'm saying this to illustrate that things do change." "Mr. Little is one of my heroes," said Don Chapman during the opening remarks portion of the program. Mr. Chapman is a TAI member and retired airline pilot who also served as a pilot in the Navy. "I thank God that I never had to put up with what he put up with. But the important thing is that he made it--he made it by sheer hard work, guts and determination and dedication. I admire you Hiram and it's a pleasure to be here. "Mr. Hiram Little and Mr. Wilber Mason (one of the original Tuskegee Airman who accompanied the Atlanta Chapter entourage to Eatonton) are true heroes," he said. "All you young people should come over and shake their hands. In your lifetime you will be lucky if you meet five real heroes." Other Atlanta Chapter TAI members who attended the event are Mr. Johnny Lewis, Mrs. Sparkle Adams and Stan Coleman.
