South Carolina S 944: A SENATE RESOLUTION TO CONGRATULATE MARCH OF DIMES UPON THE OCCASION OF ITS EIGHTIETH ANNIVERSARY AND TO RECOGNIZE THE ORGANIZATION FOR ITS DEDICATED SERVICE AND OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 944 Text of Previous Version (Feb. 19, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 944

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

A senate RESOLUTION

TO COMMEND THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF 
THEIR ACTIVATION; honor their extraordinary legacy of service, valor, and 
perseverance; AND recognize THE COURAGE, SACRIFICE, AND ENDURING LEGACY OF 
SOUTH CAROLINA'S OWN TUSKEGEE AIRMEN.

Whereas, on this day in 
1942, the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African Americans to serve as military 
pilots in the United States Armed Forces, were activated at Tuskegee Institute, 
marking a pivotal moment in American and military history; and

Whereas, when congress 
required the Army Air Forces to train African American pilots, a program was 
established under the cloud of segregation and prejudice, with many in 
positions of power expecting the men to fail; and

Whereas, contrary to 
those expectations, the Tuskegee Airmen excelled, earning distinction as one of 
the most respected and highly decorated fighter groups of World War II, flying 
combat missions with extraordinary skill, discipline, and courage; and

Whereas, their success 
not only helped secure Allied victory abroad but also challenged the deeply 
entrenched policies of segregation that treated Black servicemen and women as 
second-class citizens, helping to pave the way for the eventual integration of 
the United States Armed Forces; and

Whereas, South Carolina proudly 
claims several distinguished Tuskegee Airmen whose service and sacrifice 
reflect the very best of our State and nation including, but not limited to: 
Edward Matthew "Gibby" Gibson Sr., a native of Charleston who served as a 
bombardier-navigator; Leroy Bowman, a Sumter native who became a fighter pilot 
in 1943 and flew P-40, P-47, and P-51 aircraft in the famed 332nd Fighter 
Group; Ernest Henderson Sr., a Laurens County native who served as a flight 
instructor at Tuskegee Institute and became the first Black South Carolinian to 
earn multiple pilot ratings; Paul Adams, a Greenville native and 1943 graduate 
who served as an intelligence officer in Italy; Robert Friend, born in South 
Carolina, who flew 142 combat missions during World War II; and Willie Ashley, 
a South Carolinian recognized for his honorable service as part of this 
historic unit; and

Whereas, many Tuskegee 
Airmen also trained and refined their combat skills at the Walterboro Army 
Airfield in Colleton County, where advanced instruction in aerial combat 
tactics, gunnery, and formation flying prepared them for deployment overseas. The 
Walterboro Army Airfield now stands as a historic site and memorial honoring 
the Tuskegee Airmen and commemorating South Carolina's vital role in supporting 
their mission and legacy; and

Whereas, the courage, 
excellence, and patriotism of the Tuskegee Airmen remain a powerful reminder 
that talent, discipline, and leadership know no color, and that the arc of 
American progress has often been bent by those willing to serve a country that 
had not yet fully served them; and

Whereas, the members of 
the South Carolina Senate express their deep gratitude to the families of the 
Tuskegee Airmen and to all African American servicemen and women whose 
sacrifice and excellence strengthened both our nation's military and our 
democracy. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the Senate:

That the members of the 
South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, 
commend the Tuskegee Airmen on the anniversary of their activation; honor their 
extraordinary legacy of service, valor, and perseverance; and recognize the 
courage, sacrifice, and enduring legacy of South Carolina's own Tuskegee Airmen.

Be it further resolved 
that a copy of this resolution be presented to be presented to appropriate 
historical and veterans organizations in recognition of this anniversary.

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This web page was last updated on February 19, 2026 at 11:40 AM