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[[Newspaper clipping]]
VOL. XLIII NO. 24
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 1943
PRICE 10 CENTS

U.S. NEGRO AIRMEN BOMB TOTTERING ITALIAN BASES
They Helped Blast Italian Mediterranean Fortress
[[image]]
Nine of the 15 flyers shown have gone into action with the United States Army Air Forces against the enemy. They graduated on June 3, 1942, at which exercises Lt. Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., their commander delivered the finals address. Left to right, the air fighters are. Willam [[C...l?]], Tuskegee, Ala.; Willie Ashley Jr., Sumter, S. C.; Langston Caldwell, Denver, Colo., who was not among the graduates; Herbert V. Clark, Pine Bluff, Ark.; George R. Bolling, Phoebus, Va.; Charles B. Hall, Brazil, Ind.; Paul G. Mitchell, Washington,  D. C.; Herbert R. Carter, Amory, Miss.; Louis R. Purnell, Germantown, Pa.; Graham Smith, Ahoskie, N. C.; Allen G. Lane, Demopolis, Ala.; Spann Watson, Hackensack, N. J.; the late Faythe A. McGinnis, Muskogee, Okla.; James T. Wiley, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Irvin B. Lawrence, Cleveland, Ohio. Lts. Campbell, Hall, Wiley, Bolling, Smith, Clark, Mitchell Purnell and Watson have gone into action.

First Negro Flyers Active In Smashing Pantelleria As Zero Hour Nears For Great Offensive

Fighters Weather Storm Of Anti-Aircraft Fire To Return After Attack Unscathed; Lt Col. Davis Takes Part In Attacks

By THOMAS W. YOUNG
Journal and Guide War Correspondent
(BY Cable, Delayed. Passed by Censor)
(copyrighted. Reproduction Expressly Forbidden)
Cable Filed, via Gibraltar

ADVANCED BASE NORTH AFRICA- Negro flyers of the United States Army Air Force are now fighting their country's war for the first time in the hostiry in skies above the old world whence came their ancestors. Pioneer pilots, first trained at Tuskegee, Ala., have carried out more than a half dozen sorties delivering bombs on Pantelleria, Italian Island in the Mediterranean, strong Axis fortress between Tunisia and Sicily and a protecting link in the enemy's defenses of Southern Europe.

The distinction of being the first of the race to fly American planes in combat went to First Lieutenants William A. Campbell of Tuskegee, Ala.; and Charles B. Hall of Brazil, Ind. Later the same day First Lieutenants Lemul R. Custis of Hartford, Conn.; Clarence C. Jamieson of Cleveland, Ohio; and James Wiley, Pittsburg, Pa., joined their air comrades in arms.

Others on combat missions in the last several days include Lt. George R. Bolling, Phoebus, Va; Lt. Walter I. Lawson, Newton, Va.; Lt. Willie H. Fuller, Tarboro, N.C.; Lt. Graham Smith, Ahoskie, N.C.; First Lt. Herbert V. Clark, Little Rock, Ark.; Lt. Paul G Mitchell, Washington, D.C.; Lt. Louis R. Purnell, Germantown, Pa.
Lt. Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr., commanding officer of the squadron, led a flight including First Lt. Sidney P. Brooks of Cleveland; Lt. Spann Watsoon of Hackensack, N.J., and Lt. John W. rogers of Chicago, Ill.
 [(Image)] 
LT. CAMPBELL

Press reports from London indicate that the  Mediterranean offensive is on with the first objectives the Italian islands of Pantelleria and Lampedusa. Under aerial and naval bombardment, these islands were on the verge of collapse, according to  reports Thursday morning. A note demanding unconditional surrender was dropped on Pantelleria, but reports state that the demand was turned down.
American Negro airmen, attached to the Army Air Forces are taking part in these raids. As early as June 1, these flyers began to join formations which made the short 30 mile hop from Tunisian coast to plaster the island fortress of Pantelleria. The story of these first flights are told by the Journal and Guide War Correspondent, Thomas W. Young.

CAMPBELL FIRST
The honor of delivering the first
(Continued on page 2)

Transcription Notes:
[[image: photograph of 15 airmen posing in front of an airplane]]