Bill Text: MS HC63 | 2010 | Regular Session | Engrossed
Bill Title: Lt. Col. Lee Archer; commend life and legacy as acclaimed Tuskegee Airman upon his passing.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2)
Status: (Passed) 2010-02-26 - Enrolled Bill Signed [HC63 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2010-HC63-Engrossed.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2010 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representatives Bondurant, Calhoun
House Concurrent Resolution 63
(As Adopted by House)
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE LIFE, LEGACY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF RETIRED UNITED STATES AIR FORCE LIEUTENANT COLONEL LEE ARCHER AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS UPON HIS PASSING.
WHEREAS, retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Lee Archer, an American hero, loving husband, devoted father, warrior, gentleman, man of God and decorated veteran of both the United States Army and United States Air Force, departed this earthly life on Wednesday, January 27, 2010, at the age of 90 years, to enter into eternal rest, bringing great sorrow and loss to his family and friends; and
WHEREAS, having served his country in many capacities as a groundbreaking Tuskegee Airman, a decorated fighter pilot and a highly respected officer, Lieutenant Colonel Archer, was born on September 6, 1919, in Yonkers, New York, raised in the Harlem District, and was a student at New York University in 1941 when, motivated by patriotism, he enlisted in the United States Army just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor with the intention of joining the Army Air Corps; and
WHEREAS, hindered from becoming a pilot at that time by stringent segregationist rules of the United States Army, he trained in the infantry and then as a signalman, but as soon as the Army decided to form an all-African-American fighter group, after a series of legislative maneuvering, he volunteered and in December 1942 was accepted for pilot training and was sent to Morton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama, and became one of the notably acclaimed Tuskegee Airmen; and
WHEREAS, graduating in July 1943 first in his class, Lieutenant Colonel Archer was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and assigned to the 302nd Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group, the Army Air Force's first all-African American sent to the European Theater of Operations and stationed in Italy, flying the Bell P-39 on ground attack missions before converting to the P-51 Mustang; and
WHEREAS, the Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group painted the tails of their P-51 Mustang fighter planes a bright red so they could be easily seen and known, garnering them the name "Red Tails," and was mainly assigned to duty escorting heavy bombers on missions to the Balkans, Hungary, Northern Italy, Romania, Austria and Southern Germany, and developing a reputation as one of the war's most effective fighter escort groups; and
WHEREAS, the Tuskegee Airmen were credited with shooting down 109 enemy planes, five of them by Lee Archer, thus making him the only African-American pilot "Ace" of World War II and leading the outstanding performance of combat duty which helped destroy racial stereotypes and was an important part of the subsequent ending of racial segregation in the United States Armed Forces in 1948; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Archer decided to remain in the Air Force after the end of World War II and retired in 1970, receiving recognition by the United States Army Air Corps for his distinguished service by being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with 18 clusters and a Distinguished Unit Commendation; and
WHEREAS, at the conclusion of his military career, Lieutenant Colonel Archer entered the business world rising to senior management positions at General Foods Corporation, becoming one of the era's few African-American vice presidents of major American companies before retiring and founding Archer Asset Management, a venture capital firm; and
WHEREAS, in 2005, in an effort to boost the morale of United States servicemen and women, Lieutenant Colonel Archer and three of his Tuskegee colleagues made an iconic flight to Iraq to address active duty airmen serving in the current 332nd Fighter Group; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Archer's life's timeline allowed him to see the service of Tuskegee Airmen fully, if belatedly, acknowledged in March 2007, when approximately 350 airmen and widows received the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor from President George W. Bush at a ceremony in the United States Capitol; and
WHEREAS, the present-day 99th Flying Training Squadron's aircraft are adorned with red tails in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, many streets and parklands bear their name, in August 2008, the City of Atlanta officially renamed a portion of the state's Route 6 in their honor and on December 9, 2008, Lieutenant Colonel Archer and the remaining Tuskegee Airmen were invited to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama; and
WHEREAS, there can be no greater measure of success than to say that a person's life made the world a better place, and the measure of Lieutenant Colonel Archer's success cannot yet be taken, because the profound impact upon his family and friends will continue to be his legacy of strength, responsibility, integrity and faith for generations; and
WHEREAS, remaining humble in every aspect of life, making no mention of his own distinguished career, Lieutenant Colonel Archer shared his family with the community and the nation, and that deep family pride and support provided the foundation upon which the building blocks of confidence and success were solidly grounded; and
WHEREAS, honored by the American Fighter Pilots' Association, Lieutenant Colonel Archer was described by a colleague as "extremely competent, sometimes stubborn but with a heart of gold. He treated people with respect and demanded respect by the way he carried himself."; and
WHEREAS, hailed as a legend of his time, Lieutenant Colonel Archer, in 1996, lost his wife, Ina, whose name adorned the nose of his Mustang and will be remembered for his genteel spirit and genuine concern for a better quality of life and education for all, and his legacy and memory will forever thrive in the hearts and minds of his survivors: his three sons; a daughter; grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends; and
WHEREAS, Mississippi is proud to have been called home to ten Tuskegee Airmen, all of whom were Second Lieutenants: Leonelle A.
Bonam, Herbert E. Carter, Oliver M. Dillon, Walter M. Downs, John
L. Hamilton, Wellington O. Irving, Eddie A. McLaurin, Luke J. Weathers, Quitman C. Walker and Edward L. Toppins; and
WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to commend the lives of such notable and humble individuals as Lieutenant Colonel Archer, whose life will forever be remembered in the history of this nation, and who inspired countless numbers to strive diligently to achieve their dreams:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the life of the legendary Tuskegee Airman, astute soldier and devout American, Lieutenant Colonel Lee Archer, and extend deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his passing.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of Lieutenant Colonel Archer and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.
