Yenwith Whitney
Yenwith K. He was a keen 18-year-dated Bronx indigenous who’d grown planning a predominantly light university and regional chapel. Immediately following graduating highschool through the The second world war, the guy subscribed to brand new fledgling black aviation program.
My personal first proper experience in black kids is actually surviving in the fresh military sky corps. It was my personal very first serious experience of getting section of a good classification which had been only black.
Of numerous commanders don’t wanted blacks undertaking certainly not menial labor in the The second world war. They don’t imagine blacks was basically smart sufficient to carry out acts like fly planes. We took my personal basic training in Biloxi, Miss. I’d never been throughout the South in advance of plus it did not create me thrilled to enter Biloxi. It informed united states ahead of i ran South, i merely had that mission being around and this would be to teach. Don’t get in every kinda issues.
Of Biloxi, Whitney proceeded to practice 
in the Tuskegee Institute’s 66th Heavens Force Traveling University at Tuskegee Institute for the Alabama.
There’s one question i wanted and that was taking the wings. For folks who beaten up, it absolutely was the quintessential devastating issue that’ll occur. I started out which have 64 within our category, but simply twenty-six had their wings and you can graduated. Which was a day of my entire life. I experienced reached one thing tall.
In the 1944, he continued so you can serve as good airplane pilot in another of four every-black colored combatant gadgets regarding 332 Fighter Class (“Reddish Tails”), assigned to the new most of the-black colored 301st Fighter Squadron, of your fifteenth Air Push. Inside conflict, Whitney flew 34 treat missions inside European countries since the good fighter airplane pilot escorting big bombers, getting an atmosphere Medal and you can about three Groups to own their services.
Autographed 3×5 postcard depicting Tuskegee Airman Yenwith Whitney of the 332 Fighter Group (“Reddish Tails”), assigned to the new every-black colored 301st Combatant Squadron, of your fifteenth Sky Push, california. 1944.
Post-War
Despite making an environment Medal and you can three Clusters getting his provider, Whitney was not able to rating work with a commercial airline adopting the conflict.
I was frustrated. I became exactly as certified due to the fact other people. I subscribed to a knowledgeable college I can think about.
He applied to MIT under the GI Statement and you will are approved. During the 1949, Whitney attained a Bachelors into the Aeronautics and you will Astronautics (Way XVI) out of MIT during the 1949.
Immediately after earning his knowledge out of MIT, Whitney struggled to obtain Republic Routes into the be concerned data, then on the EDO Enterprise on architectural style of flights floats. Into the 1958, he and his awesome friends relocated to Cameroon, in which Whitney coached math and you can physics at the an excellent Presbyterian goal. The family gone back to Ny a decade after, even in the event Whitney continued employed by the new United Presbyterian Church into the minority degree and globally degree for the Africa, the fresh new U.S., and you may Asia. Whitney including won a beneficial Master’s degree in the mathematics knowledge and good doctorate for the Worldwide Studies out-of Columbia University.
Once their old age in the 1992, Whitney turned into energetic into the MIT Alumni Organization, in which he had been in it on their national alternatives committee. He offered towards the board from administrators of MIT Pub out of Southwest Fl, while the an useful counselor, and also as chairman off Black colored Alumni/ae from MIT (BAMIT).
“Whenever i decided to go to MIT, I found myself well treated together with a great experience with the fresh dormitory, the brand new fraternity, and also in intramural recreations,” the guy told MIT Technical Comment. “Yet , there were only three almost every other black colored youngsters when i try at the MIT, that’s the reason I was very wanting BAMIT. I think BAMIT try an invaluable section of MIT and you may extremely important getting black college students.”