Curtis C. Robinson

Curtis C. Robinson
Born	Curtis Christopher Robinson August 25, 1919 Orangeburg, South Carolina, US
Died	August 25, 2009(2009-08-25) (aged 89) Washington, DC, US
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia, Arlington County, USA
Other names	"CC"
Alma mater	Claflin College, Howard University School of Pharmacy
Occupations	Military officer fighter pilot pharmacist
Years active	1942–1947

Curtis Christopher "CC" Robinson (August 25, 1919 ~ October 12, 2009) was a U.S. Army Air Force officer and combat fighter pilot/jet pilot with the prodigious 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen, "Red Tails," or “Schwartze Vogelmenschen” ("Black Birdmen") among enemy German pilots.

In 1943, Robinson and his two older brothers became the first African-Americans from one family to become commissioned U.S. military officers. Robinson was one of seven Tuskegee Airmen from the state of South Carolina.

Early Life, Family, Education

Robinson was born on August 25, 1919 in Orangeburg, South Carolina. The grandson of formerly enslaved African Americans, Robinson attended elementary school, middle school and high school at Claflin College.ref> Ruth Ann Overbeck Capitol Hill History Project. "Curtis “Doc” Robinson Interview." February 8, 2003. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N61fh0t5hNq_RspOb7Y1spM0cA5lFXSc/view </ref> After high school, Robinson continued at Claflin College, majoring in Chemistry. Robinson hailed from a long line of Chaflin graduates. His AME minister and politician grandfather graduated from in 1873. Robinson's parents, uncles and aunts all graduated from Chaflin.

After graduating from Claflin College in 1940, Robinson became a school teacher in Spartanburg County, South Carolina where he taught geography, mathematics, history and general science.

In 1945 after returning from World War II, Robinson married Florie Frederick Robinson.

Military Career

As the United States began to ramp up conscription in preparation for World War II, Robinson visited his local Spartanburg County, South Carolina U.S. Army base, Camp Penn. Soon realizing that menial work and demeaning treatment of enlisted African American soldiers were less than ideal, Robinson applied to become an aviation cadet at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Tuskegee, Alabama. In 1942, U.S. Army Air Corps accepted Robinson into Tuskegee's program, sending him first to U.S. Army Air Corps's Shaw AFB in Sumter, South Carolina for induction. However, the white officers mishandled the new African American inductees based on race, sending Robinson and similarly situation back to their homes. In August 1942, the U.S. Army Air Corps finally assigned Robinson to Tuskegee.

On April 29, 1943, Robinson graduated as a member of the Single Engine Section Cadet Class SE-43-D, receiving his silver wings and commission as a 2nd Lieutenant. His classmate included Wilson V. Eagleson ("Swampy") (February 1, 1920 - April 16, 2006), one of the Tuskegee Airmen's most prolific combat fighter pilots credited with two confirmed enemy German aerial kills and two probable aerial kills. In 1943, Robinson and his two older brothers became the first African-Americans from one family to become officers.

The U.S. Army Air Corps assigned Robinson to the 99th Fighter Squadron. Robinson flew 33 combat missions in World War II's European Theater including North Africa and Anzio, Italy. In 1944, the U.S. Army Air Corps sent Robinson back to the United States where he served as a flight instructor for new Tuskegee cadets.

After World War II, the U.S. Army Air Corps transferred Robinson to Lockbourne AFB (now Rickenbacker Field) in [[Columbus, Ohio].</ref> He subsequently opened, owned and operated several Washington, DC-area pharmacies during the latter period of racial segregation. In 1947, Robinson left the military with a rank of First Lieutenant.

Post-Military, Pharmacy Career

In 1947, Robinson relocated to Washington, DC with his pregnant wife. Though he applied to become a pilot at a local airport, the airline denied him opportunities to apply based on his race. In 1948, Robinson enrolled at Howard University's School of Pharmacy, graduating in 1952. He subsequently opened, owned and operated six Washington, DC-area "Robinson Apothecary" pharmacies during the latter period of racial segregation. In January 2008, Robinson closed the last of his six pharmacies.

Robinson owned Robnor Publishing, LLC, a company he co-founded with George Norfleet to release Robinson’s autobiography, “A Pilot’s Journey.”

Robinson and his family lived in the Hillcrest community of Washington, DC.

Honors

• In 2003, Howard University School of Pharmacy awarded Robinson its Howard University School of Pharmacy achievement award.
• In 2004, Claflin University inducted Robinson into its Hall of Fame.
• In 2007, Robinson and his fellow Tuskegee Airmen were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Death

Robinson died on October 12, 2009 in Washington, DC. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, plot sec: 4, Site: 2715-A, in Arlington, Virginia, Arlington County.

See also

• Executive Order 9981
• List of Tuskegee Airmen
• List of Tuskegee Airmen Cadet Pilot Graduation Classes
• Military history of African Americans