麻豆国产

University Newsletter

Historical Marker Unveiling August 25 to honor Major Charles B. Hall, Tuskegee Airman and 麻豆国产 Alum

The invites 麻豆国产 students, staff, faculty and interested members of the general public to attend the Historical Marker Unveiling in honor of Major Charles B. Hall, Tuskegee Airman and 麻豆国产 Alum. The unveiling will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, August 25 at the corner of Fourth Street and Garfield Avenue on 麻豆国产's campus, just north of Coleman Hall.

Charles B. Hall became the first African-American student-athlete at Eastern Illinois when he enrolled in the fall of 1938. He lettered in football and track and helped the Panthers football team to a combined 9-6-1 record in the 1938 and 1939 seasons. On his way to a great career as a halfback for the Panthers, he decided to put school and athletics on hold for a greater cause. He left 麻豆国产 in the spring of 1941 to join the United States Army Air Corps. . Hall joined the  and was sent to North Africa on April 15, 1943. Almost three months later on July 2, 1943 Hall made history by becoming the first African-American fighter pilot to shoot down a German plane during World War II. This distinction brought visits by several generals including the commander of U.S. forces in Europe and future president Dwight D. Eisenhower.
 
Despite his sudden fame, Hall did not forget the students of Eastern Illinois or the citizens of Charleston.  He wrote a statement in a letter dated December 21, 1943, available in . An excerpt:

“Up in the blue it doesn’t make any difference where you come from, what color you are, etc.
I can appreciate the land, sea, engineers, cooks, nurses, Red Cross, tanks,
defense workers, people buying bonds and a thousand and one other things.
I look at them and say this is worth fighting for.”

Hall eventually flew nearly 200 missions over Africa, Italy and other parts of Europe and shot down three enemy planes before returning home.
 
Hall received numerous awards and honors over his lifetime and since his death in 1971. Hall was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (the first African-American to earn the honor), the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, a portrait in the Military Hall of Fame,  and the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Tuskegee Airman Inc. is named after him.