Original Tuskegee Airman Clifford King, 92, dies; legacy remembered

Photo By Arit Essien | Internment ceremonies for Documented Original Tuskegee Airman Clifford S. King, 92, were held Monday, March 11, 2013 at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Ga.  

CANTON, GEORGIA, UNITED STATES

03.11.2013

Story by Arit Essien 

U.S. Air Force SAF, DRUs and FOAs

CANTON, Ga. - Clifford Sylvester King, 92, a member of the celebrated Tuskegee Airmen passed away on March 1, of natural causes.

Interment ceremonies for King were held Monday, March 11, 2013 at the Georgia National Cemetery--in the state where both of his parents originated from. Funeral services took place in Atlanta, Friday preceding, on March 8, 2013, with a delegation from the Atlanta Chapter Tuskegee Airmen Inc. (TAI) attending to salute the "Lonely Eagle."

King overcame various adversities to rise to the rank of Sergeant within the Tuskegee Airmen "experiment," where African-American were deemed incapable of serving in military aviation roles; and where many young cadets washed out from the uncompromising training demands.

Born in Johnstown, Pa., King suffered near-fatal burns from a house fire at the age of two, and left school early as a teen to pursue a career in his first passion, electrical work. Needing to support his family of 11 siblings however (with one deceased), King instead found himself remanded to logging yards, where he worked along with his brother.

One year into the formation of the Tuskegee Airmen, in 1942, King enlisted in the Army Air Corps in the 477th Bombardment Group, 602 Engineering Squadron. He realized his dream there, as an electrician supporting the engineering requirements of the WWII effort.

Few knew about King's critical contributions prior to his passing--the case sadly for an unknown sum of the 13,000 original participants of the Tuskegee Airmen, and some of the few survivors remaining. Roughly 300 Tuskegee Airmen survive worldwide, with 20 or so living in Georgia...from those who are accounted.

King's only child, Stanley L. King says that he poured over his fathers veteran records up until the morning of his funeral. Stanley ordered the documents after his fathers death and stayed awake past midnight, amazed by the accomplishments of his dad.

"He had three medals. He was a humble person," Stanley said.

Some Tuskegee Airmen, in humility, chose a path to continue their lives with reverence for their nation and with silent knowledge of their sacrifices; while some suffer enduring effects of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and confine memories of the time.

King's family members said that he rarely spoke of his military service. Other relatives, who knew, expressed that they felt formal recognition was only for Tuskegee Airmen who served as pilots -a prevalent, yet exclusionary misconception.

Former U.S. President George Bush collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to all Tuskegee Airmen, in 2007, for their "impact on American history and culture." The honor was inclusive of Clifford King, though he did not receive it.

According to TAI, DOTA's (Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen), as they have been nicknamed, comprise all Tuskegee Airmen who served between the period of 1941-1949, in functions ranging from ground maintenance and administrative work, to medical support, parachute assembly, engineering and supply. DOTA's also included the civilian employees who supported the Tuskegee Airmen, and several female Tuskegee Airmen--nearly absent from historical accounts.

Authentication of Tuskegee Airmen is coordinated by the TAI Harry Sheppard committee, through chapters in states across the country. The Atlanta chapter TAI verified King after receiving notice following his death that he was a Tuskegee Airmen.

King now is remembered with military honor, and with an unfolding legacy that family and friends will carry on.

AtlantaTAI.org

• Date Taken: 03.11.2013
• Date Posted: 03.12.2013 14:44
• Story ID: 103355
• Location: CANTON, GEORGIA, US