The San Antonio Independent

School District invited SACTAI to

a Back-To-School event August

14, 2014 at the Claude Black

Community Center, San Antonio.

There over 600 students were able

to get vaccines and school

registrations, access educational

resources, and learn about some

special educational groups in

town. SACTAI took this

opportunity to publicize our

Speakers Bureau which is

available to schools throughout

the year to inform students and

faculty of what we're about and

what we do.

San Antonio Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

February 2015 Volume 3, Issue 1

Renowned

Special points

of interest:

Spreading the

Tuskegee

Airmen

Experience to

Youth

Veterans Day

includes DOTAs

and Buffalo

Soldiers

Inside this issue:

Veterans Day 2

DOTAs at the 99th 4

Bynum Surprise 4

99th Commanders 5

DOTAs at UTSA 6

The Music and Performing Arts

Conference (MPAC) conducted

a regional Gospel Workshop at

San Antonio’s True Vision

Church October 4, 2014,

intended to expose youth choirs

and praise dance groups from

across Texas to current trends

and to encourage them to follow

their dreams. The 2-day

program included worship

services and concerts for over

200 youth. SACTAI was

invited to give a short talk about

the values and successes of the

Tuskegee Airmen during one of

the programs. The SACTAI

historical expo display tells the

Tuskegee Experience story.

Here SACTAI Youth Chair Grady Robinson gets Sparky up

to speed on the Tuskegee Airmen on a break between

large groups of children wanting to know what resources

we have.

SACTAI & MPAC Collaborate

Mr. Roddray Walker, SACTAI Public Relations Officer,

gives more detail about the Tuskegee Airmen display, the

artifacts, and the presentation to one of the choir mem-

ber parents.

Students Learn about Tuskegee Airmen

SACTAI joins Buffalo Soldiers to

Honor Veterans

DOTAs James Bynum, Eugene Derricotte,

Granville Coggs, Thomas Ellis, Theodore Johnson

and Chapter members were on hand at San

Antonio’s National Cemetery to honor veterans.

The program was facilitated by the Bexar County

Buffalo Soldiers and joined by both DOTAs and

Chapter Members. The ceremony included a

Buffalo Soldier Honor Guard, the national anthem,

speeches by local officials, and a keynote speech

by Brig. Gen. Robert D. LaBrutta, 502nd Air Base

Wing and Joint Base San Antonio Commander.

Volume 3, Issue 1

Following the cemetery ceremony, Chapter members

treated DOTAs at our Vet Day “Lunch with the DOTAs” at a

nearby restaurant.

DOTAs Derricotte, Johnson, Ellis and Bynum visit attendees.

DOTAs Derricotte (with spouse Jean), Johnson, and Ellis get

situated before the ceremony.

DOTAs Johnson, Coggs, and Ellis are escorted by new

member, Ed Jones

Veteran’s Day 2014

Page 2

Veteran’s Day 2014

Page 3

Volume 3, Issue 1

Howsman Elementary School Administrators

continued their recognition of veterans from the

community. All veterans got the royal

treatment: breakfast, hot coffee, and special

seating at the outdoor ceremony.

The Ceremony included a flag raising,

demonstrations from students, and introductions

by all the veterans. SACTAI President Rick

Sinkfield was guest speaker. He emphasized

the role of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War

II and recognized the sacrifices of veterans from

then until now. “The stories told about the

Tuskegee Airmen and those veterans in the

audience that day are American Stories” he

said. Even though the weather turned brisk, the

ceremony continued. The students presented

each vet with a flower and a personal letter

thanking each vet for their service.

Pictured above, SACTAI President Rick Sinkfield recognized the

many parent veterans just as a cold front moved thru.

Pictured below are SACTAI members Grady Robinson, Youth

Chair, Rick Sinkfield along with school students, faculty and

administrators.

Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Johnson, Commander of

the 99th Flying Training Squadron invited DOTA Dr.

Coggs and SACTAI President [and 99th FTS

Honorary Commander] Rick Sinkfield to present

certificates of recognition to AF members that

supported the 2014 Central Region Youth Seminar

June 27, 2014. The venue was a Commander’s Call

October 8, 2014 in the 99th Heritage Auditorium on

Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. Certificates were

awarded to tower controllers, simulator instructors,

tour guides, and 99th FTS squadron administrators

and commanders.

DOTA Dr. Coggs recounted his WWII experience,

took a walking tour of the 99th Heritage Hallway,

posed next to the red-tail T-1 aircraft, and all along

told personal Tuskegee Airmen stories. The tour

concluded with a cool beverage.

DOTA Dr. Coggs Visits the 99th, Congratulates Volunteers

Page 4

Renowned

Photo above shows DOTA Dr. Coggs with his publicist

taking note of his reserved parking space at the 99th.FTS

and Lt Col Oliver Johnson, 99th FTS on the ramp beside the

T-1 Red-Tail Jayhawk.

Captain Christine Wagner volunteers as Youth Seminar Tour

Coordinator. She also conducted a tour of the 99th Flying

Training Squadron Heritage Hallway. She was one of

several volunteers that helped with tours at Randolph Air

Force Base.

Page 5

Volume 3, Issue 1

Commanders Call at the 99th

Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Johnson,

Commander of the 99th Flying Training

Squadron invited DOTA Dr. Derricotte and

other SACTAI members to present certificates

of recognition to AF members. The

Commanders Call occurred January 20, 2015

at the 99th FTS Commander’s Call in the 99th

Heritage Auditorium on Joint Base San

Antonio-Randolph. Awards and decorations

were presented to 99th FTS squadron

members with Dr. Derricotte as part of the

ceremony. Dr. Derricotte was invited to tell

his personal story with the Tuskegee Airmen

and tour the Heritage Hall and sign the Panther

Emblem.

DOTA Bynum gets a

BIG Surprise

DOTA Coggs Visits

Local Elementary

School

Administrators at Howsman

Elementary School, Northside

Independent School District in

North San Antonio, TX invited

SACTAI to give a history

lesson on the Tuskegee

Airmen. The team screened the

Double-V film, delivered the

new youth-oriented TAI slide

presentation, tested their

understanding and handed out

reminders of TA Values.

Afterwards, the children were

very engaged and excited to see

DOTA Coggs as he greeted

each one of the 60 students.

The ‘”Traveling” SACTAI Speakers Team; this time featuring [front]

DOTA Dr. Coggs, Dr. Carolin Sinkfield (SACTAI Interim Secretary),

[standing] Mr. Grady Robinson (SACTAI Youth Chair), Mr. Roddray

Walker (SACTAI Public Relations), and Rick Sinkfield, (SACTAI

President)

DOTA Dr. Coggs made

it a point to shake

each child’s hand after

they viewed the

SACTAI presentation.

He also handed out

TAI flyers to remind

them of the day.

DOTA James Bynum gets a

shock as he entered his favorite

restaurant. Thinking he was to

meet his wife for a quiet dinner,

he was surprised by fifty of his

closest family and friends on the

occasion of his 94th birthday

January 10th, 2015!

Page 6

Renowned

Page 7

Volume 3, Issue 1

Dr. Derricotte was interviewed by

ESPN's Hannah Storm on Veteran’s

Day 2014 at the Center for the

Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical

Center at Fort Sam in Houston,

Texas. Army Colonel Don

Gajewski is the medical director of

the Center and was on hand to

welcome the guests.

The threefold mission of the Center

is to provide rehabilitation for

casualties who have sustained

amputation, burns, or functional

limb loss, to provide education to

DoD and Department of Veteran's

Affairs professionals on cutting

edge rehabilitation modalities, and

to promote research in the fields of

Orthopaedics, prosthetics and

physical/occupational rehabilitation.

The staff and equipment for the

building was selected to provide the

full spectrum of amputee

rehabilitation as well as the

advanced outpatient rehabilitation

for burn victims and limb salvage

patients with residual functional

loss.

DOTA Dr. Derricotte relates his personal Tuskegee Experiences

DOTA Dr. Derricotte visits with Ms Storm before

the interview. Dr. Derricotte also greeted a

number of wounded warriors some of whom

received awards for their service.

“Renowned” is a publication of the San Antonio

Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

...Our goals

-Perpetuate achievements of the Tuskegee men and women

-Motivate minority youth to achievement and leadership

...Our objectives

-Research and document Tuskegee Airmen achievements

-Motivate youth to seek aviation and aerospace careers

-Inspire local youth to outstanding achievement and

leadership

San Antonio Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

Dr. Dorinda Rolle, professor of African-American

History at the College of Education and Human

Development, University of Texas at San Antonio,

invited Chapter members and DOTAs to speak

December 8, 2014 to her students about the

Tuskegee Airmen. She said “these students need a

dose of reality...they need to know the real story of

discrimination and its effect on society.”

Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Central Region President,

Marv Abrams screened the Lucus Film

documentary Double Victory followed by an

historical slide presentation covering events from

the dawn of aviation, to the Tuskegee Experience,

to the present day. Dr. Rolle’s students asked

many questions about the DOTAs feelings toward

discrimination and the training they received.

SACTAI DOTAs Participate in a

Panel for UTSA Students

“To be renowned for all we do

...and respected for how well we do it.”

Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/SACTAI or at www.SACTAI.com

Dr. Rolle is surrounded by Chapter Members, Students, and

DOTAs Eugene Derricotte and James Bynum in front. (Row 2:)

Carol Alexander, SACTAI Vice President; Jean Derricotte, DOTA

Spouse, Dorothy Bynum, DOTA Spouse; Students 1-3. (Back row)

Student 4, Marv Abrams, Central Region President; Dr. Rolle;

Rick Sinkfield, SACTAI President.

DOTAs Bynum and Derricotte gave their personal

stories about the Tuskegee Experience to multiple

classes and other interested students.