Tuskegee Airman Returns to Tuskegee

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TUSKEGEE-It took nearly a decade of research to track the remains of Lt. Carroll Napier Langston who lost his life on the fateful day of 7 June 1944 after completing a sweep mission with 31 other P47 aircraft assigned to the 301st Fighter Squadron based at Ramitelli Air Base Italy. Lt. Langston was forced to bail from his aircraft after experiencing oil pressure problems. Though he parachuted safely into the Adriatic Sea, his wing man reported the pilot’s apparent difficulty inflating his rubber dinghy.

The Tuskegee Airman’s body was discovered nineteen days later, 26 June 1944 by a U.S. Army ground patrol. Reportedly bearing “gun-shot wounds to the head and chest,” and given the scarcity of materials in a combat zone, he was wrapped in a mattress cover and buried; a wooden cross and tags marked his grave.

Extensive research to determine the disposition of Lt. Langston’s remains culminated in what Tom McKnight, cousin to the Airman defines as “Divine Intervention and spiritually ironic blessings.” Carroll Langston Sr. and his wife Vivian, fought a long battle to repatriate their son’s remains. Extensive research confirmed exhumation from his shore-based grave and re-interment at Bari Military Cemetery, Italy, a site honoring World War I and II soldiers.

A letter written by Carroll’s mother to one of his friends four and a half years after his death surfaced which read “Carroll’s coming home tomorrow.” The letter dated 6 December 1948 stated that “a private ceremony would be held at the Napier burial grounds.” Carroll’s remains were re-interred for the last time on 7 December 1948.  The unexpected receipt of the letter and other correspondence a little more than a year ago explained why, there was no press coverage of Langston’s final return though the Napier, Cashin, Langston and Watkins were families of social prominence.

Once the information dots connected, Tuscumbia’s American Legion Post 31 Color Guard drove to Nashville TN in convoy and conferred full military honors at Lt. Langston’s gravesite, 10 June 2017 comprising flag fold, 21 gun salute and the playing of Taps. Lt. Langston’s story continues to be told, by way of McKnight’s presentation of a 24×36 laminated poster capturing Post 31’s Color Guard honors to Tuskegee’s Mayor, The Honorable Lawrence Haygood 74 years after the pilot’s death.  It is “spiritually ironic” that Lt. Langston’s story and ceremonial presentation eventually returned to the historic city where he received his flight training, wings and made his contribution to world history.

Two other Airmen, Capt. Andrew Maples, Jr. and Lt. Maurice V. Esters who also lost their lives on 26 June 1944 in the Adriatic are yet to be found. McKnight continues his mission in  the search and repatriation of either their remains or recovered aircraft artifacts so that their honorable stories may be told.

Media Release/Thomas McKnight

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