What is Benjamin O Davis famous for?

What is Benjamin O Davis famous for?

Davis, Jr., in full Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr., (born December 18, 1912, Washington, D.C., U.S.—died July 4, 2002, Washington, D.C.), pilot, officer, and administrator who became the first African American general in the U.S. Air Force.

Who was the 1st black general?

Benjamin O. Davis, Sr
Davis, Sr., in full Benjamin Oliver Davis, Sr., (born July 1, 1877, Washington, D.C., U.S.—died November 26, 1970, North Chicago, Illinois), soldier who became the first black general in the U.S. Army. Benjamin O. Davis, Sr.

What did Benjamin O Davis Jr do in ww2?

Admitted to the first training class at nearby Tuskegee Army Air Field, Davis became the first African-American pilot to solo in an Army Air Corps aircraft. Winning his wings on March 7, 1942, he was one of the first five African-American officers to graduate from the program.

Is Benjamin O Davis Jr still alive?

Deceased (1912–2002)
Benjamin O. Davis Jr./Living or Deceased

Why did Benjamin O Davis join the military?

Early in 1941, the Roosevelt administration, in response to public pressure for greater black participation in the military as war approached, ordered the War Department to create a black flying unit. Captain Davis was assigned to the first training class at Tuskegee Army Air Field (hence the name Tuskegee Airmen).

How many years did Benjamin O Davis serve?

fifty years
In January 1946 he again became Assistant, The Inspector General, Washington, D.C. He retired on 14 July 1948, after having served fifty years. General Davis died on November 26, 1970. His remains are interred in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia. His son, Lieutenant General Benjamin O.

How many black four-star generals are there?

The rarity of blacks in the top ranks is apparent in one startling statistic: Only one of the 38 four-star generals or admirals serving as of May was black. And just 10 black men have ever gained four-star rank – five in the Army, four in the Air Force and one in the Navy, according to the Pentagon.

Who was the first black brigadier general?

Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr.
Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr. Benjamin Oliver Davis Sr. (May 1880 – November 26, 1970) was a United States Army general. In 1940, he became the first African-American to rise to the rank of brigadier general.

Where was Benjamin O Davis Jr born?

Washington, D.C.
Benjamin O. Davis Jr./Place of birth

Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., in 1912. He graduated from Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1929, attended Western Reserve University at Cleveland and later the University of Chicago.

What happened to Ben Davis’s son?

He retired from active military service on February 1, 1970. On December 9, 1998, Davis Jr. was promoted to general, U.S. Air Force (retired), with President Bill Clinton pinning on his four-star insignia.

Who were the first black Marines?

The first black American to fight in a Marine role was John Martin, also known as Keto, the slave of a Delaware man, recruited in April 1776 without his owner’s permission by Captain of the Marines Miles Pennington of the Continental brig USS Reprisal.