Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. won his wings and commission as a Tuskegee Airman in 1943, but didn't see combat in World War II. He did, however, see combat in the Korean War, flying over 100 missions and earning a reputation as an outstanding fighter pilot. He became a full colonel by 1965 and flew over 60 more combat missions. James was an articulate speaker who commanded great physical prescence (he was 6'4"and weighed nearly 250 pounds)and was often called upon to defend not just America's military policy, but it's racial policies as well. He received his first star as a general in 1968 after commanding Wheelus AFB in Libya for over a year. Khadafy's regime came into power during that year and James was praised for his tact and diplomacy. He spent the next 4 years at the Pentagon in the office of Public Affairs where he won two more stars. He was then named vicecommander of the Military Airlift Command (MAC). Less than two years later, he was given his fourth star and named commander of the North American Air Defense (NORAD), a post he held until shortly before his retirement in early 1978. Daniel James, Jr. was the first Black 4-star general in American history. General James constantly stressed the qualities of determination and sincerity, arguing that performance, not skin color, was how a person should be judged. |