Tuskegee Airmen servicemen were the first African American flying unit in the U.S. military. Their first mission was on June 2, 1943, when they launched a strafing attack on Pantelleria Island, an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea. Later that year the army activated three more squadrons who joined in 1944 and constituted the 332nd Fighter Group. These men fought in the European theater and were noted as one of the Army Air Forces’ most successful and most-decorated escort groups.

Altogether, 992 pilots graduated from the Tuskegee Airfield courses. They flew 1,578 missions, destroyed 261 enemy aircraft, and won more than 850 medals.

Our enemy, the devil, is vicious, but in Christ, our victory is sure. The battle against temptation means we must be strong, suit up, and stand firm.”

The Christian life is also a battle. In Ephesians 6:10-18, the apostle Paul uses an analogy of military armor and relates it to the spiritual armor God has provided for the spiritual battle we face. Our enemy, the devil, is vicious, but in Christ, our victory is sure. The battle against temptation means we must be strong, suit up, and stand firm.