Mayor Cicilline Hosts Rededication Ceremony For Memorial To Tuskegee Airman Lt. William P. Armstrong

State's military, veterans and elected leaders join Veterans' Day commemoration

View photos from the event at our photo gallery

PROVIDENCE - On the eve of Veterans Day, Mayor David N. Cicilline joined with the Adjutant General of Rhode Island Major General Robert T. Bray, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, leaders of the state's military and veterans groups, the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame and Providence City Council to rededicate a memorial to Lieutenant William P. Armstrong, a Tuskegee Airman lost in World War II.

Lt. Armstrong, a resident of Providence, was shot down over Austria on April 1, 1945, while serving with the 301st Fighter Squadron as part of the elite 332nd Fighter Group. He was a member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, which were a group of dedicated and determined servicemen who became this nation's first African-American military airmen.

The memorial was originally built after the war but was removed in the early 1960s during a period of redevelopment and never replaced. In November 2009, Flight Officer Armstrong was honored by the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame along with other Rhode Islanders who served with the Tuskegee Airmen. While researching the lives of those honored, Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame President Frank Lennon discovered the monument had never been relocated and called on the City to identify another site. This summer, the Mayor signed an Executive Order to establish that memorial at the intersection of Cranston and Dodge Streets.

"It is important that we never forget the immeasurable debt we owe our servicemen and women, who, over generations have paid the ultimate price to keep us safe and free," said Mayor Cicilline. "A permanent memorial to Lieutenant Armstrong at a site close to where his family once lived will serve as a fitting reminder of his sacrifice for his country."

Today's ceremony, attended by 100 local officials, veterans and Armed Forces' representatives, honored the lost Tuskegee airman with the dedication of this new memorial square, and paid tribute to servicemen and women on the eve of Veterans Day.

"As we approach this Veterans Day, it is fortunate and fitting that we take this time to honor the epitome of what a veteran is...one who served as a volunteer and made the ultimate sacrifice. Selfless service is a hallmark of military tradition and Lt. William Armstrong's memory reminds us of the human cost of that service to our country," said Adjutant General Bray.

"I'm proud to honor Lieutenant William P. Armstrong for his exceptional service during World War II, as well as all Rhode Island veterans who have sacrificed so much to protect our freedom," said Senator Whitehouse.

The ceremony included the posting of colors by the 80-member U.S. Army Junior ROTC "Blue Wave" Battalion of Hope High School, remarks by Mayor David Cicilline, Adjutant General of Rhode Island Major General Robert T. Bray, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Councilwoman BalbinaYoung, and an invocation by Colonel Robert Marciano, Chaplain. Armstrong's childhood friend--a former State Commander of the American Legion, Robert Miles--spoke of their early years together, and Frank Lennon, who spearheaded the effort to reinstitute a memorial for the lost Tuskegee Airman, shared the history of the Airmen in America's defense in theatres across the globe. "If I had to condense the history of the Tuskegee Airmen into one sentence, it would be: When you have your hands on the controls, the plane doesn't know what color you are," said Lennon.

At the conclusion, the Mayor led the unveiling of the new signage and presented to Lt. Armstrong's sister, Evelyn James of Florida, a photograph of the memorial.

"I am grateful to you all for keeping Bill in your thoughts, especially as so many young men since have also gone off to war and never returned," Ms. James said. She was joined by her daughter and son-in-law at the event.

A collation followed at the Lts. Armstrong-Gladding American Legion Post, for the veterans and guests.