"If a unit or persons are not written "up" in history chronicles, they are written "off" in history".        

I propose renaming the Dubuque airport after Dubuque Native and original Tuskegee Airmen Captain Robert L. Martin. 

After reading in the Telegraph Herald this past year about an important Dubuque Native and Veteran being honored in Chicago with renaming of a post office there, Captain Robert L. Martin, I have hoped Dubuque would make the effort to honor this important American. 

Robert L. Martin was born in Dubuque on Feb. 9, 1919. Before the war, Martin earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. He was a captain when he was discharged from the Army in 1945. He then worked as an electrical engineer in Chicago until retiring in 1988. Captain Martin died, July 26, 2018 at the age of 99 years old. 

Captain Robert L. Martin was an original member of the Tuskegee Airmen — a Black segregated aviator group who served in an era when African American military personnel trained and lived in segregated facilities. President Franklin Roosevelt's administration made flight instruction available at select black colleges under the Civilian Pilot Training Program, and an air base was created and devoted to training black pilots near the renowned Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, founded by the pioneering black educator Booker T. Washington.

Martin received his wings in 1944 and was commissioned a second lieutenant. He served as a combat pilot in the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group, a squadron based in Italy. On his 64th mission, in March 1945, Captain Martin was shot down by enemy gunfire near Zagreb, Yugoslavia (which was German-occupied territory).  He spent over a month behind enemy lines with partisans in a secret Yugoslavian camp to evade capture before the Allied advance allowed him to return to his base in Italy.  He retired from the U.S. Army in late 1945.  Captain Martin’s was awarded several war decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Six Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart. He later was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor by President George W. Bush at a ceremony honoring the Tuskegee Airmen in 2007. He has been inducted into the Iowa Aviation Hall of Fame. He was also honored this past year with a US Post Office in Chicago being named after him.  Captain Martin passed away on July 26, 2018. His legacy deserves to be honored not just in Chicago but in Dubuque, Iowa where he was born and raised.

The legacy of the Tuskegee Airman is an important one that is often overlooked.  The Tuskegee Airmen and Captain Martin faced racism during the Jim Crow era and lacked freedoms themselves but felt it their duty to serve and go on to secure an American victory overseas so Americans can enjoy their freedoms at home.  By honoring his legacy of humble service and bravery, we inspire future generations of Dubuquers of ALL racial and cultural backgrounds to achieve their dreams against adversity.  Renaming the airport after a significant airman pilot could not be a more apropos honor. 

Now more than ever, the honoring of historical Black Americans, especially Black Veterans, is needed with increased awareness of systemic racism with Black Lives Matter movement.  This first impression of Dubuque would show this community is serious about combating racism and is inclusive to all. While I realize it is necessary to address policing policies in Dubuque and in no way would this gesture substitute any crucial reforms being proposed, the Black Lives Movement has shown we have more to do as a community to support ALL Dubuquers.

Donate to Captain Robert Martin memorial fund on our Gofund Me page: https://gf.me/u/yjw9am

OR

Mail tax deductible donation to:                                                       

Dubuque Branch of the NAACP                                                                            Capt. R.L. Martin Memorial Fund                                                                              PO Box 1012                                                                                                   Dubuque, IA  52004

(checks to be made out to the Dubuque NAACP, make note on memo line of the RL Martin Memorial fund)

 

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Rename Dubuque Airport for Tuskegee Airman, Captain R.L. Martin 
https://www.facebook.com/CaptainMartinAirport

 

Sources: 

The Associated Press. (2019, November 10). Chicago suburbs names post office in honor of Tuskegee Airmen from Dubuque. Telegraph Herald. https://www.telegraphherald.com/news/iowa-illinois-wisconsin/article_6cf14852-8996-5838-9d07-9d33851e313c.html

Holmes, Evelyn. (2019, November 6). Southg suburban post office renamed after pilot part of 1st Black military fighter squadran in US. ABC7 News.
https://abc7chicago.com/tuskegee-airment-robert-martin-post-office-olympia-fields/5677030/

(2019, March 1). Rep. Kelly seeks to rename Olympia Fields post office for Tuskegee Airmen Captain Robert L. Martin. eNews Park Forest. https://www.enewspf.com/latest-news/rep-kelly-seeks-to-rename-olympia-fields-post-office-for-tuskegee-airman-capt-robert-l-martin/#.XuF8gi3MyqA

Lawson, Thomas.  (2018, August 7). #Veteranoftheday. VA Vantage Point. Official Blog of the U.S. Dept of Veterans Affairs. https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/51175/army-air-forces-robert-l-martin/

Olesia. (2018, August 4). Obituaries:  Robert Martin, Tuskegee Airmen who flew ‘63 and a half’ combat missions dies at 99. The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/robert-martin-tuskegee-airman-who-flew-63-and-a-half-combat-missions-dies-at-99/2018/08/04/db678df4-9448-11e8-a679-b09212fb69c2_story.html

Other reading added: 6/20/2020:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Martin_(aviator)

https://cafriseabove.org/robert-l-martin/

Senate Tribute to Robert L. Martin, Tuskee Airmen https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2013/06/10/senate-section/article/S4054-1

http://www.encyclopediadubuque.org/index.php?title=MARTIN,_Robert_L

Iowa State University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering - ECpE Hall of Fame
https://news.engineering.iastate.edu/2019/11/11/an-electrical-engineer-and-groundbreaking-pilot-ecpe-veteran-robert-martin/