Benjamin O. Davis

Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was a pioneering U.S. Air Force general, commander of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, and the first African American to graduate from West Point in the 20th century and become a general in the Air Force. He led the 99th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group, breaking racial barriers in the military and advocating for integration. After retiring in 1970, he served as director of civil aviation security and was promoted to four-star general in 1998.