94-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Henry on Discrimination in the Air Force

Lieutenant Colonel Eugene Henry speaks on the challenges of being a black pilot.

“The one that dropped the atomic bomb…... that was my first big airplane [I flew].”

With most of his upbringing in a quasi-segregated town in Illinois, Eugene Henry is no stranger to life’s challenges. He was told in the Air Force, “You know… when they assigned me to your crew, I came close to resigning…I’ve been taught all my life that blacks were inferior, it was hard taking you as my superior.” This was not the beginning nor the ending of the racial and non-racial challenges Henry was to face.

“I could order a banana split but I couldn’t eat it there, [I] wasn’t allowed in the bowling alley, things like that.”

Henry was raised in a segregated area, but the school he attended was not. He explained that at school everyone got along, but outside of school, everyone knew their place. “Nobody got upset about it... that’s just the way it was.”

In high school he was told by one of his instructors “Blacks can’t fly,” and instead of letting that hold him back, he let that be his fuel.

He knew if he was going to accomplish his dream, he needed to take the initiative despite the doubts. With the grace of perfect timing and grit, things began to work out when a navy veteran who happened to be a retired pilot came to town and built an airport.

“I saw [a plane] in the air one time and said ‘Wow I want to do that; I want to be up there’… I always wanted to fly.” Despite the obstacles, he did just that.

Though Henry did not have the money to afford lessons, he came to an agreement with the pilot at the airport. In return for hanging around and working, he got flight lessons.

“One morning we went flying and [the pilot] said… go cut the engine on... I’m getting out. Take it up by yourself…” Henry did just that. He flew the plane and was launched into what would be roughly 74 years of successful flying.

After high school, Henry attended Tuskegee University. Not used to being around predominantly black spaces, its majority black student body came as a shock.

Throughout his years at Tuskegee, he was inching closer to his dream, and when the opportunity came, it seemingly slipped away. He got into flight school, then the orders were removed. However, Henry eventually found himself in the cockpit flying for the Air Force.

Though he “made it,” the challenges did not stop there. He faced racism not only from his peers but from those he oversaw and his instructors.

“...I was the only one in every squadron where I never got out of that co-pilot’s seat… I went through that my whole career.” Though Henry was beyond qualified, he was often overlooked. Eventually, one of the Air Force superiors in Washington looked at his flight record, realized what was happening, and gave Henry the promotion he deserved.

Though the road to being a pilot for the Air Force may not have been easy, he achieved nothing but success. Henry speaks of a time as co-pilot when he landed the plane so smoothly that no one was able to tell that they had touched down. The pilot then turns to Henry and admits that he shouldn’t be just co-pilot, as his capabilities far surpass that.

Despite the accomplishments, Henry remains modest and states “It’s just a thing you know… when you’ve got it, you’ve got it.”

With 21 years in the Air Force, that was not the end of Henry’s flight time.

“[I was flying] from 1947 till … I only quit about a year or two ago, I can still fly now, but I voluntarily stopped, nothing wrong, I’m still medically qualified.” Mr. Henry states at 94 years old.

With no regrets, the one thing Henry wishes he could have done was to go to outer space or the moon.

Henry has lived the ultimate life of challenge, adventure, and longevity. With three grandkids, six great-grandkids and having been previously married for 59 years. Though he does not fly anymore, his age does not stop him. He enjoys deep sea fishing, and still drives, bowls, and mows his lawn.

“Now is the time to start [living],” 94-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Henry tells me.