Archer-Ragsdale Arizona Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc

Published since 2008, !TFAM is a bi-weekly lifeline that unites readers and asks
them to ensure the Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy of excellence. !TFAM provides an
inside view into the lives of Tuskegee Airmen and the people they influence.

Re: New Message From Tuskegee Airmen –

St. Louis, MO

TFAM readers, Yolandea Wood reached out with a request regarding
Tuskegee Airman Hugh White’s legacy. Please read the emails below,
maybe a few of you have information that will ensure Hugh White’s
legacy and Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy continues in Italy and around the
world.

I’ll start with my email to Yolandea.

Yolandea,

I remember Clara White. Also remember my dad telling me funny and enlightening
stories about Hugh White. May I publish this in !TFAM and ask if anyone can assist?
There are several historians who read this publication and maybe they know
something. Let me know if you approve, please. I’ll make this a TFAM call to action.
Sunnye

Yolandea Wood – [email protected]

Hello, I am the president of the chapter. I will try to contact Hugh’s
relatives. I will reach out to a few others to try to find the
daughter. His wife and sister-in-law who were active members of
our chapters have since died. I do not hear much from his
descendants.

A couple of us are actually going to Italy in April for the
Campomarino celebration.
Elena Zauli delle Pietre
On Sat, Feb 1, 2025 at 8:30 AM Elena Zauli delle Pietre
[email protected] wrote:
Sender name is: Elena Zauli delle Pietre
Sender email is: [email protected]
Sender message is: Good morning, my name is Elena Zauli, I am an
Italian historian. I deal with the story of the airmen who crashed in
Italy during WW2. In my latest book “Aerei PERduti Polesine” I recount
the shooting down of the 1st. Lt. Hugh occurred on 23 April 1945.
Unfortunately I was never able to find his P-51 D Ser. Nr. 44-

15457. I’m looking for what remains of his plane on Italian territory. If I
       found it, it would be exhibited in the museum we have set up in
       Felonica (MN). Is there the possibility of contact with Hugh White’s
       daughter, Lauren Foster, in order to receive any family memories
       relating to 23 April 1945? For me, telling White’s story and being able
       to give resonance to his story in Italy is important, like that of the 88
       airmen who crashed in our territory that I wrote about in my book.
       Thank you, Elena.
       Yolandea Wood
       [email protected]

BHM

Hey folks, here’s a great idea from a reader: “Hey I thought of an
idea. I posted it on my facebook- a moment of history. Short videos
for BHM. Just because the government will not celebrate doesn’t
mean we can’t. Maybe we can ask everyone to share a short video
or an article or photo for their moment of history. It could be a
book or author or an artist. I shared one of the Airmen’s stories that I
call mamma’s rule.”

So, everyone, that includes you, share a short video, article, or photo
for your moment of history. If you want to share it with !TFAM, send it!
Here’s my moment of history, five original Tuskegee Airmen at

TAI Annual Convention in the 80s.

LR top row – William Melton, Lincoln Ragsdale, Alexander Jefferson; LR
bottom rom – Tomie Melton, Robert Ashby, Elwood Driver, the early 80s.
Tomie Melton was not a TA, she was my ma, married to my ole pappy,
William Melton.

Bye for now,

!TFAM is a publication created by L. Sunnye Simpson and is not affiliated,
in anyway, with Tuskegee Airmen Inc. Any mention of Tuskegee Airmen
Inc. is done so at the discretion of the editor.

To be added to the !TFAM mailing list send an email to
[email protected]