Dozens of Black pilots disappeared during WWII. Who are the men still lost?
Up First from NPR
Apr 12, 2026
The U.S. celebrates the Tuskegee Airmen in history books, yet the families of 27 missing Black pilots remain trapped in an 80-year silence. Cheryl W. Thompson uncovers how institutional neglect left these "forgotten souls" without closure, revealing how segregation's legacy persisted long after the guns of WWII fell silent.
Key insight: Despite the group receiving the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007, most families of the 27 missing airmen have never received a single phone call or update from the U.S. government regarding their loved ones' remains.
