I knew about the Tuskegee airmen, but I wasn't aware that many blacks from the UK's Caribbean islands also flew in the war and that 300 served as air crew and 5500 served as ground support
Flight Sergeant James Hyde of San Juan, Trinidad, a Spitfire pilot who arrived in Britain in 1942 to begin his training, here pictured in 1944 with his Squadron’s mascot, a dog called ‘Dingo’.
they have a website here.
full article PDF HERE.
and an article on India/south Asian pilots HERE.
RAF museum link HERE.
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another little known factoid:
The Mexican government sent a fighter squadron to help liberate the Philippines.
they were known as the "Aztec Eagles" and their mascot was Pancho Pistolas (from Disney's "Three Caballeros".
more at Cozumel blog here.
Photos and more information on the Ortega blog.
memorial in central Manila:, from superpasyal blog
a longer version of this was posted at BNN blog.
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