Title: Tuskegee Airmen WWII Fighter Pilots: The Story of An Original Tuskegee Pilot, Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann
Author: Dr. Patrick C. Coggins
Publisher: Toplink Publishing, LLC
ISBN: 9781948262767 (ebook)
Pages: 294
Genre: Historical Nonfiction/Biography
Reviewed by: Matt Hurd
Hollywood Book Reviews
Awarded to books of excellent Merit
Tuskegee Airmen WWII Fighter Pilots: The Story of An Original Tuskegee Pilot, Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann is a marvel of historical nonfiction. Blending together a broad history of the creation, actions, and effects of the Tuskegee pilots and a firsthand account from one member of their ranks, the book educates and surprises in a way few histories do. Meticulously researched, this book is extremely well-thought out and presents a unique framework through which to examine one of the most important and overlooked parts of American military history.
The Tuskegee Airmen were not the first African-American military unit – but they were the ones whose actions during WWII led to the eventual decision to desegregate the military. Coggins is acutely aware that no historical event occurs in a vacuum, and so treats us to a fast-paced but informative look at crucial, connected moments in history preceding and following the advent of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Coggins is a Professor of Education at Stetson University, and it shows in the way he clearly organizes his book and succinctly weaves a fascinating historical tale. His authorial voice is clear and engaging, while his passionate interest in the subject matter can be felt behind every sentence. However, the tone never stretches from one of education into editorialization (i.e. a demand that the reader see everything the same way the author does). Coggins presents not only his thoughts and conclusions, but the methods he used to arrive at them.
Once the history of the Tuskegee program and its members is laid out, Coggins deviates from the expected formula by presenting us with a fascinating interlude: a firsthand look into the life of one of the first Tuskegee Airmen, Lt. Col. Hiram. E. Mann. He does so by giving us curated selections from Hiram’s own journals, as well as from in-person interviews conducted between the two. Also presented are high-quality images of papers and letters from Mann’s time in the military.
Additionally, this book includes extensive appendices, as well as a glossary. Not only is this book an enormously interesting read, it also deliberately avoids being a dense, difficult-to-navigate tome. There is an immense amount of information packed into just under 300 pages, but those pages fly by. History buffs, descendants of the Airmen, and the simply curious alike will find plenty to enjoy in this work.