A classroom in Vista received a visit from one of the country's last surviving Tuskegee Airmen Friday.
Lt. Col Robert Friend, 96, visited Beaumont Elementary in north San Diego County to share his story with students in teacher Judy Parker’s fifth grade class.
During a sharing project at school, student Robert James Friend brought in pictures and told his class that his great-grandfather was a Tuskegee air pilot in World War II.
Tuskegee Airmen was a group comprised of pilots, navigators, bombardiers, and staff. They were the first African Americans service men allowed to fly for the U.S. military.
“I thought that was super fascinating,” Park said. “We talked more about it I found out that he was able to come speak to our class, so we invited him.”
Robert James invited his great grandpa to come share his experience with his classmates.
Park saw this as a great learning opportunity that would become a lifelong memory for her students. She said the kids were very excited to meet someone who played a meaningful role in history. The class did research on the Tuskegee pilots to prepare for Friend’s visit.
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“It’s a huge honor to have him here,” Park said.
Friend’s great-grandson read an introduction about his great-grandfather to his classmates before playing a video about the Tuskegee Airmen.
After the presentation, Friend shared stories about his experience as an airman and signed autographs.
“He’s a wonderful man,” said Robert James. “It’s such an honor to be related to a person that was in World War II.”
Friend says he’s very proud to say his great-grandfather was one of the first African-American pilots in World War II.
