Aviation History: Jack Holsclaw, Tuskegee Airman Traditional Cache

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Rock Rabbit: The cache owner is not responding to issues with this listing, so I must regretfully archive it.

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Hidden : 1/13/2013
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: micro (micro)

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Geocache Description:

This cache is located only about two blocks from the home where Jack Holsclaw grew up.


Aviation History: Jack Holsclaw, Tuskegee Airman

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military aviators in the United States armed forces.

Born March 21, 1918 in Spokane, WA, Jack Holsclaw was the city's first African-American Eagle Scout at the age of 15. Jack graduated from Spokane's North Central High School in 1935. Holsclaw spent a year at Whitworth College before transferring south to Washington State College. Holsclaw played basketball and baseball and tried out for both while at WSC. He was the last person cut from Jack Friel's basketball squad but he did make the grade on Arthur "Buck" Bailey's baseball team. Holsclaw majored in political science but he decided to pursue a career in the medical field. He was accepted into a chiropractic program and transferred to Western State College in Portland, OR. During the time he was working on his Naturopathy degree he also participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at Multnomah College and earned his private pilots license.

At the time of his graduation, World War II was occurring, and Holsclaw went right into the Army after college, where his flight training would pay off. Holsclaw reported to flight school at Tuskegee University in Alabama where he underwent training with a distinguished group of flyers. "Our entire unit, pilots, crew members, mechanics, mess personnel, the whole outfit, our commanding officers, were black," said Holsclaw. "We were the Red Tails; we got that name because of the tails of our P-51s were painted red."



During the war, Holsclaw flew in seven major campaigns as an escort pilot throughout the European Continent logging long hours. Holsclaw's most notable occurrence in those hours logged occurred on July 18, 1944, when his crew were escorting heavy bombers attacking enemy installations in Germany. Suddenly, the unit of 64 P-51s soon came up against 300 German fighters. "We knew we were outnumbered," Holsclaw remembered. "The weather was kind of bad that day. Our group leaders had engine trouble and had to return to the field so I took over as group leader. I was not one of the most senior people but we were sitting up there flubbing our dub, flying in circles and I knew we weren't going to make it to the target--escorting the bombers if we didn't get going. I just kind of automatically took over and said over my radio that we were heading out and I took the lead to rendezvous the bombers. "Our mission was to stay with and protect the bombers instead of flying off in pursuit. So what we did was designate one of our four squadrons as an attack squadron for each mission and we rotated the attack designation so that any given squadron would be the attack squadron every fourth mission," Holsclaw said, "the attack guys could break off and go in pursuit of the German fighters while the 3 other squadrons had to stay and protect the bombers. In all, Holsclaw's unit shot down 11 German fighters, Holsclaw accounting for two. For his heroics, Holsclaw was one of the first pilots in WWII to bestowed with the Distinguished Flying Cross.


Jack Holsclaw, second from right, at awards ceremony when he was one of four pilots who were presented the Distinguished Flying Cross Award September 10, 1944.

In the picture above taken at Ramitelli, Italy, Lt. Holsclaw was presented the Award by General Benjamin Oliver Davis, Sr. who was the first African-American general officer in the United States Army. Also receiving the DFC Award that day were Col. B.O. Davis, Jr, son of the General and commander of the 332nd Fighter Group (The Tuskegee Airmen), Capt Joseph Elsberry and Lt. Clarence Lester. If you have seen The Tuskegee Airmen or Red Tails you will know that these men were the real heroes who were portrayed in those movies.

Spokane has a connection to a great hero in World War II as evidenced by his Distinguished Flying Cross citation. The citation read: "For extraordinary achievement in aerial flights as a pilot of a P-51 type aircraft on 18 July 1944. Lt. Holsclaw led his flight as escort to heavy bombers attacking enemy installations in Germany. Despite several adverse weather conditions, he brought his flight through to engage an enemy force of approximately 300 enemy fighters. In the ensuing engagement, despite superiority in numbers of enemy aircraft, with complete disregard of his personal safety, Lt. Holsclaw with an outstanding display of aggressiveness and combat proficiency, destroyed two enemy fighters and forced the remainder to break off their organized attacks. By his outstanding courage, professional skill and devotion to duty, as evidenced throughout his combat career, Lt. Holsclaw has reflected great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of the United States of America."


Jack Holsclaw, second from right.

Holsclaw made a career of the military accepting a commission after the war and staying on until his retirement from the military in 1965 as a Lt. Col. in the United States Air Force. During that time, Holsclaw served in Korea, Japan and Vietnam and taught ROTC. After retirement he worked for the Federal Housing Authority and returned to work in Bellvue, Washington for a decade before retiring for good to Tucson in 1984. He passed away on April 7, 1998.

In all, 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee from 1941 to 1946. 450 were deployed overseas, and 150 lost their lives in accidents or combat. Individual pilots of the 332nd Fighter Group, including Jack Holsclaw, earned approximately 1000 awards and decorations. This cache is to honor Jack Holsclaw, a true American Hero, and all of the other Tuskegee Airmen who so honorably served our nation.
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Some of this information was from Nov. 10, 2009 Stories That Live Forever, WSU. Stories of WSU student athletes who went on to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States.

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Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Obyg ubyr

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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