2009 Medal Tuskegee Airmen Bronze 76mm

Coin Details

Description

This 76mm bronze medal is a variant of the Tuskegee Airmen Congressional Gold Medal duplicate, honoring the African American pilots, navigators, bombardiers, and ground crews who overcame racial discrimination to serve with distinction in World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen program was established in response to pressure from the African American community and their political allies, who demanded that Black Americans be given the opportunity to serve as military pilots despite the military establishment's deeply entrenched resistance to integration. The obverse presents the Tuskegee Airmen tribute in the full 76mm format, honoring a program that produced some of the most decorated combat aviators of World War II. The 99th Pursuit Squadron, the first Black flying unit, deployed to North Africa in 1943 and later served in the Mediterranean and European theaters. The unit was initially given obsolete aircraft and assigned to secondary missions, but the airmen's skill and determination eventually won them the opportunity to fly the latest fighters on the most demanding missions. Their transition from P-40 Warhawks to P-51 Mustangs symbolized their increasing acceptance and the military's grudging recognition of their capabilities. The reverse carries Congressional Gold Medal program inscriptions. The distinction between this 76mm medal and the "3 inch" version (PCGS #508462) may reflect different production runs, packaging, or distribution channels, as both are nominally the same size. The Tuskegee Airmen medal program recognizes one of the most important achievements in both American military and civil rights history.

Rarity Notes

Bronze Congressional Gold Medal duplicate, 76mm. Available from the U.S. Mint as part of the Tuskegee Airmen recognition program.

Cross References

PCGS #506955; Tuskegee Airmen Congressional Gold Medal; 99th Pursuit Squadron; Tuskegee, Alabama