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The Story of an Original Tuskegee Pilot Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann

A powerful and inspiring account of courage, perseverance, and pride — told through the eyes of a true Tuskegee Airman.

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The Story of an Original Tuskegee Pilot Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann

Tuskegee Airmen WWII Fighter Pilots: The Story of an Original Tuskegee Pilot Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann. This book honors the military and national contributions of The Tuskegee Airmen-African American Pilots known as “Red Tails” who never lost a bomber they escorted during World War II. These decorated pilots overcame a prejudiced study in 1925 by the US War Department, which concluded that Blacks cannot fly a complex airplane.” States of America.

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Dr. Patrick Coggins, Distinguished Professor at Stetson University in Multicultural Education, African and African American History, and Cultural Competence in all populations. He is a native of Georgetown, Guyana, and has worked on the Florida Commissioner of Education African American History Task Force and the Holocaust Education Task Force. He has worked closely with members of the 99th Pursuit Squadron and helped to document their stories, including a biography of Lt. Colonel Hiram E. Mann, a decorated WWII Tuskegee Pilot. Each year, Dr. Coggins provides a free lecture at the DeLand City Library in the Tuskegee Pilots.

Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann

Lieutenant Colonel Hiram Mann (1921–2014) was an American hero whose life embodied courage, perseverance, and an unwavering commitment to service. A member of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, Mann broke racial barriers during World War II as one of the pioneering African American military aviators who forever changed the history of the United States Armed Forces. Flying forty-eight combat missions over Europe with the famed 332nd Fighter Group—better known as the “Red Tails”—he helped redefine what was possible through skill, determination, and extraordinary bravery.

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Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann

Featured in The New York Times Book Review

We are proud to share that Tuskegee Airmen: WWII Fighter Pilots by Dr. Patrick C. Coggins has been featured through a book placement in The New York Times Book Review. This milestone provides the book with greater visibility among readers, literary enthusiasts, and audiences interested in the remarkable legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Through this feature, Dr. Coggins’ work continues to honor the courage, service, and historical significance of these pioneering fighter pilots while reaching an even wider audience.

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Get your copy today and be inspired by a legacy that soars.

book review by Barbara Bamberger Scott

“The Tuskegee Airmen Experience provided evidence, which exposed the depth of racism in the United States.”
Ostensibly writing an account focusing on Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann’s experiences as a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen (as indicated by the book’s title), author Dr. Patrick C. Coggins, an academic who leads workshops in cultural issues, has not limited himself to one person’s story. Instead, he uses this forum to shed light on the larger history of the formation of the Tuskegee Airfield and the development of the all African-American 99th Pursuit Squadron. He delineates the biases faced by the men who comprised that team, in the era of widespread racial segregation. Written with minute attention to detail, the book also describes the position of African American men prior to World War II, providing a richer context for the important, indeed revolutionary, nature of the accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Book Reviews

This is the only Tuskegee Airmen book that has an actual diary recorded by A Tuskegee pilot during his World War II experiences. This diary was written while he was flying fighter jets during a very devastating was that took millions of victims of the Holocaust and others. A must read for anyone who doubts that African American pilots laid down their lives to protect the freedom of so many people in the world while they themselves had no equal and human rights in their home of the United States of America. According to most military accounts Tuskegee pilots never lost a bomber that they were assigned to escort during the war.
Amazon Customer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lt. Col. Hiram Mann’s biography as an original Tuskegee Airman fighter pilot. The author, Dr. P. C. Coggins has expertly articulated Lt. Col. Mann’s first-hand account experiences of struggles he encountered on his attempt to join the military and the challenges he had experienced because of the “color” of his skin while serving in the military. Since I, as the reader, originated from another country, the Philippines, the story of Lt. Col. Mann awakened my consciousness on the truth of how a “colored” person has to work several times harder than the other person to prove his competence and skill. I find it excellent on how the author conscientiously and deliberately collected historical documentations to support the personal accounts he had written on Lt. Col. Mann. This is truly a five star book. I plan to use this material as a supplemental reader for my Senior college class in Multicultural Education.
Amazon Customer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I am very happy to be able to both study and share a remarkable story of valor, determination, resilience, and courage. The story of the Tuskegee Airmen makes me feel proud to be a Black American and share in a part of the legacy of Black Americans in the United States Military. As a former Black U.S. Army soldier, I am aware of many of the cultural barriers that existed during the World War II period as well as today. I am also aware of the fact that the successes of the Tuskegee Airmen could not have been possible if it were not for God and courageous key persons who decided to go against the grain to both exercise and display a strong sense of bravery, sensitivity, and fairness to allow the Tuskegee Airmen to demonstrate their competence and skills as pilots in the Army Air Corps. Excellent Story!
Amazon Customer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Top-Notch” is the word that I would use to describe not only the true heroes of the Tuskegee Flying Experience, but also the author’s ability to capture the true essence of being such a hero during the time of WWII. Dr. Patrick Coggns, author of Tuskegee Airman Fighter Pilot: A Story of an Original Tuskegee Pilot Lt. Col. Hiram E. Mann, has helped to capture the life of Lt. Col. Mann both then and now. This reader friendly book is a must have for all of us who have been impacted by the many accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen.
Primrose, Woman2woman Book Club ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

What Makes This Book Unique?

Many books tell the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. This one lets you experience it through the eyes of the man who lived it.
Unlike traditional histories that focus primarily on military operations, this book combines personal documents, official records, and family history to create an intimate portrait of one pilot’s extraordinary journey.

Go beyond the history books. Read Lt. Col. Mann’s own words through his personal diary and experience World War II through the eyes of a Tuskegee Airman. Every page offers an authentic, firsthand account of courage, sacrifice, and determination, preserving a remarkable legacy for future generations.
Inside you’ll discover:

Personal Diary

Read the only Diary of A Tuskegee WWII Pilot: Lt. Col. Hiram Mann’s own words through his personal diary, where every entry offers an authentic, firsthand account of military service, sacrifice, and perseverance in a war zone and theatre.

Authentic Flight Records

Follow Lt. Col. Mann’s wartime missions through official flight records and military documents, providing a documented account of his service in the skies over Europe.

Family Legacy

Discover rare family photographs, personal stories, and treasured memories that reveal the man behind the uniform and the enduring impact of his legacy on future generations.

Historical Timeline

One of the unique documents of the Journey through Lt. Col. Mann’s pilot’s life, with a detailed timeline that places his experiences alongside the defining moments of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen, and the fight for equality in the U.S. Armed Forces.

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