Original U.S. WWII Tuskegee Airman Lt. Everett E. Richardson Uniform & Extensive Ephemera Grouping - 616th Bomb Squadron, 477th Bomb Group, Stateside Service
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Original Items. One-of-a-Kind Grouping. This is the outstanding uniform and extensive ephemera grouping of Lieutenant Everett E. Richardson, a Tuskegee Airman who served as a Navigator with the 616th Bombardment Squadron, 477th Bombardment Group during World War II. Richardson joined the service on October 19th, 1942, being trained as a Navigator at several schools across the U.S. “The 477th BG (Colored) was the last-formed of the Tuskegee Airmen flying organizations. Yet the men of the 477th distinguished themselves in a different way. When confronted with bigotry and illegal segregation beyond their capability to endure, they protested and risked jail, or worse, by challenging the direct orders of their commander.”
One very interesting document in this group, dated March 17th, 1945, denotes Richardson’s request to be transferred to new assignment, likely a combat assignment, being disapproved by Major Raymond E. Gandy, likely as the stateside command of the AAF wanted to stop as many African Americans from serving in planes overseas as possible.
Richardson enlisted in September 1942 with the full intention of flying in combat, and even after training at TAAF, AAF Global Navigation school, Precision Heavy Bombardment School, training as a Technician in the famous Norden Bombsight, Flexible Aerial Gunnery, Yuma AAF, Officer’s Course in Military Camouflage, he was assigned to the 1st Air Force Headquarters, and was finally assigned to the 616th Bombardment Squadron, 477th Bombardment Group, but was not able to see combat.
This grouping consists of:
- Everett’s Army officer uniform with a great bullion 1st Air Force patch on the left shoulder, US & AAF Collar insignia, 2nd Lieutenant bars on the shoulders, and a set of Sterling Navigator wings by N.S. Meyer over the left breast pocket. It looks like there was a patch on the right cuff that is now gone. The interior has a great original stamp reading:
Lt. Everett E. Richardson
O-713053
This is 100% a period stamp and identifies the jacket to Richardson.
- Great original photographs of Richardson including several silly shots, baseball shots, photos of him with friends, African American women, and a GREAT Shot of him and his friends in their gear next to a bomber.
- The requisition form for Richardson’s Navigation Type A-11 wristwatch, wow!
- Richardson’s copy of “The Officer’s Guide” stenciled with his name inside.
- 1st Air Force patch
- AAF Patch, scrapbook removed.
- Cloth set of Navigator wings, white on black background, uncut.
- Richardson’s ribbon bar with the American Campaign Medal and the WWII Victory Medal.
- Countless training manuals, training documents, supply requisition documents, many named to Richardson. One is “How to Operate the Sextant” which is stamped with stencil E.E. RICHARDSON at the top.
- Folder stenciled E.E. RICHARDSON with great Army documents, all stateside stuff. Many documents are signed or addressed to Richardson.
- Richardson’s personal embossed copy of “THE TUSKEGEE EXPERIENCE” with E.E. RICHARDSON embossed on the front. He is shown on page 81.
- Tons of great veterans reunion ephemera including booklets, photographs, pamphlets, and a fantastic Booklet signed by Tuskegee Airmen in May 2007, including Eugene Richardson, John L. Harrison, and Henry Moore.
- Several manila envelopes labeled with what’s inside including photographs from reunions, original training documents from Navigation school at Hondo Army Airfield in Texas, Central Flying Training Command in Texas, Yuma Army Airfield in Arizona. Some other envelopes are labeled “Clothing and Equipment issue documents”, and “Cartoons” with some very tasteful cartoons of a buffoonish oaf making several mistakes while flying.
- Copt of “The Tuskegee Airmen” signed on the interior cover by four Tuskegee Airmen!
- Great deal of post-war ephemera, booklets, newspapers, packets of training information, and more.
Everett Emerson Richardson was born on April 27th, 1917 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He first enlisted in the Army Air Forces in September 1942, and began Pilot training at TAAF, Tuskegee, AL, Class 43-F; Graduated AAF Global Aerial Navigation School, Hondo AAF, TX; Graduated Precision Heavy Bombardment School with additional specialized training as Technician in the famous Norden Bomb Sight, Roswell AAF, Roswell, NM; Graduated Instructor's Training School for Flexible Aerial Gunnery, Yuma AAF, Yuma, AZ.; Graduated Officer's Course in Military Camouflage, Headquarters First Air Force, Mitchel Field, NY; Graduated Synthetic Trainer Instructor's Course for the specialized Celestial Navigational Trainer and Link Trainers; Assigned to original 477th Bombardment Group (M), Squadron Leader 616th Squadron; 318th Headquarters Group of 477th Composite Group as Navigational Group Leader with additional duties as member of Aircraft Crash Investigation Board. Richardson separated from the service on January 27th, 1947 at Lockbourne Army Air Base in Columbus, Ohio.
After the war, Richardson was employed by the U.S. Postal Service, Philadelphia, PA. Served 8 years as Customer Service Representative for USPS followed by 3 years as Customer Service Asst. Sectional Center Manager for the Delaware Valley Area. He retired from USPS in January 1979. He served as Eastern Regional President and Member of the Board of TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, INC. Political Leader of 32nd Ward, Philadelphia, PA. Richardson passed away on May 4th, 1993 at the age of 76.
This is an outstanding grouping to a Tuskegee Airman, ready for further research and display!
Approximate Measurements:-
Collar to shoulder: 10"
Shoulder to sleeve: 26”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16.5"
Chest width: 20”
Waist: 18"
Hip: 23"
Front length: 31"
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