Mitchell Higginbotham
| |
|---|---|
Mitchell Higginbotham
| |
| Born | March 2, 1921 |
| Died | February 14, 2016 (aged 94) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University of ColoradoMS in Labor Relations[1] |
| Occupation | U.S. Army Air Force |
| Years active | 1942-1946 (active), 1946-1962 (reserve) |
| Known for | Tuskegee Airmen |
| Relatives | Robert Higginbotham (brother) |
| Awards | Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the Tuskegee Airmen |
Mitchell Higginbotham (March 2, 1921 – February 14, 2016) was a U.S. Army Air Force officer who was a member of the African American World War II fighter group known as the Tuskegee Airmen.[2][1]
Higginbotham was born on March 2, 1921 [2]inAmherst, Virginia, to Plinkam L Higginbotham and Hester Higginbotham.[3] He has a younger brother, Robert, who also became a member of the U.S. military.[4]
Higginbotham joined the U.S. military in the summer 1942.[2] He subsequently was accepted into the Tuskegee Army Airfield Class TE-44-K from which he graduated on February 1, 1945, with a commission as a Second Lieutenant.[2] Higginbotham became one of the original members of the Tuskegee Airmen when he was assigned to the 477th Bombardment Group.[2] He served on active duty through the end of World War II; in 1946, he left active duty but continued as a member of the U.S. Army Air Force Reserves.[2] He initially flew fighter aircraft but eventually moved up to flying B-52s.[4]
Higginbotham's younger brother Robert also joined the military during World War II two years after his older brother; however, Robert Higginbotham became a pilot for the Navy Air Corps.[4]
Higginbotham was one of 100 black servicemen who were arrested for attempting to enter an officers club reserved for white officers.[4] This event became known as the Freeman Field Mutiny;[4] it is widely seen as a key moment in the path towards full integration of the U.S. Armed Services.[5]
Following his years of active duty, Higginbotham went to work for the Los Angeles Airport Advisory Committee, working as a registrar at the Pittsburg Airport.[2] He also served as a probation officer for nearly thirty years.[2]
Higginbotham and his brother Robert both attended the ceremony in 2007 where the Congressional Gold Medal was collectively presented to the Tuskegee Airmen for their contributions during World War II.[4] He also received "Man of the Year" Award from the Los Angeles Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc in 1996.[2]
