VIENNA — Fifth-graders from Lincoln, Willard, Jefferson and McGuffey PK-8 schools will immerse themselves in history — specifically, World War II history — at this week’s Commemorative Air Force Rise Above traveling exhibit at the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport.

The exhibit’s theme is Triumph Over Adversity. The Red Tail Squadron, which is dedicated to bringing the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen to life, and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) will be featured at the event, which runs Wednesday through Sunday at the airport in Vienna.

The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of African-American and Caribbean-born military pilots (fighter and bomber) who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group of the United States Army Air Forces.

The name also applies to the navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, crew chiefs, nurses, cooks and other support personnel, according to the CAF Rise Above website.

They are best known for the extraordinary efforts in the air war of World War II, and for challenging the stereotypes that had kept black Americans from serving as pilots in the U.S. armed forces.

WARREN HERITAGE CENTER INVOLVEMENT

The traveling exhibit is coming to Trumbull County through the efforts of Jim Valesky, president of the Warren Heritage Center, which is located inside the Kinsman House in downtown Warren.

He also was instrumental in bringing The Wall That Heals traveling replica of the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., to the lawn of Packard Music Hall in the summer of 2018.

Valesky said he started planning for the CAF Rise Above exhibit before COVID-19 shut everything down in the spring of 2020. He said the conversation reignited last year and the educational exhibit originally was supposed to come to Vienna in October, but there was an incident with the aircraft, the North American Aviation P-51 Mustang, that accompanies the display.

The Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War.

“I gave the (Warren) school district the option to bring the exhibit without the aircraft, but school officials opted to wait until the aircraft was available to give the students the full experience,” Valesky said.

“The lessons of the Tuskegee Airmen are so much more than a page out of a World War II history book. They are an example of how to overcome any obstacle and triumph over your own adversities,” according to the CAF Rise Above website. “After the war, the Tuskegee Airmen made great personal achievements, continuing to break down racial barriers. Many of them went on to earn advanced degree as doctors, entrepreneurs and educators. Those who persevered in their military careers earned high rank, including two four-star generals.”

The WASP portion of the exhibit is “dedicated to honoring the trailblazing WASPs of World War II for their courage and determination to serve our country, and share their story of inspiration to rise above any obstacles,” the CAF website states. “This group of heroic Americans exhibited bravery and determination in the face of many who felt that women could not do what was then considered a man’s job. Despite the obstacles and disapproval of others, these women forged ahead and served with distinction as the first women to fly American military aircraft.”

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT

The traveling exhibit includes a mobile movie theater that features two original, short Rise Above films that tell the story of these two military groups. The 160-degree panoramic screen gives the audience the feeling of being in the cockpit. It has a ramp and hydraulic lift to accommodate those in wheelchairs or anyone who uses a walker.

Valesky said his original plan was to feature only the Tuskegee Airmen, but he later decided to include the WASP portion.

Erin Miller, granddaughter of WASP Elaine Danforth Harmon and an author, is the keynote speaker at 5 p.m. Saturday.

“We believe the message from this exhibit is a positive one,” Valesky said.

He said the exhibit is specifically aimed at school children, noting fifth-graders in the Warren City School District are learning about the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASPs in their curriculum.

“Students, through their language arts curriculum, are currently reading about disenfranchised groups of people during the World War II era; women, Native Americans and the Tuskegee Airmen. These disenfranchised groups of people displayed perseverance and grit, which demonstrated to people that did not believe in them that they had what it took to do the job given to them and excel. This trip to the Tuskegee Airmen presentation is important to the students in the Warren City Schools because it will bring a part of history they are studying to life,” Wendy Hartzell, chief academic officer for the district, said.

Valesky said admission to the exhibit is free, but donations will be accepted to cover $30,000 worth of expenses that includes fuel for the planes, hotel stays and food for the traveling exhibit volunteers, and mementos for the Warren students, as well as other children who attend. One of the mementos will be a set of dog tags to commemorate the event.

“The Tuskegee Airmen went through all that they did to make our nation a better and safer place for everyone. The World War II pilots and bombers were happy to see those red tails coming. They only found out later that the men flying those red tails were men of color. Military troops were still segregated then,” Valesky said.

“It wasn’t that long ago when women couldn’t vote, so the WASPs were trailblazers. They had the skills to fly the aircraft, but they were not allowed in active combat, so they moved the aircraft from place to place during the war to free up the men to fight.”

Valesky said the Warren Heritage Center’s educational mission is to be all inclusive, with a special focus on school-age children.

“It is vitally important that we pass on to our younger generation their heritage and for them to know where they came from. Having this knowledge will help them better prepare not only for today’s world, but for their future as well,” Valesky said.

For more information about the CAF Rise Above exhibit, contact Valesky at warrenheritage@aol.com.

If you go

WHAT: Rise Above: Triumph Over Adversity traveling World War II exhibit

WHERE: Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, Vienna

WHEN: Wednesday through Sunday. Students from Warren schools will be at the exhibit from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday and Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Thursday. Opening ceremony will be 11 a.m. to noon Wednesday, and it will be open to the public 1:15 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, noon to 6 p.m. Thursday, 1 to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

COST: Free, but donations will be accepted.