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Veterans History Project Service Summary:

  • War or Conflict: World War, 1939-1945
  • Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
  • Unit of Service: 302nd Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group
  • Location of Service: North Africa; Europe; Guam (Mariana Islands); Asia; Canal Zone, Panama; Italy
  • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

View full service history

"I never thought about air-to-air combat as a big problem. I looked for it." (Video Interview, 1:05:14)

Inspired by stories of WWI combat pilots dueling in the skies over Europe, Lee Archer yearned to fly in service of his country. He got his chance in World War II, though initially thwarted by the racial policies of the Armed Forces. Rejected by the Army Air Corps at the beginning of the war, Archer was invited in 1942 to join the Tuskegee Experiment to train African American men to fly. Tuskegee-trained pilots compiled a perfect record in escorting U.S. bombers over Europe, and Archer relished the opportunity to take on German planes. His confirmed four victories--three in one memorable day--attested to his skill and courage.

More Resources

Lee A. Archer, Jr. Collection
Interview / Recording

View 3 images in sequence.
[ Biography of Lee "Buddy" Archer, Tuskeegee Airman ]

About this Item

Title

  • Lee A. Archer, Jr. Collection

Names

  • Winchester, Brad
  • Department of Veterans Affairs, Public & Intergovernmental Affairs
  • McDowell, Ivonne
  • Archer Jr., Lee A.

State of Birth

  • NY

Home State

  • NY

Headings

  • -  Archer Jr., Lee A.
  • -  World War, 1939-1945 -- Personal Narratives
  • -  United States. Army Air Forces/Corps.

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Gender

  • Male

Race

  • Black or African American

Status

  • Veteran

Service History

  • World War, 1939-1945

    • Branch of Service: Army Air Forces/Corps
    • Unit of Service: 302nd Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group
    • Location of Service: North Africa; Europe; Guam (Mariana Islands); Asia; Canal Zone, Panama; Italy
    • Highest Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
    • Dates of Service: 1941-1970
    • Entrance into Service: Enlisted
    • Military Status: Veteran
    • Service History Note: Member of the Tuskegee Airmen as a pilot. He flew combat missions in the "Macon Belle." Archer also noted that there was strict segregation. Veteran also served in the Army and Air Force.

Materials

  • Video: DVCAM [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 02/2004)
  • Manuscript: Biography [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected [2004])
  • Video: DVD [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 02/2004)
  • Audio: DAT [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 03/24/2004)

Collection Number

  • AFC/2001/001/44004

Cite as

  • Lee A. Archer, Jr. Collection (AFC/2001/001/44004), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

Online Format

  • audio
  • image
  • video

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

Using VHP Material in Publication or Exhibition

The Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. The Veterans History Project Collection includes oral histories along with documentary materials such as original letters, diaries, photographs, and memoirs.

Veterans and interviewers contribute these materials to the Library for scholarly and educational purposes, retaining any copyright they may hold. Therefore, permission must be obtained before using the interview or other materials in exhibition or publication. Researchers or others who would like to make further use of these materials should contact the Veterans History Project for assistance.

As a publicly supported institution, the Library generally does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot give or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute material in its collections. Responsibility for making an independent legal assessment of an item from the Library’s collections and for securing any necessary permissions rests with persons desiring to use the item.

Please contact us with questions.

Obtaining Copies of VHP Materials

In order for VHP materials to be duplicated, we must receive written permission from the interviewee for you to obtain a copy of the recording unless the proposed use is limited to personal use, research, or other uses permissible by copyright law. If the interviewee is deceased, their next-of-kin may grant written permission.

Please contact VHP for assistance if you need to contact a veteran for permission to use their materials in exhibition or publication, or if you have received permission from the veteran and need access to high-resolution copies of VHP collection materials.

Citing VHP Materials

Please use the following formats when citing Veterans History Project materials (substituting the appropriate name and collection ID number).

Materials as a whole:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Manuscript material:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Memoirs (MS02), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Transcript (MS04), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Correspondence (MS01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Recording:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Audio recording (SR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Video recording (MV01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Photograph:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Photographs (PH01), photographer unknown, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.
  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Photographs (PH03-PH14), Ralph Williams photographer, Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Computer file:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Computer file (CF01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Artifact:

  • John P. Snodgrass (AFC 2001/001/xxxx), Artifact (AR01), Veterans History Project Collection, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Winchester, Brad, Public & Intergovernmental Affairs Department Of Veterans Affairs, Ivonne McDowell, and Lee A Archer Jr. Lee A. Archer, Jr. Collection. 1941. Personal Narrative. https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.44004/.

APA citation style:

Winchester, B., Department Of Veterans Affairs, P. &. I. A., McDowell, I. & Archer Jr, L. A. (1941) Lee A. Archer, Jr. Collection. [Personal Narrative] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.44004/.

MLA citation style:

Winchester, Brad, et al. Lee A. Archer, Jr. Collection. 1941. Personal Narrative. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.44004/>.