GADSDEN ALABAMA- Lt. Col. Herbert Eugene "Gene" Carter (USAF Ret.), one of the few remaining famous Tuskegee Airmen, will speak at the Gadsden/Etowah Patriots Hall of Honor Luncheon on Wednesday, November 7 at the Gadsden Convention Hall. "It is awesome to get someone of that caliber to be our speaker; someone who has actually flown 77 combat missions," said Gadsden Etowah Patriots Association President, Rick Vaughan, "He is a great speaker and much in demand, although he's 94 years old. We are lucky to get him."
Tuskegee Airman Col. Herbert Carter, USAF retired, with Congressional Gold Medal at Southern Museum of Flight. -photo B Meyer, AlabamaAviator.com-file.
One of five former pilots from the 99th Fighter Squadron, he was asked to coach and play a key advisory role during the filming of the recent movie, "Red Tails," documentary.
Accompanying Carter will be Col. Roosevelt J. Lewis, Jr., (USAF Ret.), expert on historic Moton Field in Tuskegee, a famous military personality and noted speaker.
Among Col. Carter's awards are the Chevalier Legion of Honor, France's highest honor and most prestigious award and the Congressional Gold Medal. He was in, additional, honored by Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Since his retirement from the University of Tuskegee Institute in 1985, he has lectured throughout the world, speaking to some 80,000 Air Force officers at various locations.
Luncheon tickets are $10 and may be purchased from 10 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Patriots Association office at the Mort Glosser Amphitheatre, or from members of the association. Doors will open for the Patriots' Luncheon at 11 a.m. Nov. 7, and lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Additional details on purchasing Luncheon tickets phone 256/467-4042. -Staff Report