Fresno veteran, James Robinson, speaks fondly of the Tuskegee Airmen. They were the first group of African American U.S. military pilots, whom are featured in the film "Red Tails," which is now showing in theaters.
Robinson experienced portions of what's seen in the movie. As did his cousin, who served as a Tuskegee Airman.
We sat down with the energenic 89-year old at his southwest Fresno home where he shared with us his first hand impression of the Tuskegee Airmen.
"Awesome, that's what they were," said James Robinson.
Robinson wasn't so bad himself. The Tech Sergeant earned several medals, including a Bronze Star, fighting on the ground for the U.S. Army during World War II.
His cousin, the late Jesse Henry Simpson, was up in the sky.
"That guy knew everything," said Robinson.
Simpson was a certified pilot., but because of segregation, he never got a chance to fly. That is until Colonel Benjamin Davis took the bold move of putting a Tuskegee fighter squadron into combat.
"Man they were cutting them in half and they were flying out of there," Robinson remembers.
George Lucas' film, "Red Tails," documents their story.
"It means a lot to me," said Robinson.
We caught up with folks as they walked out of the showing of "Red Tails."
"They really did a good job. It was an excellent movie," said Tom Balmanno.
Steve Pearson says it added to the respect he already has for our military.
"I have two sons in the Air Force and it just makes me that much more proud to come see something like this and be involved with it," said Steve Pearson.
Robinson has not watched the movie yet.
"I wouldn't mind seeing it," said Robinson.
But he worries he would be less of a viewer and more of a reviewer.
"I'm gonna go see it so I can criticize it and say no it didn't happen like that," said Robinson.
Critcism aside, Robinson encourages all Americans to check out "Red Tails."
"Go see it, that's history. It shows what we went through to make the United States as free as it is," said Robinson.
The Tuskegee Airmen painted the tails of their P-51 airplanes red, which is how the nickname Red Tails was adopted.
The fighter group made more than 15,000 combat flights. Of the 1,000 pilots, 66 were killed in action.