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Tuskegee Airman with Scott ties dies

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brian Butkus
  • 375th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
2007/04/26 --  The Air Force lost a devoted retiree, and a significant part of its history April 9 when Maj. (ret.) Lewis Lynch passed away.


Major Lynch was a member of the original Tuskegee Airmen and flew fighter planes in Europe during World War II.


The term Tuskegee Airmen refers to all involved in the "Tuskegee Experiment," the Army Air Corps program to train African-Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft.


The Tuskegee Airmen included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, maintenance, support staff, instructors and all the personnel who kept the planes in the air.


Major Lynch graduated from the Tuskegee Institute in 1944 and flew 42 missions, mainly in P-51s, from Italy with the 332nd Fighter Group, which was staffed by Tuskegee pilots.


After the war, Major Lynch stayed in the Air Force and flew fighter jets, as both a pilot and an instructor.


Major Lynch retired from active duty in 1964 while at Scott Air Force Base.


Upon his retirement, Major Lynch worked as a contractor for the Air Force and devoted much of his time to educating servicemembers and civilians about the Tuskegee Airmen legacy.


On March 29 the Tuskegee Airmen as a group received the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor for their "unique military record, which inspired revolutionary reform in the Armed Forces," according to an official proclamation by Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives.


Major Lynch was unable to attend the event due to illness, but his son David went in his honor and wore a picture of his father on his chest to signify his father's presence as one of the original Tuskegee Airmen.


Major Lynch is survived by three daughters; Cathy Watson of Raleigh, N.C., Susan Beaubian of Las Vegas and Robin Lynch of Hastings on Hudson, N.Y.; and a son, David Lynch of Washington.

A memorial service in Major Lynch's honor will be held Saturday at Austin Layne Mortuary in St. Louis. His cremated remains are to be interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.