The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian recognition awarded by the U.S. Congress. This medal was presented to the Tuskegee Airmen, African American pilots flying for the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. Awarded on March 29, 2007, the medal recognized their “unique military record that inspired revolutionary reform in the Armed Forces.” 




John Edward Allen was born in Florida in 1929, and he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps after graduation from high school in 1945. Allen served from 1945-1946 and trained at Tuskegee, Alabama, with the 332nd Fighter Wing. However, he did not see combat in World War II. MSgt. Allen reenlisted in 1946 and remained in the Air Force during the Korean and Vietnam wars, until retiring in1982. He received the Air Force Commendation Medal for assisting in de-arming two dozen 500-pound bombs dropped from the wing of a B-52 bomber being prepared for a mission in Vietnam. As a civilian, Allen worked until 2000 in the Weapons Services Division at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. A recognized community leader, he helped found the General Lloyd W. “Fig” Newton Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen. Allen received the Congressional Gold Medal for service as a Tuskegee Airman. He died July 30, 2013.

The 99th Pursuit Squadron was activated March 22, 1941. The Black segregated unit was nicknamed the Tuskegee Airmen after the institute the pilots were trained in Tuskegee, Alabama. The term would eventually encompass all those who made up parts of the 332nd Fighter Group and 477th Bombardment Group of the Army Air Forces. 

Initially seeing combat in North Africa, the Tuskegee Airmen spent most of the war in Italy flying P-51 Mustangs and P-47 Thunderbolts. They would earn three Distinguished Unit Citations.

United States Air Force Master Sgt. John Edward Allen was drafted in 1945 from Live Oak, Florida at the age of 17. Assigned to the 332nd Fighter Group, he never saw combat. He did receive an Air Force Commendation Medal for helping de-arm two dozen 500-pound bombs during the Vietnam War. 

In 2007 he was part of 300 #TuskegeeAirmen awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in 2007.
He died in 2013. 

Master Sgt. John Edward Allen is interred at Santa Fe National Cemetery. He was 84.


JOHN EDWARD ALLEN

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