IRVING, Texas --In conjuction with the upcoming release of the new Lucasfilm movie Red Tails, the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets will salute the Tuskegee Airmen and their 70th anniversary of service with a special tribute during three NFL games held on Nov. 13, Veterans Day Weekend.
The game presentations will feature salutes to the Tuskegee Airmen, including sideline interviews with some of the original veteran World War II pilots, and on-field tributes to these American heroes.
Stars from *Red Tails, *an action adventure film that celebrates the bravery of the Tuskegee Airmen, will also attend pre-game tailgate events and performing at select games. The cast includes Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Nate Parker, Elijah Kelley, Tristan Wilds, Leslie Odom Jr., Michael B. Jordan and Gerald McRaney. *Red Tails *opens in theaters on Jan. 20, 2012.
An all-African-American combat unit created at the Tuskegee Institute in 1941, the Tuskegee Airmen pilots faced unimaginable challenges: fierce discrimination, outdated training equipment, and their performance was scrutinized by government officials who believed they would fail. Despite these obstacles, the Tuskegee Airmen persevered and earned an impressive combat record in World War II. They flew more than 15,000 sorties on more than 1,500 missions throughout North Africa and Europe, and won three Distinguished Unit Citations and earned 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14 Bronze Stars, 744 Air Medals and several Silver Stars and Purple Hearts.
