On this day in aviation history, 82 years ago—July 2, 1943—Tuskegee Airman Lt. Charles Hall made history as the first Black pilot to shoot down a German aircraft during World War II. A member of the 99th Fighter Squadron, the U.S. Army Air Forces’ first all-African American fighter unit, Hall achieved his victory while escorting B-25 Mitchell bombers on a mission over Castelvetrano, Sicily. At the time, the 99th FS was based at El Haouaria Airfield in coastal Tunisia, flying Curtiss P-40 Warhawks, with ground-attack as their primary mission.
On that historic day, the bomber formation Hall was protecting came under attack by Luftwaffe Focke-Wulf Fw 190s—some of the most formidable fighters in the German arsenal. It was only Lt. Hall’s eighth combat mission, and the first time he had an opportunity to engage enemy aircraft at close range. As the B-25s completed their bombing run, the German fighters moved in. Without hesitation, Hall maneuvered between the attackers and the vulnerable bombers, a calculated move that allowed him to negate the Fw 190’s superior turning ability.
Hall lined up one of the enemy fighters in his sights and unleashed a burst from his P-40’s .50 caliber machine guns. His rounds struck home, and he watched as the Fw 190 spiraled downward and crashed. Hall followed the stricken aircraft all the way to the ground to confirm the kill—his first, and the first ever by a Black American pilot against the Luftwaffe. For this action, Hall received official credit for the kill and was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
By the end of the war, Lt. Charles Hall had completed 198 combat missions and was promoted to the rank of Major. He later transferred to the U.S. Air Force Reserve, serving at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma until his retirement in 1967. After his military service, Hall worked for the Federal Aviation Administration and raised a family. Major Charles Hall passed away on November 22, 1971, at the age of 49. Though his life was cut short, his legacy as a trailblazer endures. As a Tuskegee Airman and the first Black pilot to shoot down a German aircraft in combat, Hall paved the way for generations of aviators. His courage, skill, and service remain an enduring chapter in the history of American aviation.
