Six Arkansas aviators who served among the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II will be inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame this fall, completing the Hall of Fame’s recognition of known Arkansas pilots who were members of the historic military unit.
The 2026 inductees are Dr. Richard Cornelius Caesar of Lake Village; Lt. Col. Clarence Clifford “Jamie” Jamison of Little Rock; Maj. Herbert Vanallen “Bud” Clark of Brinkley; Flight Officer Roy Elmer LaGrone of Pine Bluff; Maj. William Theodius “Bill” Mattison of Conway; and 1st Lt. Shelby Foster Westbrook of Marked Tree.
“These six men represent the final group of known Arkansas Tuskegee Airmen pilots to be inducted into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame,” said Dick Holbert, Arkansas Aviation Historical Society board member. “Their stories reflect courage, sacrifice and service at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history. By recognizing them, we are ensuring their contributions to Arkansas, the Allied victory in World War II and the advancement of military aviation are preserved for future generations.”
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black military aviators in the U.S. Armed Forces, serving while the military remained segregated throughout World War II. Their combat performance helped challenge racial barriers within military aviation, despite the discrimination they faced during their service and, for many, after returning to civilian life.
In 2007, the Tuskegee Airmen collectively received the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their service and role in advancing racial equality within the U.S. Armed Forces.
Clarence Clifford “Jamie” Jamison (pictured on the left side of feature image)
Born in Little Rock, Jamison was a member of the 99th Pursuit Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group and graduated with Class SE-42-D, the second class to complete the Tuskegee flight-training program.
On June 2, 1943, Jamison led his flight on the first World War II combat mission involving Black pilots. He ultimately completed 67 combat missions and received the Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters.
Jamison continued his military career after the war and retired as a lieutenant colonel. Tuskegee University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in 2006. He died in 2014 at age 96 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Shelby Foster Westbrook
Shelby Foster Westbrook
Born in Marked Tree, Westbrook served as a fighter pilot with the 99th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group. From July 1944 through May 1945, he flew 60 combat missions over 12 European countries.
During his 31st mission, engine failure forced Westbrook to bail out of his P-51 Mustang over Yugoslavia. He was rescued by Marshal Tito’s Partisans and spent 30 days evading capture before returning to duty. Later that year, he shot down a German Bf 109 fighter aircraft.
Westbrook received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal and was later awarded the French Legion of Honor.
Following the war, Westbrook encountered racial discrimination while attempting to become a commercial pilot. He instead pursued a career in technology, spending 18 years as an electrical engineer with W.R. Grace & Co. in Chicago and co-inventing a patented processing system for packaging machinery.
Herbert Vanallen “Bud” Clark (pictured in the middle of feature image)
Born in Brinkley and raised in Pine Bluff, Clark became the first Arkansan to earn his wings through the Tuskegee flight-training program. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the 99th Pursuit Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group.
During a dive-bombing mission in Italy, Clark successfully landed his damaged P-40 Warhawk with only one functioning wheel, preserving the aircraft and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Clark was later shot down over northern Italy and suffered a head wound during his descent. Although reported missing in action for eight months, he survived with the help of Italian resistance fighters. Clark joined the resistance and eventually led fighters in attacks against German positions.
On May 4, 1945, he returned to Allied lines. Clark continued his military career after the war, eventually rising to the rank of major before retiring in 1955.
Roy Elmer LaGrone
Roy Elmer LaGrone
Pine Bluff native Roy Elmer LaGrone flew P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs with the 332nd Fighter Group, escorting heavy bombers over Germany and occupied Europe.
On March 24, 1945, LaGrone participated in the Tuskegee Airmen’s longest bomber escort mission of the war, traveling 1,600 miles round-trip from Italy to Berlin. The mission helped earn the 332nd Fighter Group a Distinguished Unit Citation.
LaGrone later became an artist whose work documented the Tuskegee Airmen and military aviation. Twenty-four of his paintings became part of the U.S. Air Force Art Collection, and his work was featured in the 1996 publication “Tuskegee’s Heroes: As Depicted in the Aviation Art of Roy E. LaGrone.”
He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
William Theodius “Bill” Mattison (pictured on the right side of feature image)
A Conway native, Mattison was an original Tuskegee Airman and member of the Red Tails who served as commanding officer of the 302nd Fighter Squadron. His honors included the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars and six Air Medals.
In 1944, Mattison led 42 P-51 Mustangs from the 332nd Fighter Group in an attack on German airfields in Yugoslavia, destroying dozens of enemy aircraft.
After World War II, he remained on active duty with the U.S. Air Force and served as a professor and head of the Department of Air Science and Tactics at Howard University in Washington, D.C.
Mattison was later killed in a weather-related crash near Oak Harbor, Ohio, while piloting a U.S. Air Force C-45F Expeditor. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Richard Cornelius Caesar
Richard Cornelius Caesar
Born in Lake Village, Caesar earned his wings through the Tuskegee flight-training program before being commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group.
His military career continued through the Korean War, and he eventually retired as a lieutenant colonel.
Caesar earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Morehouse College before entering the military and received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Meharry Medical College in 1951.
He later became a dentist, civic leader and philanthropist in San Francisco. The YMCA of San Francisco named Caesar its Humanitarian of the Year in 1984, and Morehouse College presented him with its Bennie Trailblazer Award in 2009.
The six Tuskegee Airmen will be inducted during the 2026 Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame ceremony on Nov. 12. Proceeds from ticket sales will help fund scholarships for aviation students in Arkansas. For more information, click here.
Feature Image: Jamison (left), Clark, Mattison
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