Mac Ross (June 7, 1916 - July 10, 1944) was an U.S. Army Air Force officer, combat fighter pilot, 100th Fighter Squadron's Squadron Commander, and the 332nd Fighter Group's Group Operations Officer of the Tuskegee Airmen, "Red Tails," or “Schwartze Vogelmenschen” ("Black Birdmen") among enemy German pilots.[1]
Ross was the first African American combat fighter pilot in history, sharing this honor with his four Tuskegee aviation cadet classmates: U.S. Air Force General Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Charles DeBow Jr., Lemuel R. Custis, and George S. Roberts (best known as "Spanky" Roberts).[1][2][3] [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]
Early Life, Family, Education
Ross was born on June 7, 1916 in Selma, Alabama.[1][12] He was the son of father Eddie Samuel "Sam" Ross (1888–1964) and mother Willie B. Collins Ross (1888–1982), both of Selma. Sam and Willie married in 1911. Ross had several siblings including Eddie Ross, Sammy "Sam" Ross (1914–1984), Jerry Ross (1915–1982), Arthur Ross (1925–2005), Suritha Ross Brooks, Geniva Ross Chinn (April 5, 1927 - December 26, 2011), Mattie M. Ross (1910–1943), and Willa Ross Morgan.[13]
As a young man, Ross and his family moved to Dayton, Ohio where his sister Geniva was born.[12]
After high school, Ross attended West Virginia State University, graduating in 1940.[14][15] Prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Corps, Ross worked as an inspector at an iron works in Ohio.[16]
In 1943, Ross married Abbie Voorhies (born August 20, 1915), a U.S. Army lieutenant and member of the Army Nurses Corps from Moreauville, Louisiana and Alexandria, Louisiana.[17] They met after Abbie transferred to Tuskegee's base hospital.[17] A few months after their marriage, Ross deployed overseas.[17]
Military Service, Tuskegee Airmen
Ross' alma mater, West Virginia State College (now West Virginia State University) graduated several civil aviation classes from its own civil pilots program.[14] School officials actively competed with Tuskegee and four other historically black colleges and universities to institute a commercial pilot’s program for African American civil pilot graduates. In the end, the federal government selected Tuskegee Institute as the official commercial pilot program for African Americans civil pilot graduates.[14] West Virginia State College and the other four historically black colleges and universities would serve as feeder schools.[14]
West Virginia State College officials nominated two alumni for the program: Ross (a 1940 West Virginia State College graduate) and George S. Roberts, a 1938 West Virginia State College graduate .[14] Though passed over for pilot training several times, Ross was admitted into the U.S. Army Air Corps Tuskegee Aviation Cadet training program's inaugural July 19, 41 single-engine 42-C-SE Class at Tuskegee Army Air Field.[1]
During cadet training, Ross bailed out of his P-40 training aircraft, making him the first ever African American member of the Caterpillar Club, an informal association of people who have successfully used a parachute to bail out of a disabled aircraft.[18] Nonetheless, on March 7, 1942,[19] only five cadets graduated from the program, receiving their wings: 2nd Lt. Ross, Captain Benjamin O. Davis Jr., 2nd Lt. Charles DeBow Jr., 2nd Lt. Lemuel R. Custis, and 2nd Lt. George S. Roberts ("Spanky" Roberts).[2][20] The day after graduation, Ross served as Roberts' best man at Roberts' wedding to Edith Norle McMillan Roberts (1919–2015). Class 42-C-SE created America's first African-American U.S. Army Air Corps pilots.[1]
On May 26, 1942, Ross became the Squadron Commander of the 332nd Fighter Group's 100th fighter squadron, with Lt George Knox and SE-42-A classmate Charles DeBow serving as his adjutants.[1]
In July 1942, Ross became the 332nd Fighter Group's Group Operations Officer.[1] On March 27, 1943, his squadron transferred to Selfridge Field in Mt Clements, Michigan.[1] During World War II, Ross flew over 50 combat missions in the European Theater.[1]
Death, Wife's Remarriage
On July 10, 1944, Ross was killed near Provincia di Foggia, Puglia, Italy while on a local transition flight during his squadron’s conversion from P-40 to P-51 aircraft.[21] Ross's newly-acquired P-51 Mustang suffered mechanical failure, nosediving into the ground.[22] Ross was interred at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery and Memorial, Plot J, Row 15, Grave 70, near Nettuno, Città Metropolitana di Roma Capitale, Lazio, Italy.[1]
Back in American, Ross's wife, Abbie Voorhies Ross, received a home visit from men in uniforms who informed her that her husband had been killed.[17] After World War II, Abbie transferred to Columbus, Ohio's Lockbourne Air Force Base. After leaving the U.S. Army June 30, 1947 with the rank of Captain, Abbie eventually settled in Los Angeles in 1950, marrying Melvin DeVerges. They raised two sons: Ronald DeVerges and Donald DeVerges. As of 2019, Abbie Voorhies Ross DeVerges, a centenarian, lives in Northridge, California.[17][23]
Legacy
- On June 27, 1989, the U.S. Postal Service dedicated its Dayton, Ohio's Mac Ross Memorial Philatelic Room in honor of Ross. A plaque honoring Ross is displayed at the Dayton Post Office on East 5th Street.[24]
- In 2000, the city of Selma, Alabama honored Ross Ross with a resolution honoring his service and sacrifice.[1]
The University of California Riverside maintains the papers of Ross's wife Abbie. The collection comprises photographs of Ross, Abbie and other Tuskegee Airmen and nurses, Abbie's military separation records, correspondence, news clippings, and items from a dedication of a philatelic room to Ross.[25]
