Veterans in Blue

Colonel (Ret.) James Randall is a member of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, serving 36 years in the U.S. Air Force in both active duty and in the Reserves. His career as a fighter pilot includes logging more than 7,300 flying hours in numerous aircraft, including the F-105 Thunderchief. Randall joined the Army Air Corps in 1945 and, after completing basic training, was assigned to Tuskegee Army Airfield in Alabama. He was commissioned as an officer in 1950, then assigned to Perrin Air Force Base, Texas, as a flight instructor. He later moved to Craig AFB, Ala., to be an F-51 instructor. Assigned to the 12th Fighter Bomb Squadron, Randall flew a total of 75 F-51 combat missions in the Korean War. Later, during the Vietnam conflict, he added 44 additional combat missions to his total before being shot down over Vietnam. His decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal and Purple Heart. Randall is a longtime member of the Tuskegee Airmen National Organization headquartered in Tuskegee, Ala. He currently lives in Colorado Springs, Colo.