Mark: The service providing by the black air crew
was of the highest standard and as a result
about 25% of those men were actually
commissioned as officers.
In one case, that of Lincoln Lynch,
an air gunner was commissioned as an officer
which was an exceptional event
for a flyer of any race.
And that really marks him out as a special individual.
Lynch, by the way, shot down a Mission Smith 1101
his first operational mission.
And if the story is true the account I've heard
is that he set the engine of the 1101 flyer
and then held his fire while the German crew bailed out.
And then shot the aircraft down as it
continued to fly along behind his aircraft.
So quite an exceptional person caught under fire
but merciful as well.
And appropriately commissioned as an officer.