Yongsan Garrison, South Korea, Feb. 28, 2004: Retired Lt. Col. Herbert Carter, a former member of the first all-black fighter squadron in the Air Force nicknamed the Tuskegee Airmen, spoke at Osan Air Base for Black History Month in 2004.

One of the 33 original pilot trainees in the Tuskegee Airmen program and a member of the 99th Fighter Squadron, Carter remained in the integrated Air Force after World War II. After earning a bachelor’s degree in 1955 and a master’s degree in education in 1969 from Tuskegee Institute, he retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel, to become associate dean for student services at Tuskegee University where he served in several other important capacities during his time there. He continued to travel the U.S. and the world to talk about his experiences, the Tuskegee legacy and to encourage members of minority groups to consider aerospace careers.

Carter earned numerous decorations, including the Air Medal with four clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the European Theater Medal with five Bronze Stars, the National Defense Medal and the Air Force Longevity Medal as well as the French Legion of Honor, the highest French order of merit.

Read the 2004 interview with Carter here.

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• From the archives, 2004: Tuskegee Airman, visiting Yongsan, talks about integration of military