by Don Mooney
Memphis, TENN Nov 11, 2023- Veterans Day seems like a great time to talk about Luke Weathers, Jr. As we celebrate Veterans Day in this country with parades and speeches honoring our nations veterans, both standing and fallen, Memphis, Tn recently added another historical layer to its rich history. This summer the Memphis VA Medical Center was renamed in honor of one of Memphis’ own, Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Luke Weathers, Jr.
Mr. Weathers name bears witness to the long string of belated honors, particularly from among the Black community. These gestures of reconciliation offers a moment of reflection of overcoming barriers to success. Speaking directly to character of this Memphis hero and legend.
Getting back to parades. In June of 1945, while the fire was hot, the first of many publicly celebrated honors were held commemorating Lt. Col. Weathers heroics in WW II. For his heroics the City of Memphis and 22,000 people gathered on June 25, 1945, honoring Weathers with a “Luke J. Weathers Day” parade and official dance on Memphis’ famous Beale Street and a key to the city, an honor never previously given to an African American in Memphis.
Its hard to believe, at least in comparison with todays generation, how humble and unassumingly focused Mr. Weathers overcame social hurdles of the day. Mr. Weathers star athlete and quarterback on segregated Booker T. Washington’s football team. Upon graduation in 1939, Weathers attended Xavier University In New Orleans. He later transferred to Lane College where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology.
According to the time son Luke Weathers III, he didn’t make a big deal out of his accolades as a celebrated war hero. Veterans Day was just another holiday. “We went to Catholic school, so I’m not to sure we were even out for Veterans Day. Cause Catholic schools don’t observe those kind of holidays,” remembers son Luke Weather III. Lt. Col. Weathers never made a big deal in the household about Veterans Day. Of course as Luke III got older his awareness grew.
“My junior…senior year in high school thats when I started getting into the history of African-Americans in the military and dads participation is when I really got into it. We didn’t know. Dad never talked about those things. “He didn’t raise us telling us, hey man I was a Tuskegee airman. I went down to Tuskegee and became a Captain. Flew planes in the war…etc…”
When Luke III reflects back he believes his father didn’t understand the gravity of the Tuskegee Airmen’s accomplishments and makes a good point as to how fast the war came and went for the airmen. “World War II started in 1941. It ended in ’45, states Luke III. The Tuskegee Airmen didn’t get involved until ’44, at the end of the war. And If they hadn’t gotten involved we’d probably be speaking German today.”
General speculation points to Tuskegee Airmen’s involvement turned the war around. They protected U.S. bombers whom had a dismal unsuccessful track record up until that period. Once ‘Red Tails’ got involved (Tuskegee Airmen reference in the movie) the bombing campaigns were noticeably more successful.
To the unassuming hero who walked humbly through a brilliant and bold legacy launched his name unto the stage of history in Memphis and the world for generations to come.
Nothing like a parade for the civilian community to publicly to say thanks to our heroes. As a side note,
Lt. Col. Weathers met his wife at that 1945 parade in his honor. Gotta love a parade!