Eugene Jacques Bullard

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Eugene Jacques Bullard was the first African American Fighter pilot. He was born in Columbus, Georgia on October 9, 1894. His parents were William and Josephine Bullard. His mom, Josephine died when she was thirty-three, when Eugene was only five, which left his dad to raise ten children. Eugene said his dad was a well educated person and liked to tell stories to his children. Eugene said that some of his stories shaped the direction of his life. He has so far taught me that no matter what obstacle comes in my way, I have to push through it. It may help or push me to do even more, just like Eugene did.

Eugene left his hometown of Georgia to try and find a way to move to France. He left at age eight.  He had done some odd jobs to earn money. He was a smart boy, being able to move from town to town trying to get to a port in Norfolk, Virginia. After four years of wandering and working to stay alive, he was able to be a stowaway on a German ship bound for Aberdeen, Scotland- he was only 12 years old. Eugene was a brave young boy, being able to move across the ocean, I know I would never do that. He soon moved from Aberdeen to Glasgow. He stayed there for five months, then moved to the larger seaport town of Liverpool, England. There he worked and worked until it eventually wore him down. With all the money he had earned he decided to go to a gym to work out because he started to become very thin. He became very popular at the gym, and soon he was getting coached. He would step in the ring with anyone whose manager wanted him to. He was in the lightweight division, and only sixteen.

Eugene Jacques Bullard was the first African American fighter pilot, making him a leader. He thought that he should fight for his country, but he didn't fight for his birth country, America.  He fought for his adopted country of France. He volunteered to serve in the French Foreign Legion. His first assignment was as a machine gunner with the 170th Infantry Regiment, "The Swallows of Death."  He and his fellow soldiers became part of the French force fighting to hold Vedrum. At that battle he got his first taste of battle.

Corporal Bullard (http://1.bp.blogspot.com)

When the United States entered the war in 1917, Eugene suffered the worst wound of his short life as an aviator. He was shot in the leg by an enemy fighter pilot. Americans flying with the French could transfer to American service, but Americans directing the U.S. war effort did not want him to fly for them because he was African American. They also feared that if he continued flying for the French, he would prove to be a "bad influence" on blacks in the military. Despite the blow, he never stopped loving his homeland but continued to fight in his adopted country. When World War II commenced, Eugene resumed his battle against oppression by joining the French Resistance.

Corporal Eugene Jacques Bullard has inspired me because he decided to start something others may have thought was wrong. He went past whatever other people may have said to him. He didn't care what the color of his skin was, he still did what he knew he had to do. So I would also want to be like him, not necessarily going out to be a fighter pilot, but doing what is right and not taking in bad comments thrown at me for who I am.