Of the 922 pilots, five were Haitians from the Haitian Air Force and one pilot was from Trinidad. Including ground personnel, mechanics and logistics, there were more than 14,000 Tuskegee Airmen. And in a White House ceremony on Feb. 4, 2020, Mr. Trump officially pinned the star on Mr. McGees uniform. It deployed to Italy in early 1944. The 99th Pursuit Squadron (later the 99th Fighter Squadron) was the first black flying squadron, and the first to deploy overseas (to North Africa in April 1943, and later to Sicily and other parts of Italy). The 618th Bombardment Squadron was disbanded on 8 October 1945. This small number of enlisted men became the core of other black squadrons forming at Tuskegee Fields in Alabama. In 1917, African-American men had tried to become aerial observers but were rejected. It was announced by his loved ones that he died peacefully in his sleep. We didn't guess at anything, we were good. They segregated base facilities so thoroughly that they even drew a line in the base theater and ordered separate seating by race. This total included 15 B-17s of the 483rd Bombardment Group shot down during a particularly savage air battle with an estimated 300 German fighters on 18 July 1944, that also resulted in nine kill credits and the award of five Distinguished Flying Crosses to members of the 332nd. In total, The Tuskegee Airmen flew over 15,000 individual missions and shot down 112 enemy airplanes in World War II, according to the National World War II Museum. ", "Inauguration Brings Tuskegee Airmen to Bolling", "15-yr.-old becomes youngest black pilot to fly cross-country", "George Lucas' 'Red Tails' salutes Tuskegee Airmen", "First day comes with grade-school glitches", "Air Force announces newest Red Tail: 'T-7A Red Hawk', "This is the name of the Air Force's new training jet", "Tuskegee Airman brings out coin for Super Bowl coin flip", "Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Quarter", "Air Force Recruiting unveils Tuskegee Airmen paint scheme for Indy 500 and NASCAR races", Pritzker Military Library Dedicates Oral History Room With Painting Unveiling and Program About the Tuskegee Airmen, "Tuskegee Airmen: They Met the Challenge", The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s Over Germany, "Misconceptions About the Tuskegee Airmen". Wish of a Lifetime contacted the Air Force Association to organize a ceremony to recognize Harvey and the 332nd fighter pilots. When the audience sat in random patterns as part of "Operation Checkerboard," the movie was halted to make men return to segregated seating. World War II Tuskegee Fighter Pilots from Arkansas. [115] His 30-year military career included 409 combat missions in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War. [122][136], In 2021 the U.S. Mint issued an America the Beautiful quarter commemorating the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. Given little guidance from battle-experienced pilots, the 99th's first combat mission was to attack the small strategic volcanic island of Pantelleria, code name Operation Corkscrew, in the Mediterranean Sea to clear the sea lanes for the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943. The company's 2,000 workmen, the Alabama Works Progress Administration, and the U.S. Army built the airfield in only six months. Celebrations for their service take place nationwide. That group never got into the war. Webhow many ww2 german veterans are still alive 2021mr patel neurosurgeon cardiff 27 februari, 2023 / i how old was stewart granger when he died / av / i how old was stewart granger when he died / av The 99th flew its first combat mission on 2 June. The Tuskegee Airmen also destroyed 112 enemy aircraft in the air and 150 on the ground, as well as 600 rail cars, 350 trucks and other vehicles, and 40 boats and barges. Who is Lucky Lester? He was 102. Among them was 2nd Lieutenant Frank Moody, whose. Thank you, Tuskegee Airmen, for your legacy as true pathfinders for us all. [32] Counter to the prevalent racism of the day, Parrish was fair and open-minded and petitioned Washington to allow the Tuskegee Airmen to serve in combat.[33][34]. In early June, the group moved to its new home, Ramitelli Air Field, near the town of Campomarino on Italys Adriatic Coast. Retired Lt. William Broadwater, 82, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, a Tuskegee Airman, summed up the feeling. [118], Thurgood Marshall, the future Supreme Court justice, got his start defending Tuskegee bomber trainees. - The T-7A Red Hawk Team Web80 Years of Excellence! Are any Tuskegee Airmen still alive in 2020? Funeral Program for Tuskegee Airman Cassius Harris, African American Funeral Programs from the East Central Georgia Regional Library, The Tuskegee Airmen at the 2012 BET Honors Awards, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Official Web Site. [61] Like his ranking officer, Major General Frank O'Driscoll Hunter from Georgia, Selway was a racial segregationist. [110][111], In 2019, Lt. Col. Robert J. Gen. Charles McGee saluting President Donald J. Trump during the State of the Union Address in 2019. He had his right hand over his heart and was smiling serenely, his youngest daughter, Yvonne McGee, said in [41], By the end of February 1944, the all-black 332nd Fighter Group had been sent overseas with three fighter squadrons: The 100th, 301st and 302nd. He was 102. Several of the Tuskegee Airmen had logged over 900 flight hours by this time. Each B-25 bomber cost $175,000. He lived in Bethesda, Md. On January 16, 2022, Brigadier General Charles McGee died in his sleep at the age of 102. Tuskegee Airmen are still celebrated today. The 332nd Fighter Group, which originally included the 100th, 301st and 302nd Fighter Squadrons, was the first black flying group. Combining these numbers with the numbers of enemy aircraft destroyed by each of these groups suggests that the 332nd stuck closer to protect the bombers they escorted, while the other groups were willing to pursue enemy fighters away from the bombers. Friend, one of 12 remaining Tuskegee Airmen at the time, died on 21 June in Long Beach at the age of 99. They had spent five months at Selfridge but found themselves on a base a fraction of Selfridge's size, with no air-to-ground gunnery range and deteriorating runways that were too short for B-25 landings. WebLEXINGTON, Va., Feb. 14, 2022Enoch Woody Woodhouse II, one of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of predominately African-American fighter pilots who fought in World ; Captain F.C. Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 15:17. [citation needed] In the 2010 Rose Parade, the city of West Covina, California paid tribute to the "service and commitment of the Tuskegee Airmen" with a float, entitled "Tuskegee AirmenA Cut Above", which featured a large bald eagle, two replica World War II "Redtail" fighter aircraft and historical images of some of the airmen who served. He was 102. ", "Study Guide for Testing to Technical Sergeant", "Inauguration Is a Culmination for Black Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmens record of protecting bombers was excellent, losing only 27 bombers on seven of its 179 escort missions, compared to an average of 46 bomber losses among all other 15th Air Force P-51 escort groups. [104], In 2005, seven Tuskegee Airmen, including Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Carter, Colonel Charles McGee, group historian Ted Johnson, and Lieutenant Colonel Lee Archer, flew to Balad, Iraq, to speak to active duty airmen serving in the current incarnation of the 332nd, which was reactivated as the 332nd Air Expeditionary Group in 1998 and made part of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing. The pilots were Captain Alva Temple, Lts. His mother died when Charles, her third child, was 17 months old, having developed an infection soon after giving birth to him. [26] African-American contractor McKissack and McKissack, Inc. was in charge of the contract. William Bill Watkins Jr. was drafted into the U.S. Air Force in January 1943. [134][135], On 2 February 2020, McGee brought out the commemorative coin for the Super Bowl coin flip. [138], There is a mural depicting the Tuskegee Airmen and their contributions at 39th and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[140]. "Red-Tail Angels": The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II. Before the Tuskegee Airmen, no African-American had been a U.S. military pilot. In 1969, James was put in command of Wheelus Air Base outside of Tripoli. Following their service in the military, many Tuskegee airmen have been awarded medals, have been asked to publicly speak on their experiences, and on March 29, 2007 the Tuskegee Airmen were collectively awarded a Congressional Gold Medal at a ceremony in the U.S. Capitol rotunda. An estimated 250 to 300 Tuskegee airmen are still alive. The group was noticeably better at protecting bombers they escorted, even if not perfect. [89] The mission reports, however, do credit the group for not losing a bomber on an escort mission for a six-month period between September 1944 and March 1945, albeit when Luftwaffe contacts were far fewer than earlier. In 1985, he resigned from the court to run for the District Attorney of Philadelphia County. Some ground crews trained at Mather before rotating to Inglewood. In April 1945, Gaines was shot down over Germany and captured. Redfin Estimate based on recent home sales. He was 102. He was also director of the Kansas City (Mo.) [106] In August 2019, 14 documented original surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen participated at the annual Tuskegee Airmen Convention, which is hosted by Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.[107][108], Willie Rogers, one of the last surviving members of the original Tuskegee Airmen, died at the age of 101 on 18 November 2016 in St. Petersburg, Florida, following a stroke. Gaines, as one of World War II's Tuskegee Airmen, was one of the United State's first black military pilots. Instead, Bullard returned to infantry duty with the French. [129], In July 2009, 15-year-old Kimberly Anyadike became the youngest female African-American pilot to complete a transcontinental flight across the United States. They were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Me Mr. McGee served at Tuskegee Field until 1946, when the base was closed. However, he was transferred on 12 January 1942, reputedly because of his insistence that his African-American sentries and Military Police had police authority over local Caucasian civilians. McGee, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen who flew 409 fighter combat missions over three wars, died Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. Six of these physicians lived under field conditions during operations in North Africa, Sicily, and other parts of Italy. [44], The only black air units that saw combat during the war were the 99th Pursuit Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group. On 19 July 1941, thirteen individuals made up the first class of aviation cadets (42-C) when they entered preflight training at Tuskegee Institute. In 1975, he became the first African-American to reach the rank of four-star general. "The Tuskegee Airmen", an episode of the documentary TV series, The Tuskegee Airmen (1997) are represented in the, The story of one such airman is retold in the radio drama "Last Letter Home" presented by. [citation needed]. [131], In January 2012, MTA Regional Bus Operations officially changed the name of its 100th Street depot in New York City to the Tuskegee Airmen Depot. The road is a highway that serves as the main artery into Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. A round-trip to distant targets often took more than six hours. [N 6] However, other bases would be used for various types of training courses. In June 1944, the 332nd Fighter Group began flying heavy bomber escort missions and, in July 1944, with the addition of the 99th Fighter Squadron, it had four fighter squadrons. Seventeen flight surgeons served with the Tuskegee Airmen from 1941 to 1949. When the appropriation of funds for aviation training created opportunities for pilot cadets, their numbers diminished the rosters of these older units. Thank you, Tuskegee Airmen, for your legacy as true pathfinders for us all. On Jan. 13, 2022, at Nellis Air Force Base, a plaque was mounted in a commemoration ceremony honoring the historic moment in Tuskegee Airmen history. The Tuskegee Airmen were subjected to discrimination, both within and outside of the army. It earned three Distinguished Unit Citations (DUC) during World War II. African-American Eugene Bullard served in the French air service during World War I because he was not allowed to serve in an American unit. He married Frances Nelson in 1942, the same year he left college to join the Tuskegee Airmen. "[15], The subsequent brouhaha over the First Lady's flight had such an impact it is often mistakenly cited as the start of the CPTP at Tuskegee, even though the program was already five months old. It shipped out of Tuskegee on 2 April, bound for North Africa, where it would join the 33rd Fighter Group and its commander, Colonel William W. Momyer. Nearly 400 Tuskegee airmen are still living. Who says 101-year-old can't have fun, too? The oldest living Tuskegee Airman Brigadier General Charles McGee, who is 101 years old, took flight last Sunday with a host of family members for the EAA AirVenture, one of the largest aviation events in the world. The military succumbed to this pressure and on January 16, 1941, Secretary of the Army Henry L. Stimson authorized the formation of a Black pursuit squadron, according to the Air Force Historical Support Division. In his centennial year, Mr. McGee was accorded an honorary commission promoting him to the one-star rank of brigadier general under a congressional measure signed by President Donald J. Trump on Dec. 20, 2019, 13 days after Mr. McGees 100th birthday. Before the Tuskegee Airmen, no African-American had been a U.S. military pilot. In all, 992 pilots were trained in Tuskegee from 19411946. The Tuskegee Airmen Inc. said its impossible to know exactly how many members from the program that ran March 22, 1941 to Nov. 5, 1949 are still alive, but there were but as of May 2019, there were 12 of 355 single-engine pilots who served in the Mediterranean theater operation during World War II still alive. It may have been a lawsuit from a rejected candidate, that caused the USAAC to accept black applicants. ", "Celebrating African Americans in Aviation", "The Freeman Field Mutiny: A Study In Leadership", "Chronological Table of Tuskegee Airmen Who Earned the Distinguished Flying Cross", "Report: Tuskegee Airmen lost 25 bombers", "Ex-Pilot Confirms Bomber Loss, Flier Shot down in 1944 was Escorted by Tuskegee Airmen", "Measuring Up: A Comparison of the Mustang Fighter Escort Groups of the Fifteenth Air Force June 1944 April 1945", "Historians Question Record of Tuskegee Airmen", "County's first black-owned airport becomes training ground. By November, four cadets and the student officer had passed and were transferred to Tuskegee Army Air Field for basic and advanced training. [2] The flying unit consisted of 47 officers and 429 enlisted men[23] and was backed by an entire service arm. He was 94. [citation needed], In June 1998, the Ohio Army and Air National Guard opened a jointly operated dining hall. [103] Post-war commander of the 99th Squadron Marion Rodgers went on to work in communications for NORAD and as a program developer for the Apollo 13 project. Initial planning called for 500 personnel in residence at a time. ); Major-General H.L. The squadron was activated on 1 July 1943, only to be inactivated on 15 August 1943. [126], On 9 December 2008, the Tuskegee Airmen were invited to attend the inauguration of Barack Obama, the first African-American elected as president. [29][30], His successor, Colonel Frederick von Kimble, then oversaw operations at the Tuskegee airfield. WebThe honor is part of the militarys effort to reconcile with a legacy of racism and discrimination. [24], By mid-1942, over six times that many were stationed at Tuskegee, even though only two squadrons were training there. Join us online for our 2022 Virtual Convention from Sep 16th-17th, 2022, to celebrate the achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen! The war ended before the 477th Composite Group could get into action. Moreover, the 332nd flew more missions than any of the other three groups on which they lost no escorted bombers. He was wounded in action, shot in the stomach and leg by German soldiers during a mission in Italy in January 1943. List of Tuskegee Airmen contains the names of the Tuskegee Airmen, who were a group of primarily African-American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. [71][62], Colonel Selway turned the noncommissioned officers out of their club and turned it into a second officers' club. McGee, of Bethesda, It is estimated that there are less than 400 Tuskegee Airmen still alive, out of the 14,000 that served in the program. The physical requirements that made it possible to fit in a fighter's cockpit with a height less than 70 inches, weight under 170 pounds, precluded many larger African-American men from eligibility. In 2012, George Lucas produced Red Tails, a film based on the experiences of the Tuskegee Airmen. Anyone can read what you share. The strict racial segregation the U.S. Army required gave way in the face of the requirements for complex training in technical vocations. Flynn (R.N. [56] The 477th was anticipated to be ready for action in November 1944. The latter, a major, ordered them to leave and took their names as a means of arresting them when they refused. He was on his 68th mission and had previously been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. [18], In June 1941, the 99th Pursuit Squadron was transferred to Tuskegee, Alabama, and remained the only black flying unit in the country, but did not yet have pilots. Mr. McGee, then a major, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross in South Korea in 1951. A lot of what we fought for was an opportunity to overcome having someone look at you and, because of your color, close a door on you., Charles E. McGee, Honored Tuskegee Airman, Dies at 102, https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/16/obituaries/charles-e-mcgee-dead.html, Charles McGee, a Tuskegee Airman and a veteran of three wars, waves after flying a jet to help celebrate his 100th birthday in 2019. According to Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., as of September 2018, the exact number of all individuals who actually participated in the Tuskegee Airmen experience, the pre-eminent group of black pilots in World War Two, between March 22, 1941 and November 5, 1949 are unable to be exactly determined at this point. The Archer-Ragsdale Chapter Tuskegee Airmen He was soon singled out and sent to Tuskegee Army Air Field, joining other college men with military interests. This was one of the earliest racially integrated courses in the U.S. Army. Colonel Snow died in 2016 at 93, and Colonel Parr died in 2012 at 88. The 99th Fighter Squadron was initially equipped with Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighter-bomber aircraft. Woodhouse (LAW55) is one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, Americas first all-Black combat flying unit, which flew during World War II. A local laundry would not wash their and yet willingly laundered those of captured German soldiers. WebMarch 14, 2022 filmsgraded.com: The Tuskegee Airmen (1995) Grade: 52/100 Director: Robert Markowitz Stars: Laurence Fishburne, Allen Payne, Malcolm-Jamal Warner What it's about. Nevertheless, by Colonel Selway's fiat, they were trainees. One rationale behind the non-assignment of trained African-American officers was stated by the commanding officer of the Army Air Forces, General Henry "Hap" Arnold: "Negro pilots cannot be used in our present Air Corps units since this would result in Negro officers serving over white enlisted men creating an impossible social situation. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. In addition to our annual After retiring from military service, Mr. McGee in 1978 completed the studies he had interrupted in 1942 and earned a degree in business administration from Columbia College in Columbia, Mo. Gunners learned to shoot at Eglin Field, Florida. Training of the new African-American crewmen also took place at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Lincoln, Nebraska, and Scott Field, Belleville, Illinois. We shattered all the myths, he said of the accomplishments of Black pilots in World War II. Every fourth Thursday in March marks a special day in Tuskegee Airmen history as it commemorates the day they were created. Fewer than 1,000 became fighter pilots. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) [96], In 1949, the 332nd entered the annual U.S. Continental Gunnery Meet in Las Vegas, Nevada. [38] The surrender of the garrison of 11,121 Italians and 78 Germans[39] due to air attack was the first of its kind. "[62] He backed Selway's violations of Army Regulation 21010, which forbade segregation of airbase facilities. - The T-7A Red Hawk Team [91], Daniel Haulman of the Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA) reassessed the history of the unit in 2006 and early 2007. Staff Sergeant Buford A. Johnson (30 August 1927 15 April 2017) served as the pilots' aircraft crew chief. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. U.S. Army Air Forces First Motion Picture Unit. They observed a steady flow of white officers through the command positions of the group and squadrons; these officers stayed just long enough to be "promotable" before transferring out at their new rank. Brig. [35], The accumulation of washed-out cadets at Tuskegee and the propensity of other commands to "dump" African-American personnel on the post exacerbated the difficulties of administering Tuskegee. He survived 43 combat missions during World War II and is one of only a dozen remaining Tuskegee Airmen from the famed Red Tails fighter group still alive. Gen. Charles McGee, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, died at 102 years old. Redfin Estimate based on recent home sales. Harry Stewart, Jr., James H. Harvey III and Halbert Alexander. In that capacity, he ceded Godman Field's officers club to African-American airmen. The men were soon released (although one was later convicted of violent conduct and fined). Images of Tuskegee airmen, photos, paintings etc. [122], In 2006, California Congressman Adam Schiff and Missouri Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr., led the initiative to create a commemorative postage stamp to honor the Tuskegee Airmen. On 27 July 2018, his remains, which had been recovered in Austria a year earlier, were conclusively identified and confirmed to his daughter included with them was a ring inscribed from her mother to her father and dated 1943. [41][47] The 332nd flew missions in Sicily, Anzio, Normandy, the Rhineland, the Po Valley and Rome-Arno and others. The Allies called these airmen "Red Tails" or "Red-Tail Angels," because of the distinctive crimson unit identification marking predominantly applied on the tail section of the unit's aircraft. Rogers also served with the Red Tail Angels. Nevertheless, the Tuskegee Airmen continued to have to fight racism. Flying the long-range Republic P-47N Thunderbolt (built for the long-range escort mission in the Pacific theatre of World War II), the 332nd Fighter Wing took first place in the conventional fighter class. [21][22], While the enlisted men were in training, five black youths were admitted to the Officers Training School (OTS) at Chanute Field as aviation cadets. Another Tuskegee aviator, Lucius Theus, retired a major general after dedicating most of his 36-year career in the Air Force to improving the military's bureaucracy, helping to implement a direct deposit system for service members. While the 332nd only lost 27 escorted heavy bombers while flying 179 escort missions,[N 7] the 31st Fighter Group lost 49 in 184 missions, the 325th lost 68 in 192 escort missions, while the 52nd lost 88 in 193 missions. [123], The 99th Flying Training Squadron flies T-1A Jayhawks and, in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, painted the tops of the tails of their aircraft red. [121], Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. started his career in the early 1940s at Tuskegee, joining the Army Air Corps in July 1943. The term original is applied to the individuals who received government and civilian instructional training while at Tuskegee between 1941 and 1946. Web80 Years of Excellence! While relatively secure from civilian harassment in their barracks, mess halls and training exercises, the Tuskegee Airmen were still subjected to discrimination by white officers and noncoms on and off the base. On Dec. 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, drawing the United States into World War II, Mr. McGee, who turned 22 that day, was a sophomore at the University of Illinois studying engineering and drilling with the ROTC and the Pershing Rifles, a national military society. [20] The skills being taught were so technical that setting up segregated classes was deemed impossible. Brown estimated that about 50 or 60 of the 994 Tuskegee Airmen pilots are still alive. While I am saddened by his loss, Im also incredibly grateful for his sacrifice, his legacy, and his character.. Webhow many ww2 german veterans are still alive 2021mr patel neurosurgeon cardiff 27 februari, 2023 / i how old was stewart granger when he died / av / i how old was stewart granger when he died / av During World War II, black Americans in many U.S. states were still subject to the Jim Crow laws[N 1] and the American military was racially segregated, as was much of the federal government. Approximately 992 pilots were trained at Tuskegee, 450 of whom saw action overseas during the war; four of those were Arkansans. Even as the CPT began training African American pilots, there were still many leaders within and outside of the military who didnt think African Americans should serve. [10] The exclusionary policies failed dramatically when the Air Corps received an abundance of applications from men who qualified, even under the restrictive requirements. This unit was to be called the 99th Pursuit Squadron. [130], The Tuskegee Airmen Memorial was erected at Walterboro Army Airfield, South Carolina, in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, their instructors, and ground support personnel who trained at the Walterboro Army Airfield during World War II. The War Department set up a system to accept only those with a level of flight experience or higher education which ensured that only the ablest and most intelligent African-American applicants were able to join. It was the beginning of the Freeman Field Mutiny. "The Mediterranean and Middle East, Volume V: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and The Campaign in mainland Italy 3 September 1943 to 31 March 1944", National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Learn how and when to remove this template message, seized by the Germans and put into service, John Murdy Elementary School's "The Gratitude Project", Silver Wings & Civil Rights: The Fight to Fly, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion "Triple Nickle", List of African-American Medal of Honor recipients, List of Tuskegee Airmen Cadet Pilot Graduation Classes, Racial discrimination against African-Americans in the U.S. Military, Walterboro Army Airfield training site and memorial, "An Unknown Latino Tuskegee Airman Has Been Discovered", "Mrs. Roosevelt Goes for a Ride - Red Tail Squadron", "Eleanor Roosevelt and the Tuskegee Airmen", "Tuskegee Airman goes on to become first Air Force African-American gen", "Biographical Data on Air Force General Officers, 19171952, Volume 1 A thru L", "United States Army Aeromedical Support to African Fliers, 19411949: The Tuskegee Flight Surgeons", "The Men and Their Airplanes: The Fighters", "Black Americans in Defense of Our Nation. 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