Herman A. Lawson

Herman Albert "Ace" Lawson (December 24, 1916 – May 9, 1995) was an American soldier and politician. He served with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, and later served as a city councilman of Sacramento, California.

The Tuskegee Airmen's aircraft had distinctive markings that led to the name, "Red Tails."

Early life Lawson was born on December 24, 1916, in Fowler, California. He attended Marysville High School, where he garnered the nickname "Ace" as its star football player.

In the late 1930s after a year in the Civilian Conservation Corp, Lawson attended Fresno State University, one of three African American students there at the time. While at Fresno, Lawson became the first African American to play four years of football there. He also served as the Fresno Football team's official photographer. A prolific athlete, Lawson was also Fresno's collegiate Light Heavyweight Boxing champion, a letterman in Basketball, and a letterman in track and field. The Lawsons had seven children: Betty Lawson Davis, Patricia Lawson, Gloria Lawson-Riddle, Yvonne Lawson, Thomas Lawson, Tracey Lawson, and a child who died as an infant. Undeterred, Lawson wrote a letter to Congress and a separate letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's wife, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who had been sympathetic to African American causes.

Lawson became one of second group of 99th Fighter Squadron replacement pilots. Lawson and several other 99th Fighter Squadron pilots were sent to Brazil in error. He survived two engine failures in P-40s; one of his P-40s landed him in the Mediterranean. Lawson later flew another P-40 named "Ace of Pearls", and another P-51B named "Ace of Pearls", both named in honor of Lawson's wife Pearl. One of Lawson's squadron pilots, Flight Officer Leonard R. Willette, radioed that he needed to bail from his aircraft as a result of low oil pressure. Though Lawson instructed Willette to change radio channels and head back to base, Willette, unable to bail, crashed. The Germans recovered Willette's body, returning it through the Red Cross.

After his tour in Europe ended, Lawson returned to Tuskegee as a flight instructor. Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star

Politics and later life After leaving the military, Lawson worked twenty years for the State of California.

Lawson had four children. He died on May 9, 1995, aged 78, in Sacramento.