Leroy Bowman

On March 29, 2007, Leroy Bowman was present when President George W. Bush awarded the Congressional Gold Medal to the original Tuskegee Airmen.

Lieutenant Leroy Bowman (November 2, 1921 – February 26, 2014) was a U.S. Army Air Forces officer and combat fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group during World War II. As one of the original 994 Tuskegee Airmen, Bowman was part of the first group of African American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces. Early life Leroy Bowman was born on November 2, 1921, in Sumter, South Carolina, the son of Brooks Bowman and Rena Smith Bowman Canty. Bowman’s father, Brooks, was a World War I veteran who died in 1922. His mother, Rena, then married Rev. Benjamin F. Canty, Sr. He was a member of the drama club and a football player. The group shot down more than 100 enemy aircraft, earning a reputation for discipline and bravery.

Post-war life and career After World War II, Bowman returned to South Carolina and earned a degree in education from Morris College.

Bowman married Mildred Watson in 1955. Together, they had two sons, James and George Bowman.

Legacy and honors Lt. Leroy Bowman’s legacy as a Tuskegee Airman and community leader has been widely recognized:

February 23, 2006: Tuskegee University awarded Bowman an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service in recognition of his wartime service and contributions to society. May 29, 2009: Morris College awarded Bowman an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. February 9, 2024: The City of Sumter unveiled a new monument dedicated to the four Tuskegee Airmen with ties to the local community: Leroy Bowman, Willie Ashley, Philip Rembert, and Emmett Rice. The monument contains the only full-scale replica on permanent public display of the P-51 Mustang “Red Tail” outside of the National Historic Site in Tuskegee, Alabama.