Tuskegee Airman laid to rest

  • Published
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  Lt. Col. Lee Archer, a World War II fighter pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen, was laid to rest in a ceremony held Feb. 12 at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Active-duty members, retirees and their families gathered at Colonel Archer's final resting place to pay their respects.

Among those in attendance were Tess Spooner, a member of the Air Force Arlington wives as well as wife of retired Maj. Gen. Richard E. Spooner and close friend of Colonel Archer.

She presented the family with a small memorial token and whispered kind words that brought smiles to Colonel Archer's surviving family members; daughter Ina Archer and sons Lee III, Roy and Raymond.

As the funeral continued and respects were paid, a four-ship F-16 Fighting Falcon mission flew overhead piloted by members of the 187th Fighter Wing from Montgomery, Ala. However, in homage to Colonel Archer, one of the aircraft pulled up just as they were passing over the cemetery transforming the configuration into a missing-man formation.

After the rifle vollies were fired and a rendition of "Taps" filled the air, Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, the deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel, presented Colonel Archer's daughter with a folded American flag on behalf of the Air Force.

"Lee Archer was a trailblazer in many ways," Mrs. Spooner said. "As a Tuskegee Airman he not only fought prejudice and segregation on the home front, but also he fought selflessly for his country. He was a great man and he will be dearly missed."

Colonel Archer entered the Army in November 1941 and received training as a telegrapher and field network-communications specialist. In December 1942, he was accepted into aviation cadet training and reported to the Tuskegee Army Airfield in Tuskegee, Ala.

On July 28, 1943, after graduating No. 1 in his class and receiving his commission as a second lieutenant, he was assigned to the 302nd Fighter Squadron under the 332nd Fighter Group. The group was transferred to Italy during World War II.

Colonel Archer flew 169 combat missions, flying cover and escorting long-range bombers over more than 11 countries, as well as strafing missions against enemy landing zones and troops on the ground.

Colonel Archer held numerous post-war leadership and staff positions including chief of protocol for the French Liaison Office, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe; White House Air Force-France project officer; chief or executive officer of three international military organizations including the SHAPE Liaison Office, the 36th North American Air Defense Division and Headquarters U.S. Air Force Southern Command in Panama.

Colonel Archer enjoyed continuing success in civilian life, as vice president for urban affairs at General Foods Corporation; CEO of North Street Capital Corp.; and chairman of Hudson Commercial Corp. He also served on the Board of Directors of Beatrice International Foods and the Institute for American Business, a General Motors Venture Capital Subsidiary.

He earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and received special citations from Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson, along with the director of the CIA. Colonel Archer retired as a lieutenant colonel after 29 years of service and resided in New Rochelle, N.Y.