General Daniel James, Jr.
Feb 11, 1920 — Feb. 25, 1978
[front side]
America's first African American Four Star General
U.S.A.F.
[back side]
I believe in her
I’ll protect her
against all enemies
foreign and domestic
World War II — Korea — Vietnam
“Thou Shall Not Quit”
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Air & Space • Military • Patriots & Patriotism. A significant historical date for this entry is February 11, 1920.
Location. 30° 25.812′ N, 87° 12.791′ W. Marker is in Pensacola, Florida, in Escambia County. It is in Southeast Pensacola. It is on Doctor Martin Luther King Junior Drive (Florida Route 291) just north of East Moreno Street, on the left when traveling south. The marker is at the east end of General Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr. Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1606 Doctor M.L.K Jr Drive, Pensacola FL 32503, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Florida Panhandle. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Gulf Coast. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America,
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Growing Up (here, next to this marker); Reach for the Stars (a few steps from this marker); Early Military Career (a few steps from this marker); “Thou Shalt Not Quit” (a few steps from this marker); History in Place (within shouting distance of this marker); Living in Eastside (within shouting distance of this marker); General Daniel "Chappie" James, Jr. Memorial Park (within shouting distance of this marker); E.S. Cobb Center (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Pensacola.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. General Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr. Memorial Park
Also see . . .
1. Air Force's Daniel 'Chappie' James Jr. Rose to 4-Star Excellence (U.S. Department of War).
(By Katie Lange, DOD News, Feb. 10, 2022) Excerpt: James stayed at Tuskegee as a civilian instructor pilot for the Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program until January 1943, when he joined the program himself. He was commissioned into the Army Air Corps the following July; however, he was never sent overseas to fight in World War II after he completed his fighter pilot combat training. When the Air Force began implementing its desegregation plan in 1949, James was finally sent overseas. He was assigned to the 18th Fighter Wing's 12th Fighter-Bomber Squadron, an integrated unit in the Philippines.(Submitted on April 27, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)James was sent to Korea in July 1950 and completed 101 combat missions during his deployment. By the time Vietnam began, he was a colonel. James flew 78 combat missions into North Vietnam and helped plan and lead the famed Operation Bolo in January 1967.
After returning to the U.S., James served as vice commander of the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Eglin Air Force Base. He was persistent, tactically skillful and seen as a steady combat leader — attributes that earned him his next role as the commander of the 7272nd Fighter Training Wing at Wheelus Air Base in Libya.
After Libya, he was tapped to be a deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. When he took the job in March 1970, he was also promoted to brigadier general, making him the first Black general in the Air Force. In September 1974, James took over as vice commander of the Military Airlift Command based at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He had been promoted twice by this time, attaining his third star as lieutenant general.
On Sept. 1, 1975, James was officially promoted to the rank of four-star general, becoming the first Black man to attain that rank in the U.S. military. “If my making an advancement can serve as some kind of spark ... it will be worth all the years, all the blood and sweat it took in getting here,” James said upon earning that fourth star.
2. Daniel "Chappie" James Jr. (Wikipedia).
Excerpt: A fighter pilot in the United States Air Force who, in 1975, became the first African American to reach the rank of four-star general in the United States Armed Forces. James attended the famous Tuskegee Institute and instructed African American pilots during World War II. He flew combat missions during the Korean War and Vietnam War, and received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, two Legions of Merit, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Meritorious Service Medal, and fourteen Air Medals.(Submitted on April 27, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 27, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 24, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 13 times since then. Photos: 1. submitted on April 26, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on April 27, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
