More than 200 of the surviving 300-plus Tuskegee Airmen have responded in the affirmative to a special invitation to view the Inaugural swearing-in ceremony at the Capitol from a priority-seating area near the podium.

The invitation is highly appropriate for men who fought bravely for their country in World War II, while receiving unequal treatment in the military and returning home to fight racism and legalized segregation. Though the opportunity to witness history up-close-and-personal is deeply appreciated, some of the Airmen – who are in their 70s to their 90s – are finding it challenging to navigate the logistics of travel, scarce lodging options, transportation restrictions within Washington, DC, and mid-January weather as they weigh whether they can actually attend.

Robert D. Rose, an official of The Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (T.A.I.) and retired Air Force captain in Omaha, Nebraska, is volunteering his time to coordinate the invitations and work out logistics. One major challenge is reaching the Airmen and their families, as many of them do not have e-mail. Another is fielding offers of subsidies and help with transport, which may be motivated by a desire to be close to the proceedings.

Lt. Col. Charles A. Lane Jr., 83, of Omaha, Nebraska, who flew missions over Italy, told The New York Times that “I didn’t believe I’d live long enough to see something like this.” But Lane faces physical challenges that may make it difficult for him to attend. Despite the potential hurdles, one Airman, Spann Watson, 92, of Westbury, New York, assured NewsDay.com that he will “come running and hopping down Pennsylvania Avenue.”

The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American U.S. military pilots, trained in racially-segregated facilities when the government created Civilian Pilot Training Programs in the 1930s to provide pilots in case of a national emergency. From 1941 through 1946, 994 pilots graduated training at Tuskegee Army Air Field (TAAF) in Tuskegee, Alabama.

The Airmen distinguished themselves with exemplary fighting in World War II, while battling racism within the U.S. military and in America once they returned home. In 2007, more than 300 Airmen came to Washington to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.

Read the full stories at The New York Times or Newsday.

Learn more and to make a donation to help the Tuskegee Airmen attend the Inauguration

–The Editors