August 11, 2020 “Eugene Bullard: World’s First Black Fighter Pilot”

Larry W. Greenly discusses his book Eugene Bullard: World’s First Black Fighter Pilot

Pioneering black aviator Eugene Bullard, descended from slaves, became the world’s first black fighter pilot, though he was barred from serving the United States because of the color of his skin.

Growing up in Georgia, Bullard faced discrimination and the threat of lynching. He ran away from home at twelve and eventually made his way to France, where he joined the French Foreign Legion and later the Lafayette Flying Corps. He saw fierce combat during World War I and was wounded multiple times. He returned to the United States with a chest full of medals, but once again faced discrimination. Bullard was all but ignored in the United States, even as, at age sixty-four in 1959, he was made a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor. Eugene Bullard’s is a remarkable story of accomplishment despite racial prejudice.

Armed with degrees in physics/math, architecture, civil engineering and chiropractic, Larry Greenly has led a multi-faceted life as a teacher, engineer and doctor of chiropractic. His career as a freelance writer/editor of myriad non-fiction articles began over 25 years ago with a long-running medical column in professional journals. Along the way, Greenly garnered a number of writing awards, including the Parris Award and a National Federation of Press Women 2nd place national award for his literary page in a local magazine.