LT. Fred Lorenzo Brewer, 102, a Tuskegee Airman of Charlotte NC departed this life on October 29, 1944.

2nd Lt Fred Lorenzo Brewer, Jr. served as a U.S. Military Combat Pilot during World War II (WWII).  He was one of the Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen (DOTA) known as Red Tail Angels.  They were known to have lost fewer escorted bombers to enemy aircraft than other fighter escort groups in support of allied Forces in the European Theater.

Fred, Jr. was born in Charlotte, NC on August 4, 1921.  He was the first-born child of Fred L. Sr. and Janie Dunlap Brewer.  His only sibling, Gladys, passed away on January 1, 2008.  Fred, Jr. was dedicated to family, church and attended Ebenezer Baptist Church faithfully throughout his youth.

In 1938, Fred, Jr. graduated from the segregated Second Ward High School in Charlotte, NC.  Afterwards, he enrolled in Shaw University in Raleigh, NC.  During 1940, Fred, Jr. served as an assistant in a local chemistry laboratory.  He was listed in the 1941-42 edition of Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.  During his junior and senior years, he served as Editor of the Shaw Journal and Bear.  In 1941, he and was a student representative at the National Intercollegiate Christian Council at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.  Prior to graduating from Shaw University in 1942, Fred, Jr. was a delegate to the National Conference of Negro Youth.

Fred, Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Army in November of 1943.  On March 12, 1944, he completed single engine pilot training at the Tuskegee Army Airfield (TAAF) in Tuskegee, AL.  There he graduated with Class SE-44-C, as a 2nd Lieutenant.  He was awarded and received his pilot wings graduating with highest honors.

It's important to note that of the approximately 1,000 pilots who trained at the TAAF, between 1941 through 1946, only 355 of these pilots served overseas in the all-black 332nd Fighter Group, which included 2nd Lt Brewer's 100th Fighter Squadron.

Lt Brewer left for overseas duty as a Red Tail (Angel) Combat Pilot in July of 1944 where, he was stationed with the 100th Fighter Group in the Mediterranean Theater of Operation.

On the October 29, 1944, 2nd Lt Brewer was part of a group that took off from the American Air Base at Ramitelli, Italy. Their purpose was to provide fighter escorts to bombers of the 15th Army Air Force in support of a mission to bomb targets in Germany. During this mission, some pilots had to turn back because of the thick cloud cover. Lt Brewer and the rest continued. A fighter pilot noticed that 2nd Lt Brewer's aircraft had pulled up too steeply trying to climb out of the clouds and the engine of his aircraft, Travelin' Lite, stalled out. The pilot immediately lost sight of 2nd Lt Brewer. Neither 2nd Lt Brewer nor Travelin' Lite were seen again. On this date, 2nd Lt Brewer was pronounced Missing in Action (MIA).

In November of 1945, 2nd Lt Fred L. Brewer was officially declared dead. In recognition of his service to this country, in December of 1945, a memorial service was held at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Charlotte.

An investigation into a possible identification with an unknown American buried in an American cemetery in Florence, Italy was pursued in 1953 with no success.  In August of 2023, the remains of 2nd Lt Fred L. Brewer, Jr. were identified by Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) at Offutt AFB Nebraska.

In his short 23 years, 2nd Lt Fred Lorenzo Brewer, Jr. made great achievements in a society that offered him very little to work with. He was a chemistry lab assistant and became the academic dream of a 'black' American family. He furthered his willingness to serve by becoming 2nd Lt Fred L. Brewer, Jr. and began to escort bombers during WWII.  And although, he continued to grow in these many directions, he was always the person he started as . . . a son to Janie and Fred L. Sr., a brother to Gladys, and a dedicated Christian.

We thank God that his body has withstood time and has been returned here today as these honors and recognitions are being delivered.