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Born in
Dominican Republic,
Esteban (Stephen) Hotesse served in World War II
as a Tuskegee Airman. Born on February 2, 1919,
in Moca,
Dominican Republic, Hotesse
at the age four along with his family moved to New York City.
On February 21, 1942, Hotesse (went by the name
"Stephan" Hotesse) enrolled in the military where
he began and completed flight training as a B-25
bomber pilot with the 619 squadron of the 477
bombardment group. A year later Hotesse applied
for U.S. Naturalization.
Hotesse was trained at Freeman Airfield, Indiana
where Black bomber pilots were trained during
WWII, he was part of Class
44-45B, where he
earned the rank of second lieutenant as reported
by Tom Lauria a researcher at Air Force
Historical Research Agency, Maxwell AFB,
Alabama.
On April 5, 1945, Hotesse and several Black
pilots of the 477th Bombardment Group were
arrested when they protested segregation by
entering an all white officers club. This became
known as the Freeman Field Mutiny. On April 23,
these Tuskegee Airmen were releast from the brig
on the orders of Army Chief of Staff General
George C. Marshall.
Although Hotesse and his squadron never flew in
combat as a result of the war had come to an end
in 1945, Hotesse died in a B-25 crash over the
Ohio River in
Indiana
during a military exercise on July 8, 1945 at
the age of 26. Hotesse was not piloting the
aircraft at the time (see
accident report) |
