Oklahoma Fallen - WWII: 2Lt. Faythe A. McGinnis - Tuskegee Airman

Prologue

12 Nov 2015

“Nearly 40 graves were discovered during a cleanup effort at a Muskogee cemetery

12 of those graves belonged to World War II veterans, including 2 Tuskegee airmen.

Volunteers cleaning up a cemetery in Muskogee, Oklahoma found dozens of hidden graves underneath trees, brush and overgrown grass. More than a dozen of the nearly 40 graves discovered at Booker T. Washington Cemetery belong to World War II veterans, some who were Tuskegee airmen.

"The more we cut, the more we uncovered. The more we uncovered, the more excited we got," said manager Darryl Brown.

"I contacted a student group and a Boy Scout group, and they came in with bleach and water and came in and cleaned all the headstones," said organizer Dennis Wilhite.

One of the partially covered graves belongs to 2nd ++Lt. Faythe McGinnis ++a World War II veteran and Tuskegee airman, a group of African-American pilots.

Another Tuskegee airman at the cemetery is Lt. Robert Smith. FOX23 spoke with his sister, Maj. Joe E. W. Ramsey, who said her brother is the reason she decided to serve her country.

Wilhite said he went to the Ft. Gibson National Cemetery to learn how to reset stones so he can continue cleanup efforts.” - courtesy Fox23 News Muskogee, OK

Early Life

Faythe Andrew McGinnis was born on 30 August 1917 in Coalgate, Coal County, Oklahoma to Gilbert S. McGinnis born in Lexington, Lee County, Texas and Ella (Wiley) McGinnis born in Athens, Texas also known as the ‘Black-Eyed Pea Capitol of the World’. Gilbert McGinnis was a grocer and barber in rural Paden, Oklahoma, then the family settled in Muskogee, Muskogee County, Oklahoma. Faythe had one brother, Charles Wilbert McGinnis (1922-1977), who served in the Army as a TEC5 and three sisters, Dorothy (1915-1992), Delois McGinnis (Holley), and Ruth McGinnis (Woods).

Education

Faythe attended 3 years of college at Colored Agricultural and Normal University now known as Langston University, not only excelling in academics, but also a star football player and assistant football coach for the University while living at home with his widowed mother, Faythe’s father, Gilbert had died in 1938.

Military

2Lt. Faythe A. McGinnis 3rd on upper right

Faythe A. McGinnis enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 19 February 1942, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma the same year the famed 100th Pursuit Squadron was activated at Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. It was the second African-American Army Air Forces unit ever to be activated.

Courtesy (Maurer, combat Squadrons of the Air Force, World war II)

He completed his primary and secondary training in the civil aeronautics program at Tuskegee. 2nd Lt. Faythe A. McGinnis received his wings and commission on 3 July 1942.

Death

Tragically, on Sept. 12, 1942, 2nd Lt. Faythe A. McGinnis crashed on a routine flight and became the first casualty of the 99th Fighter Squadron.

“On September 12, 1942 he crashed his P-40E Warhawk #40-430 into Soughalachoe Creek during a routine flight out of the Tuskegee flight training base in Alabama. He was the first casualty suffered by the 99th Fighter Squadron. His mother had been visiting with him at the time, to celebrate his new commission as a pilot and lieutenant.” courtesy - Honor States

Burial

2nd Lt. Faythe A. McGinnis was interred at Booker T. Washington Cemetery in Muskogee, Oklahoma. His sister, Delois ordered the bronze military headstone in 1948 that marks his grave. 2nd Lt. Faythe A. McGinnis has no known living descendants.

2nd Lt. McGinnis was awarded the following citations:

WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, American Presidential Unit Citation.

Bibliography:

1920 U.S. Census - https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4384831_01016?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=76945985

1940 U.S. Census - https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/m-t0627-03314-00699?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=89061900

U.S. City Directories Muskogee 1942 - https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2469/images/12812420?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=752364173

Langston University - _https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_University

Headstone Applications for Military Veterans - https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2375/images/40050_1521003240_0415-01963?usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=224247

Three Forks History - _https://www.muskogeephoenix.com/news/three-forks-history-oklahoma-had-three-of-the-original-tuskegee/article_875cd8de-2b07-5732-bac9-4484b9d025a5.html

World War II Graves Uncovered In Muskogee Cemetery clean-up - https://www.fox23.com/news/local/world-war-ii-graves-uncovered-muskogee-cemetery-cl/26824657/

Find A Grave - _https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/31781463/faythe-andrew-mcginnis

Alabama Deaths and Burials - _https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=2543&h=876710&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=60525