Price D. Rice

Colonel Price D. Rice
Price D. Rice
Birth name	Price D. Rice
Born	(1916-10-22)October 22, 1916 Shelby, North Carolina, U.S.
Died	February 21, 1999(1999-02-21) (aged 82) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery Section 68, Grave 2255
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Army Air Forces
Years of service	1942-1965
Rank	Colonel
Unit	99th Pursuit Squadron, 332nd Division, Tuskegee Airmen
Battles / wars	World War II
Awards	Congressional Gold Medal

Price D. Rice (October 22, 1916 – February 21, 1999) was a U.S. Army Air Corps/U.S. Air Force officer and combat fighter pilot of the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen. He was one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots.

The Tuskegee Airmen's aircraft had distinctive markings that led to the name, "Red Tails."

Early life

Born on October 22, 1916, in Shelby, North Carolina, Cleveland County, Rice was raised in Montclair, N.J.

Though there is little information on Price's first wife, Price had four daughters with her: Delabian, Diana, Daphne, and Debra.

In 1962, Rice married Ohio State University alumnus and Howard University-trained physician Ellamae Simmons after meeting through a mutual friend. In 1964, Price and Simmons relocated from Ohio to the San Francisco Bay Area in California. In 1967, the couple purchased a home in San Francisco's exclusive Presidio Heights, becoming the first African American family there. In 1977, Rice and Simmons divorced.

Military career

Class 42-I Left to right: Nathaniel M. Hill, Marshall S. Cabiness, Herman A. Lawson, William T. Mattison, John A. Gibson, Elwood T. Driver, Price D. Rice, Andrew D. Turner

Early 1942, Rice volunteered for service in the U.S. Army Air Corps. On October 9, 1942, Rice graduated from Tuskegee's cadet pilot training class 42-I-SE, receiving his wings and a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant.

After graduation, the U.S. Army Air Corps assigned Rice to the Tuskegee Airmen-99th Fighter Squadron where he flew patrol, strafing and bomber escort missions in World War II's Mediterranean and European Theater. Rice also served during Korea War and Vietnam War, retiring as a Colonel in 1965 after 23 years of active duty military service. He resided in the San Francisco Bay area until his death in 1999.

Awards

• Congressional Gold Medal (2007)

Death

Rice died on February 21, 1999, from complications from diabetes. He was 82. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, Section 68, Grave 2255, in Arlington, Virginia.

See also

• Tuskegee Airmen
• List of Tuskegee Airmen Cadet Pilot Graduation Classes
• List of Tuskegee Airmen
• Military history of African Americans
• Dogfights (TV series)
• Executive Order 9981
• The Tuskegee Airmen (movie)

External links

• Fly (2009 play about the 332d Fighter Group)
• Herman A. Lawson Black Eagles
• Tuskegee Airmen at Tuskegee University
• Tuskegee Airmen Archives at the University of California, Riverside Libraries.
• Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.
• Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site (U.S. National Park Service)
• Tuskegee Airmen National Museum