BILL ANALYSIS �
SCR 90
Page 1
Date of Hearing: July 2, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
SCR 90 (Anderson) - As Amended: June 26, 2012
SENATE VOTE : 36-0
SUBJECT : State Route 15
SUMMARY : Designates a segment of State Route (SR) 15 as the
Tuskegee Airmen Highway. Specifically, this bill :
1)Recounts the history and achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen
during World War II.
2)Designates the segment of SR 15 between Miramar Road (milepost
marker 14.285) and Mercy Road (milepost marker 17.311), in the
County of San Diego, as the Tuskegee Airmen Highway.
3)Requests the Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to
determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the
signing requirements for the state highway system showing this
special designation and, upon receiving donations from
nonstate sources sufficient to cover the cost.
EXISTING LAW : Assigns Caltrans the responsibility to operate
and maintain state highways. This includes the installation and
maintenance of highway signs.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown. This bill is keyed nonfiscal.
COMMENTS : During World War II, the United States Army Air Corps
formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Medium Bombardment
Group at Tuskegee Institute to train African American fighter
pilots who, until that time, had not been accepted into pilot
training programs in the military. The Tuskegee Airmen were
sent to the European Theatre in 1943 and served in combat in
North Africa, Sicily, and Europe.
At the end of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen were credited
with destroying 261 enemy aircraft, damaging 148 enemy aircraft,
destroying or damaging 940 units of enemy ground transportation,
flying 15,553 combat sorties in 1,578 missions over North
Africa, Sicily, and Europe, and conducting more than 200 bomber
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escort missions. The Tuskegee Airmen unit, including its
officers and enlisted personnel, received three Presidential
Unit Citations, 150 Distinguished Flying Cross and Legion of
Merit awards, the Red Star of Yugoslavia, nine Purple Hearts, 14
Bronze Stars, and more than 700 Air Medals and Oak Leaf Cluster
awards. Sixty-six of the Tuskegee Airmen were killed in combat,
and another 33 were shot down and held as prisoners of war.
The unqualified success of the Tuskegee Airmen helped lead to
the eventual integration of the United States Armed Forces. The
record of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II was accomplished
by individuals who bravely accepted the challenge and proudly
displayed their skill and patriotism despite great adversity at
home and abroad.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
San Diego City Councilmember Carl DeMaio
Urban League, San Diego County
Letters from 12 individuals
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Howard Posner / TRANS. / (916) 319-2093