Bob Friend is one of only 26 surviving Tuskegee Airmen- a squadron that was formed during World War II to allow nonwhite American men the opportunity to serve their country in aerial warfare. Flying out of airbases in Italy to escort bomber missions into southeastern Europe and Yugoslavia, the Tuskegee Airmen earned a reputation for sticking with their "big friends" and bringing them home safely. After the War, LtCol Friend stayed in the Air Force, eventually heading Project Blue Book, the air force's investigation of UFOs.