A 1948 colorized photograph that hung on an aircraft worker's wall led to the discovery of a lost chapter in the annuals of both aviation and the American Indian.
The experiment in tribal self-government had barely begun when the tremors of World War II rocked the land and the people. Pearl Harbor sparked the ancestral warrior spirit, calling forth a flurry of Indian volunteers. Eventually some 44,000 served.
With a precedent set for moving off the reservation to seek work, more and more Indians headed for the war plants of the west coast and the central plains. Separated from their tribal home, scattered families bonded together and proudly hung on to their cultural heritage.
Told by the people who lived it, 'Indians in Aviation' features interviews with aircraft historians, tribal authorities and Indian family testimonials combined with rare historical photographs and archival footage. A living testament and thrilling historical account, 'Indians in Aviation' is a unique story finally preserved for future generations.