Luther Linson Blakeney and 2nd Lt. William E. Hill.
Only Moody’ s crash site has been found and documented.
For Haigler and his team, diving into the chilly, dark waters of Lake Huron was more than an archaeological task. It was a profound act of remembrance.
Over several days of meticulous diving, the DWP team mapped the debris field, photographed the artifact trail and ensured that Moody’ s sacrifice would never be erased by time.
The collaborative effort culminated in the installation of a permanent underwater memorial at the crash site, as well as a state
historical marker on the shores of Port Huron. Today, the recovered artifacts serve as a tangible link to the bravery of the Tuskegee Airmen, ensuring that a Black pilot lost in the chaos of war is permanently enshrined in American history.
By documenting the final resting place of Moody’ s P-39, these Black divers did more than salvage twisted metal from the lake floor. They rescued a hero’ s legacy from the depths of obscurity, proving that while history can be submerged, it can never truly be lost. n
DeWayne Wickham is editor of the Morgan Global Journalism Review and a founding member and former president of the National Association of Black Journalists. He is the founding dean of Morgan State University’ s School of Global Journalism & Communication.
Frank Herman Moody