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ALBERT LEE GAINES BIOGRAPHY A Tuskegee Airman Legend Mr. Judge Gaines and Mrs. Ellen Louise Warren Gaines gave birth to Albert Lee Gaines on November 27, 1923 in Struthers, Ohio. Little did they know, they were giving birth to a man that would help to change race relations in this country. His lifetime perspective awarded him an incredible level of respect and incomparable greatness in the fields of Military Service, Computer Programming, Politics, and Civil Rights. Al Gaines was also an attorney for the “regular” people. His career and personal accomplishments are broad-based and incredible and honestly, this biography could run several pages. Here is a brief snapshot of his 85-year old life. Al’s early studies included attending Elementary School in Struthers, Oh. He later moved to the great state of N.Y. and attended Seneca Vocational School in Seneca, not far from Buffalo, where he spent his formative years. Albert was getting his life-training skills in order at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo. He later transferred to Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, where he would forever be a part of history in his early 20’s by becoming a member of the world-reknowned Tuskegee Airman. Prior to the Tuskegee Airmen, no U.S. military pilots had been black. A series of legislative moves by the United States Congress in 1941 forced the Army Air Corps to form an all-black combat unit, despite the War Department's reluctance. He and his peers eventually completed the course. Al went on to became a navigator and rose to the rank of Army Captain. He also honed his skills as a Navigator Bombardier and graduated as a 2nd Lieutenant, and later became an instructor for other young aspiring aerial pilots. He graduated from Tuskegee University in 1944. Over 60 years since it’s inception, the legendary Tuskegee Airmen are still a great topic of discussion around the world, receiving hundreds of recognition awards. It is duly noted that the Tuskegee Airmen collectively never lost a plane under escort to enemy fighters, developing such a reputation with the German pilots that they eventually stopped pursuing American planes. They called themselves The Red Tails, and they were partially responsible for shooting down 106 German airplanes. What made the Airmen even more popular was the fact that they never viewed themselves as ‘heroes’…they simply did what was needed to be done. The Tuskegee Airmen were extremely humble men, which is why they were beloved around the world. Although he was “flying high” in this endeavor, it was already written for him to hit even loftier goals in life. Al was quite nervous when he took the opening IBM exam in the early ‘60’s when he was still in Buffalo, however, when the test scores came back, he was informed that he had achieved at that time the highest score on record. Needless to say, he was hired!! He also worked in Syracuse, NY and eventually moved to Westchester County and settled in Peekskill, NY. and worked there thru 1999, mostly as a Computer Engineer and an Attorney. Prior to that in 1952 when he was in Syracuse, he actually met the founders of IBM, the T.J. Watson Family, as well as Eleanor Roosevelt, who acknowledged Al Gaines and the other Tuskegee Airmen for their successes. They rallied behind Al Gaines when he applied to Syracuse University, where he had once again experienced, ‘a Jackie Robinson moment’ with his admission to the University. Mr. Gaines would have other Jackie Robinson moments throughout his life when he would later integrate the New York National Guard as well as being the Lakeland School Board President. He met Leola McCoy when they were both attending Tuskegee and later married Leola McCoy in 1948 and had his only two children, daughters Anna Gaines (8/29/49) and Vickie Wilson (11/19/52). He married Addie Viola-Baldwin on January 13, 1991 and helped raise her children and grand-children. They met when she was working in the Lakeland School system and when he was running the School Board. Over the many years, Al often referred to Viola as his “Princess” and his “Best Friend.” After he retired from IBM in 1999, he continued to be a legal activist at the Montrose VA Hospital, where he successfully defended labor laws on behalf of the Veterans. He eventually fully retired in 2003. In the last few months, Mr. Gaines was unable to take of himself and eventually had to spend his last few weeks at the Cortlandt Nursing Home, just ½ mile from home here in Cortlandt Manor, NY. He was assisted well by the staff there. Everybody enjoyed his company and enjoyed his ‘don’t quit’ attitude. He was guaranteed to get a daily visit from his Princess, where she helped to keep him comfortable and they never missed a meal together. They had a wonderful marriage and friendship for many years and that friendship helped carry him through his later years peacefully and in comfort, down to his very last breath. Albert L. Gaines held significant positions in numerous local political and community organizations. He was the Chairman of the Cortlandt Democratic National Committee, Secretary of the Westchester Democratic Committee in White Plains, member of the board of the Mental Health Association of New York State and Westchester County, and a member of the NAACP in Peekskill. He loved to relax over the years, dabbling in photography, but also enjoyed furniture repair, boxing, electronics work and automobile repair work. Al Gaines was a fun man, a kind man and a smart man. He was a great staple in the Westchester Community and will be missed not only by family, but he will be equally missed by friends, business political associates throughout Westchester, New York and the United States.
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