Along with a group of six others, New Orleanian native Russell F. Desvignes graduated from the Tuskegee Field on April 16th 1945.
From left to right the Airmen are: F/O James H. Taylor, Champaign, Ill.; 2nd Lt. Lowell H. Jordan, New York, NY; F/O Leroy Criss, Los Angeles, Calif.; F/O George G. Norton, St. Louis, Mo.; 2nd Lt. Theopolis W. Johnson, Birmingham, Ala.; F/O Russell F. Desvignes, New Orleans, La.; F/O Eldridge Freeman, Chicago, Ill. (Official U.S. AAF Photo by AAF Training Command.)