Master Sergeant Nelson Beryl Robinson Sr. was born on March 2, 1928 in Kansas City, Kansas to Martha and Percy Robinson. He was the youngest of five children and, as a child, joined the Boy Scouts, transitioned to the Civil Air Patrol and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force on February 28, 1946. 

He began basic training at Shepherd Army Air Base in Texas, finishing at Scott Field, Illinois.  He attended aviation mechanics school at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi and upon completion was assigned to the 99th Fighter Squadron at Lockbourne, Ohio, an all-Black Army Air Force Base, under the command of then-Col Benjamin O. Davis Jr.  All personnel in this unit would become known as Tuskegee Airmen.  After 3 years at Lockbourne, Nelson was one of the first African American aircraft mechanics to be integrated into the U.S. Air Force under President Harry Truman’s Executive Order 9981. 

 He was transferred to the 4th Fighter Squadron at Naha Air Force Base in Okinawa, Japan.  There, he was an assistant aircraft crew chief to Technical Sergeant Charles Chennault and was assigned to a P-61 Black Widow and an F-82G Twin Mustang.  Subsequently, he trained and flew as a flight engineer on the B-29, B-25, B-26, and C-119.  Nelson saw action in Korea and despite passing all USAF Aviation Cadet Exams, he was disqualified from the pilot training program due to a spot on his lung.  He did, however earn his private pilot’s license on July 2, 1962 at Webb Air force Base, Texas. He was honorably discharged on August 31, 1968 after 22 ½ years of service. 

Following his Air Force career, Nelson earned his B.A. in business administration and became an advocate for small business owners in San Diego.  In 1991, he joined the board of directors of the International Air & Space Hall of Fame.  Nelson Robinson married Loueida Winesberry at Kirtland Air Force Base, on April 4, 1954.  Their son, Nelson Robinson Jr. was born on May 27, 1962.  Nelson Robinson passed away on December 6, 2022 in San Diego, CA.

The collection's finding guide.

Images from the collection on Flickr.