“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Clovis Alonzo Bordeaux, an original Tuskegee Airman, and one of the designers of the cyclotron project, died March 12, 2011 at Bel Tooren Convalescent Hospital in Bellfower, California.
“mso-spacerun: yes;”> 1917, Mr. Bordeaux spent his childhood in the Ellardsville neighborhood with parents Elizabeth and Sam Bordeaux.
“mso-spacerun: yes;”> St. Louis Negro League.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Clovis Bordeaux graduated from Sumner High School in 1934, and went on to receive a B.S. degree from Lincoln University and a degree at Milwaukee School of Engineering (graduate schools in Missouri would not take African-American students) before entering the military.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>When most people think of the Tuskegee Airmen, they think of the 99th Fighter Squadron. But what came before that? Bordeaux explains in his memoirs: “The real scoop behind the ‘Tuskegee Airmen’ is that it did not start at Tuskegee. There were no jobs, and the Army was starting the 99th Pursuit Squadron. It was going to be all black, and it paid $30 a month.
“mso-spacerun: yes;”> “mso-spacerun: yes;”> there were people in similar circumstances from around the country, one with a Ph.D. in math. There were about 100 enlistees.
“mso-spacerun: yes;”> Montgomery Airbase in Alabama, and then marched to Tuskegee, where our duty was to guard a storage space near the train station. We were issued rifles but no ammunition. Our Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Benjamin O. Davis, the second Black ever to graduate from West Point. Later, the prospective pilots came in.”
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Upon discharge, Bordeaux moved with his wife, Bernice, to Chicago where he worked on the Cyclotron Project at the University of Chicago. The family later moved to California where Bordeaux retired from Hughes Aircraft Company.
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“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Bordeaux
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>was known by numerous friends, coworkers and relatives, including his wife, Bernice Beatrice Perkins, and second son Jude Bordeaux, both of whom are now deceased. Three other sons, Samuel, Clovis Jr. and Jacques survive. Bordeaux will also be remembered by grandchildren AnJanette, Antoinette, Jude, Jr., Clovis Leo, Nisha, Kai, Contrice, Demarqus, Michael, Sarai and Imani, daughters-in-law Janette, Betty and Valerie, and many nieces, nephews and grandchildren.
“font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>A memorial service will be held Friday, March 25 at 11 a.m. at Antioch Baptist Church, 4213 W. Northmarket in St. Louis.
