William Noel Alsbrook, Sr. (January 31, 1916 – January 5, 1998) was an American inventor and combat fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Fighter Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen, "Red Tails," or "Schwartze Vogelmenschen" ("Black Birdmen") among enemy German pilots.[1][2][3][4][5]
Early life
Alsbrook was born on January 31, 1916, in Kansas City, Kansas. He was the son of Elgeitha Dorothy Stovall Alsbrook, a school teacher, and Irving Adolphus Alsbrook, who died when Alsbrook was very young.[1] Along with his mother and brothers James Alsbrook and Adolphus Alsbrook, Alsbrook lived with his maternal grandparents – Elizabeth Stovall, a cook and janitor, and Jerry Stovall, a butcher at a local packing company. After Jerry died, the Stovall-Alsbrook matriarchs supported the family.
In 1935, Alsbrook attended the University of Kansas where he studied mathematics. He also worked as a porter for Beard & Gabelman (B & G) Clothing Stores of Kansas City to support himself.[1]
Interested in piloting aircraft since childhood, Alsbrook transferred to the Tuskegee Institute to enroll in its aviation program.[1]
On October 5, 1943, Alsbrook married Louise M. Brown Alsbrook.[1] They had two children: son William Jr, who was born while Alsbrook was stationed in World War II’s European Theater, and son Reginald.[1] The Chicago Sunday Tribune's February 25, 1945, edition featured Louise and 12 other military wives who had given birth to babies while their husband served overseas. As part of its story, the Chicago Sunday Tribune made arrangements to send each father, including Alsbrook, a secured V-mail to see their children for the first time.[1]
During World War II, Alsbrook flew 80 combat missions, including missions in Italy and Austria.[1] A decorated combat fighter pilot, Alsbrook was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and 4 Bronze Battle Stars.[1]
Post-Military, Inventions, Patents
After World War II, Alsbrook attempted to become an commercial airline pilot but was denied employment based on his race.[8] To support his family, Alsbrook worked for Zenith Electronics as a television and electronics technician until his retirement in 1982. He was one of the first African American technicians at Zenith.[8][1]
Credited with over 12 inventions, Alsbrook is best known for inventing a patented industrial process to maintain freshness during the commercial distribution of sandwich products.[9][4][10] Patenting his idea two years before his death in 1998, Alsbrook willed the patent to his son Reginald who leveraged the invention into patented plastic wrappers known as the Pull Out Pouch Packaging System (P.O.P.P.S), through the Alsbrook family's business, Diana's Homegrown.[11] The Alsbrook family rolled out its patented products in over 16 Target stores,[5][12] and at the Kirtland Air Force Base, through a five-year, $1MM contract with the National Nuclear Security Administration, a division of the Department of Energy.[citation needed]
^"Tuskegee Airmen Pilot Roster". CAF Rise Above. This data derives from CAF Rise Above's research project compiling data from Tuskegee Airmen historians including the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
