General Daniel “Chappie” James
His Life & Legacy
The story behind the man who was the first African American four-star general who made history in more ways than one.
His Life & Legacy
The story behind the man who was the first African American four-star general who made history in more ways than one.
Our organization formed a grassroots community effort to get the Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement named after local hero General “Chappie” James. We were successful in doing so.
Our organization is now in the process of having a memorial for General Daniel “Chappie” designed and installed at the base of the bridge. It will be a place where veterans and tourists can visit and learn more history about our native national hero.
Pensacola is rich with military history within the community. The memorial that is being erected will add a greater value to this military landmark.
Our goal is to help young people, especially young men and women of color see the value of having a career in the aviation field.
It was a miracle. The confluence of several events: the building of a new 3-mile bridge connecting Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, the recognition of the racial gaps in our community, and the understanding that everyone needs a hero to look up to – led to the founding of the General Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. Memorial Foundation. The Foundation was formed in 2019 to help educate the community and memorialize the life and legacy of General Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr., a native son of Pensacola, Florida.
The Foundation continues to work to raise awareness of General James’ life and legacy in order to help instill in members of our community the values of patriotism, leadership, perseverance, confidence, and eternal optimism. Our goal is to make Pensacola a hub for the education and preparation of young adults into the aviation field and work in conjunction with the Chappie James Flight Academy.
“I remember hearing about the effort to name the new bridge across Pensacola Bay after General Daniel ‘Chappie’ James, Jr., I knew immediately that I wanted to lend my support to this worthy effort to bring attention, recognition, and honor to General James and his family’s legacy in Pensacola. My recollections of General James in the early 1970s centered around his heroics as commander of Wheelus AFB, which he strongly and vociferously defended from Muammar Khadafy’s bullying threats. As a new, young Naval Aviator, I also heard of his exploits in Viet Nam as an F-4 Phantom fighter pilot. He was an American hero, a leader, and a great patriot and role model for me to emulate.” – Ken Pyle
