Essie Honors Her Husband’s Tuskegee Airman Legacy with Intertwined Wishes

When you’ve lived a life like 91-year-old Essie, you have many stories to share. Essie could share tales of travel and adventure, love and family, service to others, and advocacy for equality.

Most of Essie’s memorable life experiences started with a story, beginning with her deep love of reading, which she cultivated from a young age.

After graduating from Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina, Essie fearlessly pursued her dream job of becoming a librarian. And she triumphed! She relocated to Sacramento, CA, to serve in the unique position of librarian with the United States Armed Forces.

Eventually, Essie yearned to explore past the library’s shelves. To accomplish her goal of seeing the world, she embraced a new opportunity as a librarian on an Air Force base in Germany. She spent the following years living overseas and working in various European countries, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.

In the Philippines, a new chapter of Essie’s life began—one which would become a defining part of her story. Essie met James Randall, a dashing and brave Tuskegee Airman fighter pilot who also happened to be the son of a librarian.

Essie witnessed how differently James and his fellow African American pilots were treated compared to other service members. Despite the unfair and often disparaging treatment the Tuskegee Airmen faced, Essie saw James rise above the fray—a beacon of light, bravely fulfilling every dangerous mission and shining brightly for equality and justice.

During the Vietnam War in 1965, James was flying a mission over North Vietnam when his F-105 fighter jet was shot down. He ejected from the aircraft and miraculously made it to the ground wearing his helmet but sustained some injuries from the fall. As enemy soldiers approached, he breathlessly crawled to cover in the jungle and remained undiscovered until he was later airlifted by helicopter.

As their relationship grew, James and Essie’s stories became intertwined. In 1972, James received an assignment in Colorado and asked Essie to leave the Philippines with him—as his wife. They built a beautiful life together in Colorado, and Essie offered James her unwavering support until his retirement as a Colonel in 1980 after nearly 32 years of service.

But a part of their tale was yet unfinished. In 2013, James received an unexpected phone call. “Colonel… we found your lost helmet,” he heard an unfamiliar voice say.

As the story unfolded, James and Essie learned that Dominique Eluere, a French businessman, had noticed the helmet while walking through a flea market in Cambodia—over 1,000 miles south of James’s crash site in North Vietnam. He was intrigued and purchased it, only to realize its value after recognizing the Tuskegee Airmen insignia.

Years later, a chance encounter with American Gary “Paco” Gregg led him to finally connect the pieces. And 25 years later, the helmet was finally returned to James during the Tuskegee Airmen National Convention in St. Louis, MO.

The return of the helmet was a victory that Essie and James shared and celebrated together. It was a remarkable journey, fitting for a couple who lived a remarkable life together.

When James fell ill, Essie became his primary caregiver, supporting his every need and remaining lovingly by his side. Before he passed, James favored sharing the story of his lost helmet with a museum to inspire others and share his part of the Tuskegee Airmen legacy.

Like so much of their life, James’ dream became Essie’s, too, and she hoped to fulfill his wish someday.

When we heard Essie and James’ incredible story, we were honored to help her fulfill a wish experience infused with layers of meaning. At age 91, Essie yearned to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C., where she could celebrate her heritage as a woman of color while honoring her family’s military experiences in Washington, D.C.

Accompanied by her stepdaughter Roberta, Essie explored our nation’s wondrous monuments and took a long-awaited trip to the Library of Congress—a librarian’s dream come true.

While exploring the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Essie was moved on many levels. She and Roberta saw the iconic Spirit of the Tuskegee aircraft that the Tuskegee Airmen trained in during WWII. They also saw a signed baggage door of a Boeing PT-13D Stearman, including her beloved husband’s signature.

Walking through the impressive space filled with history, Essie knew deep in her heart that it was the right place to share James’ story.

Upon returning home, Essie’s gratitude for her experience was unmatched: “I just can’t find the words to thank you enough for this trip…I couldn’t imagine it being any better,” she said.

A few years after her wish, Essie’s second dream came true. Team members from Wish of a Lifetime were honored to join her for a joyous, celebratory lunch in recognition of an incredible milestone.

The Smithsonian Institute had chosen to accept several pieces of memorabilia belonging to her husband, including a photograph of Gary “Paco” Gregg presenting Col. James Randall with his lost flight helmet.

Now, people from all walks of life will be inspired by the unlikely story of a pilot reunited with his helmet through land, air, and sea and of the woman whose unwavering support empowered him to achieve great things.