[AFRICAN AMERICANA - WORLD WAR II]. Photograph capturing the wedding ceremony of Tuskegee Airman Lt. Rual Bell, who had to parachute from an airplane after experiencing engine trouble over Yugoslavia, evading capture for nine days.

7 1/2 x 9 3/8 in. silver gelatin photograph (light edge wear). Verso annotated in ink, "Lt. Bell's wedding ceremony," with ink stamp, "Official Photo U.S.A.A.F., By AAF Training Command." A rare, possibly unpublished photograph providing a candid shot of Lt. Bell exchanging a kiss with his bride.

Second Lieutenant Rual W. Bell served with the 332nd Fighter Group, 100th Fighter Squadron. An excerpt from The Tuskegee Airmen, An Illustrated History: 1939-1949 indicates that on 14 October 1944, the 332nd Fighter Group escorted B-24s of the 49BW on a raid against the Odertal Oil Refineries in Germany. Flight Officer Rual W. Bell was seen to parachute out of his P-51C due to engine trouble over Yugoslavia. Bell returned on October 23 after having evaded enemy forces in Yugoslavia for nine days (see page 183).

An additional excerpt from The Tuskegee Airmen, An Illustrated History: 1939-1949 notes that on 31 March 1945, the 332nd Fighter Group conducted a fighter sweep and strafing mission against railroad and other targets in the Munich area of southern Germany. During the mission, 12 members of the group shot down a total of 13 enemy airplanes, including FW-190s and Me-109s. Second Lieutenant Bell was one of the 12 identified victors who shot down enemy aircraft (see page 193). (Information obtained from cafriseabove.org, 22 April 2024.)