#aag? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4 ,r4
 #fhfc  ,,an ,,act  ,to designate !     
m$ical c5t] ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans    
,affairs 9 ,memphis1 ,t5nessee1 z ! ,lt4
 ,col4 ,luke ,wea!rs1 ,jr4 ,,va ,m$ical 
,c5t]4  #a4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds !     
foll[+3 7#a7 ,luke ,joseph ,wea!rs1     
,jr41 0 born ,decemb] #af1 #aibb1 9     
,gr5ada1 ,mississippi1 !n mov$ to       
,memphis1 ,t5nessee1 at age five4  7#b7 
,luke ,joseph ,wea!rs1 ,jr41 graduat$ f 
,book] ,t4 ,wa%+ton ,high ,s*ool & is an
 alumnus ( ,xavi] ,univ]sity 9 ,new     
,orleans4  7#c7 ,^u 8 graduation1 ,luke 
,joseph ,wea!rs1 ,jr41 enli/$ 9 "o ( !  
fir/ tra9+ programs = ,black pilots1    
beg9n+ 8 j\rney z a ,tuskegee ,airman4  
7#d7 ,)9 8 fir/ few ye>s active 9 ! w>1 
,luke ,joseph ,wea!rs1 ,jr41 nam$ 8     
plane ,_s ( ,beale ,/reet1 9 honor ( 8  
homet[n1 ,memphis1 ,t5nessee4 ,he flew  
?is plane ) ! ,r$ ,tails4  7#e7 ,he 0   
cr$it$ ) %oot+ d[n ,g]man planes :ile   
protect+ ,unit$ ,/ates ,army ,air ,corps
 bomb]s & %oot+ d[n two ,mess]s*mitt    

#ajis 9 ,italy :ile escort+ a damag$    
,b-#bd ,lib]ator bomb]4  7#f7 ,dur+ 8   
milit>y s]vice1 he rose to ! rank (     
,lieut5ant ,colonel4  7#g7 ,luke ,joseph
 ,wea!rs1 ,jr41 receiv$ num]\s honors & 
aw>ds ?r\gh\t 8 long & di/+ui%$ c>e]4   
7#h7 ,among !m1 he 0 pres5t$ ) an ,air  
,m$al ) #g clu/]s & an ,am]ican ,!at]   
,ribbon ,victory ,m$al dur+ 8 milit>y   
s]vice4  7#i7 ,foll[+ ! w>1 ,luke       
,joseph ,wea!rs1 ,jr41 return$ to       
,memphis1 receiv+ a h]o's welcome & a   
key to ! city4  7#aj7 ,on ,july #ac1    
#aidg1 he m>ri$ ,la,verne ,naill+ at ,/4
 ,!rese-,little ,fl[]s ,ca?olic ,*ur* 9 
,memphis4  7#aa7 ,9 #aifj1 he accept$ a 
job ) ! ,f$]al ,aviation ,adm9i/ration  
7h]e9aft]1 ! ,,faa7 z an air traffic    
control speciali/ 9 ,an*orage1 ,alaska4 
7#ab7 ,9 #aife1 ,luke ,joseph ,wea!rs1  
,jr41 mov$ back to ,memphis1 becom+ !   
fir/ ,black air traffic controll] 9     
,memphis4  7#ac7 ,wea!rs lat] held      
positions ) ! ,,faa 9 ,atlanta1         
,georgia1 & ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 :]e 

he ev5tually retir$ 9 #aihe1 aft] s]v+ z
 a res]vi/ 9 ! milit>y = #bc ye>s4      
7#ad7 ,dur+ retirem5t1 ,luke ,joseph    
,wea!rs1 ,jr41 rema9$ active ) !        
,tuskegee ,airm51 ,inc4 & cont9u$ to    
support ,african ,am]icans 9 ! milit>y4 
7#ae7 ,9 #aiie1 ,luke ,joseph ,wea!rs1  
,jr41 mov$ to ,tucson1 ,arizona1 %ortly 
aft] m>ry+ ,jacquel9e ,moore ,wea!rs4   
7#af7 ,9 #bjjg1 ,luke ,joseph ,wea!rs1  
,jr41 & ! ,tuskegee ,airm5 7 honor$ ) a 
,congressional ,gold ,m$al4  7#ag7 ,on  
,octob] #ae1 #bjaa1 ,luke ,joseph       
,wea!r1 ,jr41 di$ 9 ,tucson1 ,arizona1  
at ! age ( #ij1 leav+ beh9d 8 wife1 two 
sons & daught]s1 #ab gr&*ildr51 & #aj   
great-gr&*ildr5 z well z a legacy (     
c\ntless lives he t\*$4  7#ah7 ,on      
,janu>y #bj1 #bjab1 ,lieut5ant ,colonel 
,luke ,joseph ,wea!rs1 ,jr41 0 int]r$ at
 ,arl+ton ,national ,cemet]y4  #b4      
,designation ( ! ,lt4 ,col4 ,luke       
,wea!rs1 ,jr4 ,,va ,m$ical ,c5t] ,!     
m$ical c5t] ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,vet]ans    
,affairs locat$ 9 ,memphis1 ,t5nessee1  

%all1 aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is    
,act1 be kn[n & designat$ z ! ,lt4 ,col4
 ,luke ,wea!rs1 ,jr4 ,,va ,m$ical ,c5t]4
 ,any ref]5ce 9 any law1 regulation1    
map1 docum5t1 pap]1 or o!r record ( !   
,unit$ ,/ates to su* m$ical c5t] %all be
 consid]$ to be a ref]5ce to ! ,lt4     
,col4 ,luke ,wea!rs1 ,jr4 ,,va ,m$ical  
,c5t]4  ,pass$ ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives
 ,novemb] #ad1 #bjbb4;,cl]k4