Edward Creston Gleed (November 5, 1916 – January 25, 1990) was anU.S. Army Air Force officer with the famedBuffalo Soldiers/9th Cavalry Regiment (United States),332nd Fighter Group’s operations officer, and combat fighter pilot with the99th Fighter Squadron, best known as theTuskegee Airmen.[1][2][3] He was one of the more prominent members of Tuskegee Airmen's ninth-ever aviation cadet program, as well as one of 1,007 documented Tuskegee Airmen Pilots.[4] His classmates includedRobert B. Tresville (May 9, 1921 – June 24, 1944),West Point's seventh African American graduate and the100th Fighter Squadron's Commanding Officer.[5][6]
Gleed is well known for his P-51D Mustang aircraft, "The Creamer's Dream", which has been the subject of several famous, widely distributed photographs.[7]
Gleed was born on November 5, 1916, inLawrence, Kansas. He was the son of Herbert J. Gleed Sr. (1885–1965) and Carrie Syphax Joseph Gleed (1888–1943), a former home economics professor atTuskegee Institute and scion of the powerfulSyphax family, one of the most elite African-American families during the 19th century.[8][9]
Gleed's mother Carrie was the grandchild of Nancy Syphax, granddaughter ofMaria Carter Syphax. Maria was themullato daughter ofGeorge Washington Parke Custis,First Lady of the United StatesMartha Washington's grandson.[10]Maria Carter Syphax's white half-sister through George,Mary Custis, was the wife of Confederate General andWashington and Lee President,Robert E. Lee.
Gleed had one sibling, older brother Herbert Joseph Gleed, Jr. (1915–2006).[9][11][12]
After attending high school in Lawrence, Gleed attended and graduated from theUniversity of Kansas.[1] He also attendedHoward University School of Law before departing for theU.S. Army Air Corps.[1]
He was married to Lucille Elbertha Graves Gleed (1917–2004). They had three daughters: Elizabeth Gleed Ingersoll, Elaine Gleed Williams, and Carol Gleed Weaver.[13]
On February 8, 1941, Gleed enlisted in theU.S. Army's famedBuffalo Soldiers/9th Cavalry Regiment (United States) atFort Riley, Kansas where he briefly served in military intelligence.[2][1][3][14] In 1942, theU.S. Army Air Corps reassigned Gleed toTuskegee, Alabama where he entered the Tuskegee Flight School's aviation cadet program.[2] On December 13, 1942, Gleed graduated as a member of the Single Engine Section Cadet Class SE-42-K, receiving his wings and commission as a2nd Lieutenant, service number 0-794598.[1][15][14] His classmates includedRobert B. Tresville (May 9, 1921 – June 24, 1944),West Point's seventh African American graduate and the100th Fighter Squadron's Commanding Officer.[5][6]
TheU.S. Army Air Corps assigned Gleed to the332nd Fighter Group, where he became its Operations Officer as well as the Squadron Commander for its301st Fighter Squadron.[2][16] He also served in leadership in the 477th Bombardier Group.
On July 27, 1944, Gleed earned two official kills after shooting down two enemy GermanFocke-Wulf Fw 190 during a German armament plant strafing mission nearBudapest, Hungary.[17] For his heroics, theU.S. Army Air Corps awarded Gleed theDistinguished Flying Cross.[17] He flew numerous bomber escort, patrol and strafing missions where he and his squadron destroyed bridges, oil refineries, supply dumps, and grounded aircraft. He is well known for hisP-51D Mustang aircraft "The Creamer's Dream", which has been the subject of several famous, widely distributed photographs.[7]
AfterWorld War II, Gleed served in both theKorean War and theVietnam War. In 1947, the 332nd Fighter Wing at Ohio'sLockborne AFB was activated under Gleed's command, with the 332nd Fighter Group as a key component.[17] In 1970, Gleed retired from the military as a full Colonel after nearly 30 years and 6,000 flying hours in theU.S. Army Air Corps and theU.S. Air Force.[3][1]
After his retirement from the U.S. military, Gleed worked as a system program manager and chief administrator/contract negotiator for two defense contractors.[1]
In 1976 at the age of 60, Gleed graduated from Los Angeles, California'sSouthwestern University School of Law.[1]
Gleed died on January 25, 1990. He was 73. Gleed was interred atRiverside National Cemetery, Plot Section 43, site 1462, inRiverside, California.[14]
