LeRoy (Boots) Battle, Sr.
Aviator, educator, musician, activist, author – Fighting battles at home and overseas.
December 31, 1921 – March 27, 2015
LeRoy (Boots) Battle, Sr. was born in Harlem in New York City in 1921. Like many other African American families during that time, his family moved to New York from the Southern United States. His father owned a candy store, while his mother worked as a cook and a beautician. But his parents separated, leading LeRoy to work different jobs in his youth.
He became fascinated by music, and particularly with playing drums. He participated in various extracurricular activities such as joining a boy scout troop, parades, and the school orchestra. At one point, LeRoy Battle began teaching music lessons.
At 23, LeRoy joined the military in 1943 during the Second World War. After basic training, the military sent him to the Tuskegee Institute, and he graduated as a gunnery and bombardier by 1944. He was assigned to serve in the 616th Squadron of the 477th Bombardier Group.
In 1945, before serving overseas in the war, LeRoy was transferred to Freeman Army Air Base to continue his training as a pilot. But he faced discrimination during his time on the base. The officer’s club did not allow African Americans. This led to an incident in April of 1945 where LeRoy Battle and nineteen other black men protested the policy. As punishment, all twenty men were put under barracks arrest. They all refused to sign an affidavit which required the men to apologize or otherwise face being court-martialed. Later in October 1945, LeRoy Battle was honorably discharged after receiving a formal reprimand. The action of this group was the catalyst in the 1948 abolishment of segregation in the military.
After he left the military, LeRoy Battle enrolled into Julliard School of Music and later he transferred to Morgan State. He graduated from Morgan State in 1950. Eleven years later in 1961, he earned his master’s degree from the University of Maryland.
LeRoy Battle taught music at the Frederick Douglass Elementary, Junior, Senior High School in Upper Marlboro, Prince Georges County, Maryland for 22 years. He is credited with raising the Frederick Douglas Music Department to one of our nation’s finest. In February 2003, LeRoy was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Maryland Music Education Association. In 2007 he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal; the highest honor awarded a civilian.
LeRoy fought against segregation and discrimination in his community. This included the ranks of the Washington Redskins football team, its marching and its cheerleaders. He was a drummer with the Redskins for 17 years.
At the same time, Battle continued to create music with his own jazz band. Over the years, he was the house drummer for many famous singers and groups. His band called, Roy Battle and the Altones became a very famous and much in demand in Maryland. He is the author of three books: his auto biography, Easier Said, And The Beat Goes On, and A Tuskegee Airman . He died at the age of 93 on March 27, 2015.
Additional Resources
Battle_LeRoy_A_TA_Bio.pdf (tuskegeeairmen.org)
LeRoy A. “Boots” Battle, Sr. | CAF RISE ABOVE
