John (Booty) Roger Branch
January 26, 1920 – May 1, 2018
Branch was born Jan. 26, 1920 in Keswick, Virginia. As a private first class, Branch joined the Tuskegee Airmen, the popular name of a group of African-American military fighter and bomber pilots who flew during World War II. They formed the 477th Bombardment Group and the 332nd Fighter Group of the United States Army Air Forces, the predecessor of the U.S. Air Force.