The Department of the Air Force unveiled a portrait painting of Sgt. Sabu Dastagir, a Hollywood actor who became an American Airman, during a ceremony at the Pentagon, Nov. 12.
Under Secretary of the Air Force Melissa Dalton and Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Energy, Installations and Environment Honorable Dr. Ravi Chaudhary, led the historic ceremony showcasing the newest artwork in the Pentagon's World War II hallway.
The unveiling event was attended by DAF members of South Asian heritage, including cadets from the Air Force Academy and several AFROTC detachments. Several cadets stepped forward to provide testimonials on what the unveiling and story of what Dastagir meant to them.
"As the daughter of an Indian immigrant, I am significantly moved by the opportunity to help tell this story. It is, unequivocally, the story of America," Dalton said, noting Dastagir's path to the U.S. and ultimately serving in the military.
Dastagir was an Indian American actor who starred in films during the 1930s and 1940s, most notably "The Thief of Baghdad" and Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book."
Following the outbreak of WWII, Dastagir chose to enlist in the Army Air Forces, where he served as a tail gunner in the Pacific theater with the 370th Bomb Squadron, 307th Bomb Group. He flew dozens of combat missions and was awarded five Air Medals and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor.
"When I first learned the story of Sgt. Sabu Dastagir, I was filled with a deep sense of pride and connection, but this was accompanied by sadness that his story had eluded me for so long," Chaudhary said. "My courage to join the military would have been much stronger if I had seen myself in the stories of service members flying the aircraft I spent my life reading about. I set out on a mission to ensure the story of Sgt. Dastagir was told."
When an article by Chaudhary was published last year, a foundation that preserves 307th Bomb Group history shared documentations of the missions flown by Dastagir, including comments from his crew. June Xu donated the portrait of Dastagir, which was accepted into the Air Force Historic Program.
Dastagir passed away in 1963 at the age of 40, however, his story and legacy lives on through the portrait, commemorating his courage to serve his nation and inspiring future Airmen.
"Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have served in nearly every conflict since the War of 1812, but their stories are seldom told in our history books. However, through a piece of incredible artwork by June Xu, the story of Sgt. Sabu Dastagir will live on in the Pentagon for future generations to enjoy," Chaudhary said.
