African-American pilots from the 332nd Fighter Group provided protection for Allied bombers during missions over Nazi-controlled territory. At the beginning of World War I, some were opposed to the idea of African-Americans becoming pilots. Eventually, the Army Air Corps began accepting pilot candidates from The Tuskegee Institute and other historically black colleges and universities. They proved themselves to be some of the best pilots during the war, losing fewer bombers to enemy fire than any other Allied fighter group.