▁then ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Air ▁Force . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁he ▁married ▁Hat ice ▁Han ı m ▁( 1 8 9 7 – 1 9 9 1 ) ▁who ▁was ▁an ▁imm igr ant ▁from ▁Pre ve za . ▁He ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁black ▁military ▁pil ots ▁in ▁av iation ▁history ▁when ▁he ▁started ▁serving ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁December ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁Captain ▁( Y ü z ba ş ı ) ▁Ah med ▁Ali ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Berlin ▁to ▁complete ▁av iation ▁courses . ▁He ▁died ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁ ▁Leg acy ▁To ▁quote ▁David ▁Nicol le ' s ▁book , ▁The ▁Ott oman ▁Army ▁ 1 9 1 4 – 1 9 1 8 , ▁" M ost ▁Ott oman ▁air cre w ▁were ▁rec ru ited ▁from ▁the ▁Turkish ▁heart land ▁... ▁others ▁came ▁from ▁the ▁Arab ▁provinces ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁as ▁far ▁south ▁as ▁Y emen , ▁or ▁even ▁from ▁neutral ▁Iran . ▁Captain ▁Ah met ▁was ▁a ▁mix ▁of ▁Arab - A fr ican ▁and ▁Turkish ▁origin ▁and ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁first ▁' Black ' ▁Air ▁Force ▁pilot ▁in ▁av iation ▁history , ▁having ▁received ▁his ▁' w ings ' ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 - 1 5 ." ▁The ▁book ▁features ▁a ▁photo ▁of ▁Ah met ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁a ▁B ler iot ▁XI - 2 ▁tra iner ▁at ▁the