The Knowledge
What Are Javelinas? The Desert’s Misunderstood “Wild Pigs?”
What are javelinas
If you live in Arizona, chances are you’ve seen or heard about javelinas roaming neighborhoods, especially at dawn or dusk. But what exactly are these animals—and are they dangerous?
Javelinas, officially known as collared peccaries, are often mistaken for wild pigs. However, they’re actually a completely different species native to the Americas.
@stmblog They look like pigs… but they’re not 🐗❌ Meet Arizona’s javelinas! hhtps://stmdailynews.com #Javelina #ArizonaWildlife #PhoenixAZ #DesertLife #WildlifeFacts #NowYouKnow #STMdailynews #UrbanWildlife #DidYouKnow #NatureExplained ♬ original sound – STMDailyNews
Not a Pig: Meet the Collared Peccary
The collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) is a small, hoofed mammal with a stocky build and coarse, bristly fur. They get their nickname “javelina” from Spanish, meaning “little javelin,” referring to their sharp tusks.
- Length: 3–4 feet
- Weight: 40–60 pounds
- Color: Gray to black with a lighter “collar”
- Distinct trait: Strong musky odor from a scent gland
Where Do Javelinas Live?
Javelinas thrive in desert environments and are commonly found across Arizona, including the Phoenix metro area. As urban development expands, encounters with humans have become more frequent.
Behavior: Why You See Them in Groups
Javelinas are social animals that travel in groups called “squadrons,” typically made up of 6 to 12 individuals. These groups help protect them from predators and navigate their environment.
They are most active during cooler parts of the day—early morning and evening—especially during Arizona’s hot summers.
What Do Javelinas Eat?
Despite their tough appearance, javelinas are herbivores. Their diet mainly includes:
- Prickly pear cactus (a favorite)
- Mesquite beans
- Roots and desert vegetation
Are Javelinas Dangerous?
Javelinas are generally not aggressive toward humans, but they can become defensive if they feel threatened—especially if they are protecting their young or are approached by dogs.
Important safety tips:
- Do not feed javelinas
- Keep pets on a leash
- Secure trash and outdoor food sources
- Give them plenty of space
Why Are They Showing Up in Neighborhoods?
Urban expansion into desert habitats has increased human-wildlife interactions. Easy access to food—like garbage, pet food, and landscaping plants—also attracts javelinas into residential areas.
Final Thoughts
Javelinas are an important part of the desert ecosystem and usually pose little risk when left alone. Understanding their behavior is the key to peacefully coexisting with these unique animals.
Related External Links & Further Reading
- Arizona Game & Fish Department – Living With Javelina
- National Park Service – Javelina (Saguaro National Park)
- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – Javelina Natural History
- Encyclopaedia Britannica – Peccary Overview
- Texas Parks & Wildlife – Collared Peccary
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The Knowledge
Benjamin O. Davis Jr.: From West Point Isolation to Four-Star General
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. endured racial isolation at West Point before becoming a pioneering military aviator, commander of the Tuskegee Airmen and the first Black general officer in the U.S. Air Force. His extraordinary career ultimately earned him four stars.
Forgotten Genius Fridays | STM Daily News
For four years at West Point, fellow cadets tried to isolate Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
They wouldn’t room with him. They excluded him socially. Outside of official duties, other cadets largely refused to speak to him.
The intention was clear: make life so difficult that he would leave.
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. didn’t leave.
He graduated.
And the young officer who endured isolation at West Point would eventually command some of America’s most celebrated fighter pilots, help lead the integration of the U.S. Air Force and finish his remarkable journey wearing four stars.
The Son of a Pioneer
Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., on December 18, 1912.
Military service was already part of the Davis household.
His father, Benjamin O. Davis Sr., was a career Army officer who would make history in 1940 as the first Black general officer in the U.S. Army and U.S. armed forces.
The younger Davis developed another ambition.
He wanted to fly.
But in the segregated American military of the era, becoming a Black military aviator wasn’t simply difficult.
The opportunity effectively didn’t exist.
Davis would first have to prove himself somewhere else.
Four Years of Isolation at West Point
Davis entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in July 1932.
He encountered racial hostility almost immediately.
White cadets subjected Davis to what amounted to a prolonged campaign of social isolation. He roomed alone and generally ate without other cadets speaking to him.
The National Park Service records that Davis nevertheless persevered, graduating in June 1936 in the top 20 percent of his class. He was the fourth African American to graduate from West Point.
Years later, Davis recalled the purpose of the treatment: it was intended to make him buckle.
He refused.
That determination would become one of the defining characteristics of his military career.
An Officer Who Wanted to Fly
Graduation didn’t eliminate the barriers.
Davis was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry. After assignments including Fort Benning, Georgia, he became a professor of military science at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.
Then an opportunity appeared that would change American military aviation.
The Army began establishing a program to train Black military pilots at Tuskegee.
Davis entered advanced flying school in 1941.
On March 7, 1942, the first class of five Black Army Air Forces fighter pilots graduated from Tuskegee.
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. was among them.
He finally had his wings.
Taking the 99th to War
Davis transferred to the Army Air Corps and became commander of the 99th Fighter Squadron.
In April 1943, he traveled with the squadron to North Africa.
Flying P-40 Warhawks, the Black pilots were finally entering combat.
But their abilities would soon be challenged from within their own military.
Reports questioning the combat performance of the 99th threatened the future of Black military aviation.
Davis returned to Washington and defended his pilots before War Department officials.
The squadron continued fighting.
Its combat performance helped answer the critics more convincingly than prejudice ever could.
Commanding the 332nd
Davis subsequently assumed command of the 332nd Fighter Group, which eventually brought together the 99th, 100th, 301st and 302nd Fighter Squadrons.
Operating from Italy, the group flew bomber escort and other combat missions over Europe.
Eventually flying P-51 Mustangs distinguished by their red-painted tails, the pilots became associated with one of the most recognizable names in American aviation history:
The Red Tails.
Davis didn’t simply command from behind a desk.
He flew combat missions himself.
During the war, his leadership and combat service earned decorations including the Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross.
The Tuskegee Airmen were demonstrating something segregation had attempted to deny—that Black Americans could perform highly demanding aviation missions and lead combat organizations.
From Tuskegee to an Integrated Air Force
World War II ended, but Davis’s military career continued.
In 1947, the United States Air Force became an independent military service.
Then, in 1948, President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981, establishing a policy of equality of treatment and opportunity in the armed forces regardless of race, color, religion or national origin.
Davis became involved in the Air Force’s efforts to implement integration.
The officer who had once been deliberately isolated because of his race was now helping a military service move away from institutional segregation.
Another War
Davis continued advancing.
During the Korean War era, he commanded the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing in Korea.
His responsibilities continued expanding through assignments in the United States, Europe and Asia.
Then another barrier fell.
On October 27, 1954, Davis received his temporary promotion to brigadier general.
He became the first Black general officer in the United States Air Force.
His father’s historic achievement now had an extraordinary parallel.
Benjamin O. Davis Sr. had become the Army’s first Black general.
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. had become the Air Force’s first.
Three Stars
Davis continued climbing through the senior leadership of the Air Force.
He became a major general and, in 1965, lieutenant general.
His assignments included command of the 13th Air Force in the Philippines and service as deputy commander in chief of U.S. Strike Command.
By the time Davis retired from active military service on February 1, 1970, the cadet who had once eaten alone at West Point was wearing three stars.
But history wasn’t quite finished with Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
The Fourth Star
Twenty-eight years after his retirement, Davis returned to the national spotlight.
On December 9, 1998, President Bill Clinton advanced the retired lieutenant general to the rank of general.
Four stars.
The moment carried enormous symbolism.
The cadet other students had refused to speak to had become one of the highest-ranking officers in American military history.
Yet an important distinction should be remembered: Davis was not the first Black four-star general in the Air Force. That milestone belonged to Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., who reached four-star rank while on active duty in 1975.
Davis’s fourth star nevertheless represented recognition of an extraordinary career spanning some of the most significant transformations in twentieth-century American military history.
The Davis Legacy
Benjamin O. Davis Jr. died on July 4, 2002, at age 89.
His life tells an extraordinary American story.
His father began his Regular Army career with the Buffalo Soldiers and became America’s first Black general officer.
The son endured four years of racial isolation at West Point.
He became one of the first five Black Army pilots trained at Tuskegee.
He commanded the 99th Fighter Squadron.
He led the 332nd Fighter Group.
He helped the Air Force navigate integration.
He commanded forces during the Cold War.
And eventually, he wore four stars.
The Davis family story spans generations of American military history—from the Buffalo Soldiers to the Tuskegee Airmen and from segregation to integration.
Benjamin O. Davis Sr. broke one barrier.
The Tuskegee Airmen shattered assumptions about Black military aviation.
And Benjamin O. Davis Jr. carried that legacy from West Point into the skies—and ultimately to the highest ranks of the United States Air Force.
Two generations. One extraordinary legacy.
Forgotten Genius Fridays is an STM Daily News series highlighting innovators, pioneers and historical figures whose achievements deserve a larger place in our collective memory.
Sources and Related Reading
U.S. Air Force — General Benjamin O. Davis Jr. biography
National Park Service — Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
National Museum of the United States Army — Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
More more stories like this, please visit our Forgotten Genius Friday!
Forgotten Genius Fridays
The Tuskegee Airmen: The Red Tails Who Fought Two Wars
The Tuskegee Airmen were far more than the legendary Red Tail fighter pilots. Thousands of pilots, mechanics, instructors and support personnel challenged segregation while helping fight World War II—and their achievements helped change the U.S. military.
A Forgotten Genius Special | STM Daily News
They were training to fight America’s enemies overseas while confronting discrimination in the country they had volunteered to defend. The Red Tails.
They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
Their story is often reduced to an image of Black fighter pilots flying red-tailed P-51 Mustangs over Europe during World War II. But the real story was much larger.
The Tuskegee Airmen included pilots, mechanics, instructors, navigators, bombardiers, radio operators, parachute riggers, medical personnel, meteorologists, cooks, clerks, control-tower personnel and many others who helped make military aviation possible.
The National Park Service describes more than 16,000 people as participants in the broader Tuskegee experience.
Together, they helped challenge one of the most persistent prejudices in the American military: the racist assumption that Black Americans lacked the intelligence, discipline or ability required to become successful military aviators.
They proved otherwise.
An Experiment Built on a False Assumption
In January 1941, Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson authorized the formation of a Black pursuit squadron.
The 99th Pursuit Squadron, later redesignated the 99th Fighter Squadron, was activated in March 1941.
Because the American military remained segregated, Black aviators weren’t simply incorporated into existing flying units. A separate training program was established around Tuskegee, Alabama.
Flight training took place at Moton Field, while Tuskegee Army Air Field provided advanced military flight training.
What military officials regarded as an experiment would ultimately help demonstrate that the restrictions placed upon Black aviators had nothing to do with their abilities.
More Than Pilots
The name “Tuskegee Airmen” can be misleading if we imagine only the men sitting inside fighter cockpits.
Aircraft don’t fly because of pilots alone.
They require mechanics.
Fuel crews.
Radio operators.
Meteorologists.
Armorers.
Dispatchers.
Parachute riggers.
Medical personnel.
Instructors.
Navigators.
Engineers.
Control-tower operators.
Administrative personnel.
And many others.
Women were part of the Tuskegee experience as well. According to the National Park Service, women worked as mechanics, control-tower operators, aircraft fuselage technicians, gate guards, secretaries and clerks. Three permanent female parachute riggers helped train hundreds of cadets in the proper packing and maintenance of parachutes.
The Tuskegee story was therefore not simply the story of several hundred pilots.
It was the story of an entire aviation community.
Taking the Fight Overseas
The 99th Fighter Squadron deployed overseas in 1943.
Flying Curtiss P-40 Warhawks, its pilots entered combat in the Mediterranean theater, operating from North Africa and later Sicily and Italy.
The Tuskegee program continued expanding.
Three additional Black fighter squadrons—the 100th, 301st and 302nd—became part of the 332nd Fighter Group.
And the man who would eventually command them had already experienced another form of racial isolation.
His name was Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
The son of America’s first Black Army general had graduated from West Point in 1936 after fellow cadets subjected him to years of deliberate social isolation.
Now Davis was leading Black American fighter pilots into combat.
The Red Tails
The 332nd eventually transitioned to the aircraft that became most closely associated with the Tuskegee Airmen:
The North American P-51 Mustang.
The tails of the group’s aircraft were painted red to identify the unit.
The distinctive markings helped produce one of the most famous nicknames in American military aviation:
The Red Tails.
Operating primarily from Italy, the 332nd escorted heavy bombers deep into enemy territory while also attacking ground targets.
Escort duty was extraordinarily important.
American bombers flying deep into enemy territory were vulnerable to German fighters. Escort pilots had to remain close enough to protect the bombers while simultaneously watching for enemy aircraft.
The Tuskegee Airmen developed an impressive record performing that mission.
The Legend — and the Reality
One claim became particularly famous after the war:
The Tuskegee Airmen never lost a bomber they escorted to enemy fighters.
It is an inspiring story.
It also isn’t completely accurate.
Research by Air Force historian Daniel Haulman using wartime mission reports found that 27 bombers being escorted by the 332nd Fighter Group were shot down by enemy aircraft.
Those losses occurred during seven of the group’s 179 bomber escort missions for the Fifteenth Air Force.
But correcting the legend doesn’t diminish their accomplishment.
In fact, the documented record remains impressive.
Research comparing the 332nd with other P-51 fighter groups in the Fifteenth Air Force found that the Tuskegee Airmen lost substantially fewer escorted bombers to enemy aircraft than the other groups examined.
The truth doesn’t weaken their story.
The truth makes their achievement real.
Fighting Two Wars
The enemy wasn’t confined to the skies over Europe.
Black servicemen returned from missions defending democracy overseas while still confronting segregation at American military installations and throughout American society.
This contradiction became part of the broader Double V campaign during World War II—the call for victory against fascism abroad and racial discrimination at home.
Tuskegee personnel repeatedly challenged discriminatory military policies.
One of the most significant confrontations occurred in 1945 at Freeman Field, Indiana, when Black officers protested restrictions that prevented them from using an officers’ club reserved for white officers.
Their resistance became known as the Freeman Field Mutiny.
The confrontation demonstrated that the Tuskegee story wasn’t simply about proving Black Americans could fly airplanes.
It was also about demanding the rights that should accompany wearing the same uniform.
Changing More Than Aviation
The Tuskegee Airmen didn’t single-handedly desegregate the United States military.
But their performance undermined one of the principal arguments used to justify segregation—that Black servicemen could not perform highly technical or demanding military assignments as effectively as white servicemen.
Three years after the Tuskegee flying program began sending pilots into combat, President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948, establishing a federal policy of equality of treatment and opportunity in the armed services regardless of race, color, religion or national origin.
Military integration would take additional years to implement.
But the old assumptions had become increasingly difficult to defend.
A Legacy Larger Than the Red Tails
The Tuskegee Airmen eventually became symbols of perseverance, military excellence and the long struggle to expand opportunity within America’s armed forces.
In 2007, the Tuskegee Airmen collectively received the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their service.
Yet perhaps the best way to understand their achievement is not through mythology.
They didn’t need a perfect combat record to make history.
They trained in a system created because many officials doubted Black Americans could become military aviators.
They went into combat.
They flew.
They fought.
They protected bomber formations.
They maintained aircraft.
They trained pilots.
And thousands of people behind the scenes made those missions possible.
They demonstrated through performance what segregation had attempted to deny.
And among the men leading them was the son of America’s first Black Army general.
His name was Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
His journey had taken him from isolation at West Point to the cockpit of a military aircraft and command of the 332nd Fighter Group.
But his story was far from finished.
Next Friday on Forgotten Genius Fridays: Benjamin O. Davis Jr. — From West Point Isolation to Four-Star General.
Forgotten Genius Fridays is an STM Daily News series exploring innovators, pioneers and historical figures whose achievements deserve a larger place in our collective memory.
Sources & Related Links
National Park Service — Tuskegee Airmen History & Culture documents the broad definition of the Tuskegee Airmen and the many ground and support occupations involved.
Air Force Historical Support Division — Tuskegee Airmen provides an excellent military chronology of the 99th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group.
National Park Service — Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site is especially useful for Moton Field, training and the Red Tails.
National Park Service — And There Were Women provides material for an often-overlooked part of the story: women who participated in the Tuskegee experience.
Congress authorized a Congressional Gold Medal for the Tuskegee Airmen collectively, recognizing their military record and its role in inspiring reform in the armed forces; the presentation ceremony took place in 2007.
Explore more fascinating stories, videos, and articles on The Knowledge at STM Daily News!
The Long Track Back
LA Metro Locks In Vermont BRT Funding as World Cup Results Point Toward 2028
Metro’s World Cup service carried 212,865 passenger trips across eight matches. Its after-action report points to strong demand while identifying bus lanes, shuttle frequency, parking prices, and shade as priorities for future major events.
Last Updated on September 21, 2026 by Daily News Staff
A fully funded rapid-bus project and more than 212,000 World Cup shuttle trips offer two revealing signs of how Los Angeles is preparing for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
LA Metro has reached a major funding milestone for one of its most important bus projects while releasing new evidence that transit can move a significant share of spectators during major international events.
A newly issued Metro report confirms that the Federal Transit Administration executed a $149.9 million Small Starts grant agreement for the Vermont Transit Corridor Bus Rapid Transit project on September 2, 2026. Metro now describes the proposed $413.8 million life-of-project budget as fully funded through federal, state and local sources.
Separately, Metro’s official review of the 2026 FIFA World Cup found that its special bus network carried 212,865 passenger trips during eight matches in Inglewood—approximately 20 percent of total match attendance.
Together, the developments show Metro moving from planning toward delivery: building permanent improvements for one of Los Angeles County’s busiest bus corridors while applying lessons from the World Cup to the much larger transportation challenge awaiting the region in 2028.
Vermont Avenue BRT moves closer to construction
The Vermont Transit Corridor would create a 12.4-mile, all-day bus rapid transit route between Sunset Boulevard and 120th Street. It would connect with the B, C, D and E rail lines and include 26 enhanced stations at 13 locations.
Metro’s existing Vermont Avenue service carries approximately 38,000 weekday boardings but operates through some of the region’s most congested streets. The BRT project would add dedicated side-running bus lanes, upgraded stations, improved lighting, transit-signal priority, real-time arrival information and pedestrian-safety improvements.
Metro estimates that the project could attract approximately 12,000 additional daily riders while improving the speed and reliability of every bus operating through the corridor.
The funding package includes:
- $149.9 million from the FTA Small Starts program
- $106.34 million from the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality program
- $81.06 million from California’s SB 1 Local Partnership Program
- $44.49 million in Proposition C funding
- $25 million from Measure M
- $5 million from the state Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program
- $2 million in federal Community Project Funding
Metro anticipates authorizing and executing additional early-work packages beginning in the fourth quarter of 2026. Major construction is expected to begin in fall 2026, with passenger service targeted for June 2028—just weeks before the Olympic Games begin in Los Angeles.
That is a more precise schedule than earlier project information, which described construction as beginning in late 2026 or early 2027 and service starting generally in time for the Games.
The $413.8 million life-of-project budget still requires final Metro Board approval. The federal grant agreement, however, removes a major financial uncertainty and gives Metro a clearer path toward construction.
World Cup transit carried one in five spectators
Metro’s World Cup after-action report provides the most complete picture yet of how the agency performed during its first major test ahead of 2028.
Metro deployed 300 buses over 15 special routes connecting SoFi Stadium with rail stations, transit hubs and temporary park-and-ride locations across Los Angeles and Orange counties. The service carried 212,865 passenger trips over eight matches, including 31,536 trips on the busiest match day.
According to Metro, the operation recorded no missed trips caused by mechanical problems, no traffic incidents and no safety incidents. The agency reported 100 percent fleet availability.
Customer surveys were also favorable. Metro said 91 percent of special-shuttle riders were satisfied with the service, while 93 percent indicated they would likely use a similar direct-service option during the 2028 Games. Perceived safety received a 96 percent satisfaction rating.
Contactless payment played a significant role. Approximately 72 percent of World Cup shuttle riders paid directly with a contactless credit or debit card—a systemwide feature Metro launched shortly before the tournament.
The operation was not without lessons. Riders and participating agencies identified several areas needing improvement, including dedicated bus lanes, more frequent shuttles, lower park-and-ride prices, additional shade, better group-payment options and more seating for passengers with accessibility needs.
Those concerns become more consequential when looking toward 2028. The Olympics and Paralympics will last longer than the World Cup, involve substantially more events and disperse spectators across venues throughout the region. An operation that succeeded for eight matches must therefore be expanded without disrupting everyday bus and rail riders.
A glimpse of Metro’s 2028 strategy
The Vermont BRT and World Cup results represent different sides of the same challenge.
The BRT project is a permanent investment intended to improve everyday mobility in East Hollywood, Koreatown, Exposition Park, South Los Angeles, West Athens and Westmont. Its Olympic value is important, but its lasting value will be measured by whether buses become faster and more dependable for the thousands of residents who already use the corridor.
The World Cup service, meanwhile, demonstrates that direct event shuttles can persuade a meaningful share of spectators to leave their cars behind. It also reveals the extraordinary staffing, equipment, coordination and street priority required to make those services work.
Metro has now shown that the model can succeed at World Cup scale. The next test is whether the agency can complete projects such as the Vermont BRT on schedule and turn a successful temporary operation into a repeatable regional system for 2028—and beyond.
Primary sources
- LA Metro: Vermont Transit Corridor BRT life-of-project budget report
- Federal Transit Administration: Vermont Avenue BRT project profile
- LA Metro: 2026 FIFA World Cup debrief
The Long Track Back examines the projects, decisions and turning points reshaping public transportation across Los Angeles County.
The Long Track Back follows the history and future of Los Angeles transit—from the lines the region lost to the rail and bus projects reshaping how people move today. Explore the decisions, construction milestones, and ridership trends behind LA’s changing network.
Update (September 22, 2026): Metro’s separate 2028 Games mobility report explains what happens next with the World Cup lessons. Metro is using its observations and rider surveys to refine Olympic transit plans, but says it needs funding certainty by the end of 2026 to keep major preparations on schedule. The report does not announce a change to the World Cup ridership figures cited above. (File #: 2026-0617)
