Lt. Colonel George Hardy, Combat Pilot, Tuskegee Airmen - Veteran WW2, Korea, Vietnam

[appalachiablue]

- American Veterans Center, 5 yrs ago, 28 mins.

Lt. Colonel George Hardy, b. 1925 was from Philadelphia. A veteran of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, Hardy served as a combat pilot of 21 missions over Germany in WW2. He later flew 45 combat missions in Korea, and 70 combat missions in Vietnam. Here he reflects on his service and his experiences since.
-------
- George Hardy, Tuskegee Airmen, (Wiki)
George Hardy (b. June 8, 1925) is an American retired pilot and military officer. In World War II Hardy served with the Tuskegee Airmen and flew 21 combat missions. In the Korean War he flew 45 combat mission as the pilot of a bomber. In the Vietnam War Hardy flew 70 combat missions piloting an AC-119K gunship. - Early life: Hardy's parents were Edward Hardy and Alma Vargas. He was exposed to racism and segregation growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated high school in 1942 and wanted to join the military...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Hardy_(Tuskegee_Airman)
---------
- The Tuskegee Airmen was a group of African American military pilots (fighter and bomber) and airmen who fought in World War II. They formed the 332nd Fighter Group and the 477th Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). The name also applies to the navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, crew chiefs, nurses, cooks, and other support personnel.
The Tuskegee airmen received praise for their excellent combat record earned while protecting American bombers from enemy fighters. The group was awarded three Distinguished Unit Citations...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_Airmen#:~:text=The%20Tuskegee%20Airmen%20%2Ft%CA%8C,Army%20Air%20Forces%20(USAAF).
--------
- US Military Integration Spawned Peerless Fighting Force, U.S. Dept. of Defense, July 26, 2023.
- 75 years ago today, President Harry S. Truman signed two executive orders that, for the first time, desegregated the U.S. military and the federal workforce. On July 26, 1948, Truman put his signature on Executive Order 9980, titled "Regulations Governing Fair Employment Practices Within the Federal Establishment." Following that, he signed Executive Order 9981, titled "Establishing the President's Committee on Equality of Treatment and Opportunity in the Armed Services."...
https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3471899/us-military-integration-spawned-peerless-fighting-force/

[lastlib]

1. I got to meet (then-) Col. Charles McGee of the Tuskegee Airmen.....

...in 2010--had a delightful conversation with him, since we both had Kansas City ties. He was base commander of the KC-area AFB years earlier, when I got lost there at an air-show as a tyke. He was truly a national treasure! One of the few things I give tRump credit for was promoting him to Brig. General.

Dump Alito

[appalachiablue]

2. What a memorable experience meeting one of these legends, men of honor.

Thanks!