George E. Hardy, Youngest Tuskegee Fighter Pilot and Last Overseas Combat Pilot, Dies at 100

Overview

• Lt. Col. Hardy died at home in Sarasota, Florida, at 100, with Tuskegee Airmen Inc. announcing his death.
• He was the youngest fighter pilot of the Tuskegee Airmen and the last surviving Tuskegee combat pilot who served overseas, according to the organization.
• He flew 21 World War II missions from Italy, then completed 45 combat missions in the Korean War and 70 in the Vietnam War, one of the few U.S. pilots to fight in three conflicts.
• His decorations included the Distinguished Flying Cross and multiple Air Medals, and in 2007 he and fellow Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal.
• He later earned engineering degrees, worked at GTE, and spent decades educating the public about the Tuskegee legacy, drawing tributes from the National WWII Museum and veteran leaders.