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George Hardy (Tuskegee Airman)

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Lieutenant Colonel

George Hardy
Birth nameGeorge Edward Hardy[1]
Born (1925-06-08) June 8, 1925 (age 99)[2]
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Allegiance United States
Service / branchUnited States Army Air Force
Years of service1943–1971
RankLieutenant Colonel
Unit332nd Fighter Group
Awards
Spouse(s)2nd wife Bonnie

George Hardy (born 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.[3]

Early life

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Hardy's parents names were Edward Hardy and Alma Vargas.[1] He was exposed to racism and segregation growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[4] He graduated high school in 1942 and wanted to join the military because his older brother had joined the U.S. Navy in 1941.[5] When he joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 the U.S. military was segregated.[4] Hardy faced discrimination from commanders in the Army.[6] After WWII (1947) Hardy went to school at New York University School of Engineering and Science until 1948.[7] Hardy wanted to be an Engineer, he did not plan to make a career in the Air Force.[8]

Education

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Military service

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World War II

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The Tuskegee Airmen's aircraft had distinctive markings that led to the name, "Red Tails."[N 1]

In 1943 when Hardy was 17, he joined the Army Air Corps that same year he began training to fly at the Tuskegee Air Field late.[4][6] He was deployed to Keesler Army Air Field in Biloxi, Mississippi for basic training.[3] He graduated in 1944 as a second Lieutenant in the United States Army. He was qualified to fly single-engine planes and sent to Walterboro Army Air Field in South Carolina to train for combat. He completed his combat training in 1945 and was then sent to Italy.[7] Hardy became one of only about 450 Tuskegee Airmen who were deployed overseas. He flew 21 combat missions over Germany in 1945.[3] The majority of his missions he escorted bombers to their targets. After the war, Hardy went back to Tuskegee to train pilots.[10]

Korean War

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Hardy was recalled in 1948 and sent to Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi. He was sent to Guam with the 19th Bomb Group. He then was sent to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa: he flew a B-29 and piloted 45 combat missions over Korea.[7] One senior officer, then-Lt Col Fred W. Miller, disliked Hardy because of his race and he removed him from a B-29 mission.[11][12] That B-29 was shot down in North Korean airspace.[13]

On a later assignment, Hardy would report to Miller who experienced a complete turnaround; Miller would regard Hardy as one of his best commanders.[11]

Vietnam War

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Hardy flew 70 missions piloting a C-119 gunship in the Vietnam War.[10] He flew missions at night using infrared to destroy North Vietnamese supply routes and convoys in Laos and Cambodia.[3]

Honors and awards

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99th Fighter Squadron patch

After service

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Hardy was one of 188 Tuskegee airmen who attended President Barack Obama’s first inauguration.[10] He now travels the country telling the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and speaking about segregation.[16]

Hardy, along with 1949 Top Gun winners James H. Harvey, III, and Harry T. Stewart, Jr., and Dr. Eugene J. Richardson, Jr. are among the last surviving members of the Tuskegee Airmen and the last four survivors that graduated from Tuskegee AAF as single engine fighter pilots. Of these four, only Hardy and Stewart served as fighter pilots flying the red tail painted P-51D's on combat missions with the 332nd FG overseas based at Ramitelli AB, Italy. The actual P-51 that Hardy flew on many of his combat missions was restored to the markings of "Tall in the Saddle" in England and still flies at airshows there. [17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d "George Edward Hardy". Cincinnatilibrary. The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  2. ^ Miller, S (June 8, 2016). "A Birthday to Remember: Tuskegee Airman Celebrates Birthday Onboard". southwestaircommunity. Southwest Airlines Co. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d Cox, Billy (April 20, 2016). "George Hardy, 90, flew 21 combat missions in the spring of 1945". Gatehouse Media LLC. Archived from the original on September 22, 2016. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e Fowler Jr., Vernon L. (February 16, 2016). "MacDill hosts a Tuskegee Airman". amc. Official United States Air Force Website. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  5. ^ DuBois, Maya (January 18, 2019). "A living legend visits FAMU". thefamuanonline. College Media Network. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  6. ^ a b Shastri, Devi (July 28, 2018). "The Tuskegee Airmen fought a world war and racism. Now, they're telling kids their story". Oshkosh Northwestern. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  7. ^ a b c "George E. Hardy". redtail. CAF Red Tail Squadron. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  8. ^ a b Erickson, Jim. "Honoring Heroes". newsmagazinenetwork. West Media Inc. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  9. ^ Rice, Markus. "The Men and Their Airplanes: The Fighters." Tuskegee Airmen, 1 March 2000.
  10. ^ a b c Dean, Vicki (October 18, 2018). "Sarasota resident George Hardy reflects on his service as Tuskegee Airman". Gatehouse Media LLC. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  11. ^ a b American Veterans Center (January 10, 2019). Lt. Colonel George Hardy, Tuskegee Airmen (Full Interview). Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "28 Bomb Squadron (ACC)". Air Force Historical Research Agency. Retrieved October 25, 2024.
  13. ^ Avery, Brad (October 27, 2015). "Tuskegee Airmen give speech on race, history at Framingham State". Gatehouse Media LLC. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  14. ^ a b Rojas, Josh. "Tuskegee Airman George Hardy, 87, Broke Down Racial Barriers". postnewsgroup. Post News Group. Archived from the original on July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  15. ^ a b "George Hardy - Tuskegee Airman - Sarasota, FL". FVHOF Society. Florida Veterans Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 11, 2021.
  16. ^ Dunlap, Tiare. "Veterans from World War II's All-Black Aviation Unit on How They Shattered Racial Stereotypes: 'We Proved That Thinking Wrong'". people. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
  17. ^ Ph.D, Scott Rank (June 18, 2019). "An Interview with 95-Year-Old Tuskegee Airman Lt. Col. Harry Stewart". History. Retrieved October 25, 2024.

Notes

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  1. ^ The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of P-51s as well as a red rudder; their P-51B and D Mustangs flew with similar color schemes, with red propeller spinners, yellow wing bands and all-red tail surfaces.[9]
  2. ^ Hardy remembered the exact words that George Bush said to the Tuskegee Airmen as he awarded the Congressional Medal: “For most of the salutes you didn’t get, I salute you.”[14]
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