George Hardy (Tuskegee Airman)

Lieutenant Colonel George Hardy (born June 8, 1925) is a highly decorated member of the famed group of World War II-era African-American pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Hardy had a 30 year military career and he flew combat missions in three wars. In World War II Hardy 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 flew 70 combat missions piloting an AC-119K gunship.

World War II


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. He was deployed to Keesler Army Air Field in Biloxi, Mississippi for basic training. 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 Caroline to train for combat. He completed his combat training in 1945 and was then sent to Italy. Hardy became one of only 350 Tuskegee Airmen who were deployed overseas. He flew 21 combat missions over Germany in 1945. The majority of his missions he escorted bombers to their targets. After the war, Hardy went back to Tuskegee to train pilots.

Korean War
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. One senior officer disliked Hardy because of his race and he removed him from a B-29 mission. That B-29 was shot down in North Korean airspace.

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

Awards

 * Distinguished Flying Cross ribbon.svg Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor
 * Air Medal ribbon.svg The Air Medal
 * Air Medal ribbon, 2nd USAF award.svg 11 Oak Leaf Clusters
 * ARCOM1OLC2.jpg Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster.
 * Congressional Gold Medal (2007)

Hardy remembers the exact words that George Bush said the to Tuskegee Airmen as he awarded the Congressional Medal: “For most of the salutes you didn’t get, I salute you.”

Education

 * Walter George Smith School
 * South Philadelphia High School
 * Bachelor of Science Degree - Electrical Engineering
 * Master of Science Degree - Systems Engineering-Reliability - U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology
 * Honorary Doctorate of Public Service from Tuskegee University.

Personal life
Hardy's parents names 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 because his older brother had joined the U.S. Navy in 1941. When he joined the Army Air Corps in 1943 the U.S. military was segregated. Hardy faced descrimination from commanders in the Army. After WWII (1947) Hardy went to school at New York University School of Engineering and Science until 1948. Hardy wanted to be an Engineer, he did not plan to make a career in the Air Force.

Hardy was one of 188 Tuskegee airmen at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration.

He now travels the country telling the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and speaking about segregation He lives in Sarasota, Florida.