George Hardy, decorated Tuskegee Airman who served in three wars, dies at 100

Lt. Col. George E. Hardy, a Tuskegee Airman who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, has died at age 100.

Hardy was born in Philadelphia in 1925 and was the second of seven children.

At 19, he became the youngest Red Tail fighter pilot to fly his first combat sortie over Europe, according to the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. National Office. In 1944, he entered the U.S. Army Air Forces, trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. By early 1945, Hardy deployed to Italy with the African American 99th Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, the National WWII Museum notes. He completed 21 missions over Germany and occupied Europe in a P-51 Mustang.

Hardy’s service extended beyond World War II, flying 45 missions in the Korean War and 70 in the Vietnam War. He later earned degrees at the Air Force Institute of Technology and helped develop the Department of Defense's first global military telephone system before retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 1971, according to the National WWII Museum.

Following his retirement, Hardy became an advocate for keeping the Tuskegee Airmen’s story alive, speaking to students nationwide. The Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007 and, in 2024, the National WWII Museum’s American Spirit Award. When accepting the American Spirit Award on behalf of the Tuskegee Airmen, Hardy said, "When I think about the fellas who flew before me and with me at Tuskegee, and the fact that we did prove that we could do anything that anyone else could do, and it’s paid off today ... it’s hard to believe that I’m here receiving this award — with them."

Hardy’s death leaves only 13 documented Original Tuskegee Airmen alive today, the organization noted. A statement from the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. national office praised his legacy, citing courage, resilience and the skill that helped redefine what Black Americans could achieve in the U.S. military.

The passing of Hardy closes a long life in uniform that spanned three wars and a broad arc of American history. His work in education and public remembrance helped ensure that the stories of the Tuskegee Airmen — and their fight against racism as well as their contributions to Allied victory in World War II and subsequent conflicts — remain a central part of the national memory.