George Edward Hardy, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and one of the last surviving combat pilots of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, has passed away at the age of 100. Hardy, whose remarkable career spanned World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, died at his home in Sarasota, Florida, on September 25, 2025. His death was announced by Tuskegee Airmen Inc., the national veterans organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of the all-Black squadron that broke barriers in a segregated U.S. military.
Born on June 8, 1925, in Philadelphia, Hardy was the second oldest of seven children. His father, Edward Hardy, was a podiatrist, and his mother, Alma Hardy, cared for the family. Excelling in math, Hardy initially aspired to become an engineer. After graduating from South Philadelphia High School in 1942, he briefly considered joining the Navy, but his father encouraged him to pursue something greater than the limited roles available to Black recruits at the time.
In 1944, at just 19 years old, Hardy began aviation cadet training at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. By early 1945, he was flying P‑51 Mustangs out of Italy, completing 21 combat missions escorting bombers over southern Germany. Hardy’s missions included high-altitude operations, strafing German trains, trucks, and river barges, and surviving enemy fire — once noticing a flash of light coming through his cockpit floor from small-arms fire.
Reflecting on the experience, Hardy said, “I used to say the Army’s No. 1 job was segregation. Winning the war was No. 2.” While he and his fellow Black airmen earned respect from their white colleagues overseas, the racial prejudices of the U.S. military remained evident when they returned home.
After World War II, Hardy briefly pursued engineering studies before rejoining the newly formed U.S. Air Force in 1948, a year after the military was officially desegregated. He became a radar and navigation specialist, flying 45 missions in Korea as a B-29 co-pilot and 70 missions in Vietnam piloting an AC-119K gunship. During his service, he faced racial discrimination, including being denied housing on base and ordered out of an aircraft by a superior officer, yet he persevered and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1966.
Hardy earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1957 and a master’s in systems engineering in 1964 from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology. His military decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross and 12 Air Medals, recognizing acts of extraordinary achievement and heroism. After retiring from the Air Force in 1971, he worked in program management for GTE Corporation in Massachusetts for over 15 years.
Throughout his life, Hardy remained an active ambassador for the Tuskegee Airmen, sharing the story of their courage, combat achievements, and the fight against racial prejudice. In 2024, he accepted the National WWII Museum’s highest honor on behalf of the Tuskegee Airmen, reflecting on the legacy of proving that Black pilots could perform as well as any others, despite the discrimination they faced.
Hardy is survived by four children — Josephine, Gerald, Paul, and Deborah Hardy — two stepchildren, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Beatrice Goode, and his second wife, Katharine “Bonnie” Lott.
George Hardy’s life was a testament to courage, resilience, and the pursuit of excellence, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations of Americans.
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