Retired Lieutenant Colonel Harry Stewart Jr., a celebrated combat pilot of the 332nd Fighter Group and one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, has passed away at the age of 100. The Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum confirmed to the Associated Press that Stewart died peacefully at his home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on Sunday.
Before the emergence of the Tuskegee Airmen, no African American had ever served as a military pilot in the United States. At the urging of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the first African American fighter squadron was established in 1941. The 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group soon became symbols of African American contribution to World War II. Together, the 992 Tuskegee-trained pilots flew over 15,000 sorties and nearly 1,600 fighter missions across Nazi-occupied Europe, safeguarding B-24 bombers from enemy fire and targeting hostile forces.
Born in Newport News, Virginia, Stewart grew up in Queens, New York, where his fascination with aviation began early. As a child, he built balsa wood model airplanes and joined the Junior Birdmen of America. In 1942, he left high school to volunteer for aviation cadet training in the US Army Air Forces. Excelling in his entrance and aptitude exams, Stewart earned a place in the aviation cadet program, setting him on the path to becoming one of the pioneering Tuskegee Airmen.
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