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Lt. Col. George Hardy, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen who flew in World War II, has died at 100, the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. National Office . 

Hardy was 19 when he flew his first combat sortie over Europe, the office said. He was the youngest Red Tail fighter pilot to do so. He was stationed in Italy during World War II and completed 21 missions. 

The were the first Black servicemembers to serve as pilots in the U.S. military. They served in the 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332nd Fighter Group, as well as in support roles. Only 13 documented original Tuskegee Airmen are still alive today, the office said. 

"His legacy is one of courage, resilience, tremendous skill and dogged perseverance against racism, prejudice and other evils," the office said. "We are forever grateful for his sacrifice and will hold dear to his memory." 

Today is a sad day for Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated. We announce the passing of a true American hero. Lt. Col. George...

Hardy was born in Philadelphia in 1925, the National WWII Museum . His older brother was a member of the U.S. Navy. Hardy wanted to enlist, but his father refused to sign the necessary paperwork because of the racial barriers he feared Hardy would face, the museum said. 

Hardy joined the U.S. Army Air Forces in 1944 and was deployed to Europe in early 1945. During missions, he often escorted heavy bombers, the museum said. In a 2014 , he recalled an incident where his plane was strafed by enemy fire. 

Hardy also served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. National Office said. The museum said he flew 45 combat missions in the Korean War and 70 during the Vietnam War. 

When not overseas, Hardy earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's degree in systems engineering at the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, the National WWII Museum said. He worked with the Department of Defense on creating the first worldwide military telephone system. 

Hardy retired from the Air Force in 1971. In his retirement, he became "a champion of the legacy" of the , the museum said. In 2007, the regiment received the Congressional Gold Medal. In 2024, Hardy accepted the National WWII Museum's American Spirit Award on behalf of the group. The award is the institution's highest honor and celebrated the airmen's "accomplishments and patriotism in the face of discrimination."  

"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," Hardy said, when accepting the award. "It's hard to believe that I'm here receiving this award—with them."