Celebrated Tuskegee Airman Charles McGee dies at 102

Tuskegee airman Charles McGee and his great grandson Iain Lanphier react as President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2020. McGee, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen who flew 409 fighter combat missions over three wars, died Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. He was 102. (Patrick Semansky, AP Photo)

Charles McGee, a Tuskegee Airman who flew 409 fighter combat missions over three wars, has died. He was 102.

Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Sunday announced his death on Twitter, both of them calling McGee an American hero.

“While I am saddened by his loss, I’m also incredibly grateful for his sacrifice, his legacy, and his character. Rest in peace, General,” wrote Austin, who did not specify where McGee died.