Tuskegee Airman in Colorado turns 100
One of the last living Tuskegee airmen celebrated his 100th birthday over the weekend. It was a birthday celebration most won't see in their lifetime for a man whose legacy lives on.
Lt. Col. James Harvey III was born in 1923. He served in the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group's 99th Squadron, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen are a group of African American military pilots and airmen who fought in WWII.
At 100 years old, Harvey is one of the last living members of the Tuskegee Airmen.
"Turning 100 means a lot, especially at my age," said Harvey.
Harvey and his 332nd Fighter Group weapons pilot team won the propellered craft division of the U.S. Air Force's inaugural Gunnery Meet in 1949, a precursor to today's "Top Gun" team competition made famous by the movie of the same name. Harvey would retire from the military in 1965 after serving as a pilot in the Korean War, as a flight instructor and in other roles in the Air Force.
The Tuskegee Airmen were collectively awarded a Congressional Gold Medal in 2007.
Now years later, Harvey reflects on the time he's served.
"We weren't supposed to be able to do anything," said Harvey. "That's what we were told from the White man. He's the one who said that. We couldn't do anything, we didn't have the ability to fly aircraft or operate heavy equipment."
But that didn't stop Harvey from flying planes, and he was pretty good at it.
"(The) F-102 is my favorite plane. Its speed makes it go supersonic. Fighter pilots like speed," said Harvey.
Family, community members, law enforcement and many others joined together to celebrate Harvey's impact and service to our country.
"I got the police involved, we got the firefighters involved, we got the community involved to celebrate a true war hero," said Terrell Hale with the Buffalo Soldiers, a Black infantry division in the U.S. Army in World War I and World War II.
In honor of his service to this country and his 100th birthday, the Lakewood Police Department escorted Harvey to his 100th birthday celebration at the Wings Over the Rockies Museum on Saturday.
The Lakewood community came out to help us honor Harvey at Coyote Gulch Park in Lakewood. A motorcade escorted Harvey to his birthday celebration.
"This is really a treat! To be able to spend time with somebody that's so recognizable in the history of this great nation" said Roy Ray, a commander and friend of Harvey's.
We wanted to know Harvey's secret in reaching 100 years old. It turns out it's no secret at all: "I have a sense of humor and I treat everyone with respect," said Harvey "My motto was, 'Do unto others as you would do unto you and I live by that.'"
RELATED: 100-year-old Tuskegee Airman promoted in ceremony at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver