Charles McGee (pilot)

Charles E. McGee
Born	December 7, 1919 (1919-12-07) (age 91) Cleveland, Ohio
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Army Air Forces United States Air Force
Rank	Colonel
Unit	332nd Fighter Group
Battles/wars	World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War
Awards	Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters Bronze Star Medal Air Medal with 25 oak leaf clusters French Légion d'honneur

Charles E. McGee (born December 7, 1919) was one of the Tuskegee Airmen and a career officer in the United States Air Force for 30 years. He holds an Air Force record of 409 fighter combat missions flown in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

As a youth, McGee was a member of the Boy Scouts of America and earned the Eagle Scout award on August 9, 1940. He later served in district and regional positions in the BSA. At the 2010 National Scout Jamboree, he was recognized with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.^[1]

In March 1942, McGee was a sophomore at the University of Illinois studying engineering. On 30 June 1943, he became a part of the Tuskeegee Airmen having earned his pilot's wings. By February 1944, he was stationed in Italy with the 332d Fighter Group. By the end of World War II, McGee had flown a total of 136 combat missions.^[2]

In 2005, McGee was part of a group of former Tuskegee Airmen, who flew to Balad, Iraq, to speak to active duty airmen serving in the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, the current incarnation of the 332nd Fighter Group.^[3]

References

1. ^ "Tuskeegee Airman Presented Distinguished Eagle Scout Award". 2010 National Scout Jamboree. Boy Scouts of America. Archived from the original on January 23, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5vxLfKcFz. Retrieved January 23, 2011. 
2. ^ Ray, Mark (Winter 2010), "National Treasure: Decorated Col. Charles McGee Continues to Impact America's Youth", Eagle Scout Magazine: 5–7 
3. ^ "Tuskegee Airmen Suit Up, Head to Iraq". USA Today. October 22, 2005. http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2005-10-22-tuskegee-airmen_x.htm. 

Further reading

• Smith, Charlene E. McGee. Tuskegee Airman: The Biography of Charles E. McGee. Branden Publishing. ISBN 978-0828321860. 

Persondata
Name	Charles McGee
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	December 7, 1919
Place of birth	Cleveland, Ohio
Date of death
Place of death