When Col. Charles McGee enrolled in flight school at Tuskegee University, he wasn’t out to break down the barriers that existed for African-Americans who aspired to fly for their country.
“The country declared war, and everybody was interested in doing their part,” he said.
He admits that it wasn’t all pleasant and there were challenges on the home front. McGee recalled the time training in Alabama.
“The airfield was about nine miles from Tuskegee University,” McGee recalled about his time training in Alabama. “The city wasn’t a friend at that time. The sheriff was somebody to avoid.”
McGee can laugh a bit about those times now. Little did he know in 1942 that his career would lead to a place in the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
McGee has flew 409 combat missions in conflicts from World War II to Vietnam. His plane was hit by enemy fire twice -- during the Korean conflict and again years later near Laos -- both times on his right wing.
“Not the cockpit,” he said.
His career ended during the Cold War.
Now, at 92, he’s spending his retirement in Bethesda, surrounded by the numerous honors he’s received, along with photographs and other aviation memorabilia from his 37 years of flying -- first in the Army Air Corps, which would later become the United States Air Force. He said he still loves to fly.
“Whenever there’s an open seat I’m there,” he said.
But now, through organized groups of Tuskegee Airmen, McGee and others take part in land-based missions aimed at imparting the importance of education to young people through scholarships, educational assistance and good first-hand advice.
"Get an education, because you can’t take advantage of opportunity if you're not at least initially prepared,” he said.
Right now, he’s getting prepared to join the ranks of Aces and Astronauts in the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
