Honoring the Legacy of Harry Stewart: Tuskegee Airman and WWII Hero Passes Away at 100

On Easter Sunday in 1945, Harry Stewart Jr. and his friend Walter Manning joined a crucial mission. They were part of the 332nd Fighter Group, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, escorting B-24 Liberator bombers over St. Polten, Austria. Although the story that they never lost a single bomber isn’t accurate, they were exceptional pilots. After the bombing mission, seven Tuskegee Airmen fighters attacked enemy targets as the bombers returned home.

While flying along the Danube River, they faced nearly a dozen enemy fighters. In the ensuing dogfight, Stewart achieved three kills, contributing to a total of ten enemy aircraft shot down. However, the group suffered losses too. Manning was captured and lynched by enemy civilians. In recognition of his heroism, Stewart received the Distinguished Flying Cross. Remarkably, he emerged from World War II as one of only four Tuskegee Airmen to achieve three air-to-air victories in a single day, later enjoying a storied Air Force career until leaving active duty in 1950.

Harry T. Stewart Jr. was born on July 4, 1924, in Newport News, Virginia. At just two years old, his family moved to New York City. Growing up, Stewart was captivated by airplanes, often dreaming of being a pilot. He even visited North Beach Army Airfield regularly, where his passion for flying began, leading him to learn to fly before he learned to drive.

When World War II intensified, Stewart was eager to join the fight, even at only 16. However, he learned that the Army Air Corps did not accept Black pilots. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he again volunteered for pilot training. By then, the Army had established an all-Black aviation training program at Tuskegee, Alabama, a place that opened doors for many Black pilots.

Stewart was one of the first 1,000 Black pilots trained at Tuskegee, graduating in June 1944. Soon, he was off to combat training in South Carolina before flying combat missions in Italy with the 332nd Fighter Group. Over his service, he completed 43 combat missions.

Reflecting on his missions, Stewart said, “I got to really enjoy the panorama of the scene I would see before me.” He described the beauty of flying alongside hundreds of bombers and fighters, all creating a stunning ballet in the sky—a mix of danger and excitement.

After the war, he continued serving in the Army Air Forces, transitioning to the newly formed U.S. Air Force in 1947. In 1949, Stewart and his teammates represented the 332nd in the first-ever “Top Gun” aerial gunnery competition, where they won despite flying outdated aircraft. This victory remained undisclosed for many years.

Stewart transitioned to the Air Force Reserve in 1950 but faced challenges in the civilian aviation world. The still-segregated airline industry rejected Black pilots, leaving him to pursue an engineering degree at New York University. He later worked for ANR Pipeline Company in Detroit and retired as vice president in 1976.

In retirement, Stewart returned to the skies, flying local children in hopes of inspiring them to consider aviation as a career. He found success in motivating young aviators and shared his experiences in his memoir, “Soaring to Glory: A Tuskegee Airman’s Firsthand Account of World War II.”

Harry Stewart Jr. passed away on February 2, 2025, at the age of 100, leaving behind a rich legacy as a pioneering aviator and a hero.