Can you imagine?

A national treasure died a few weeks ago. A Tuskegee Airman.

Tuskegee Airmen are my heroes. Fighting two wars: one war just to be allowed to fight for their country and the other taking the fight to the enemy, succeeding beyond all expectations. I have been fortunate to meet many Red Tails, collecting autographs like some star struck groupie.

My uncle (once removed) flew B-17s out of Italy and I asked him if he ever met the Tuskegee Airmen. He said “Met them?!?! I ate with them, played cards with them. Yes, I met them.” I then asked him if he ever felt any animosity from the other bomber crewmen since he was white and hanging with the Tuskegee Airmen. He replied “Animosity? No. Every time I got shot up and was trying to make it back to base I would radio for help and up would come a P-51 Mustang flown by a Tuskegee Airman. He would have the canopy back, goggles up and a big smile on his face. He would escort me all the way home. Animosity? Hell no.”

Pretty cool.

One of the Airmen told me one time that he was on a base in the USA where German POWs were quartered. They performed grounds keeping duties, etc. They, the enemy, were allowed to use the base store, and he, the fighter pilot, was not. Fried my butt. Still does.

And now this guy, this hero, lives to see President Obama sworn in as the Commander in Chief and then dies. A free man.

Can you imagine?