Recognizing Lieutenant Colonel Harry T. Stewart, Jr.

Floor Speech

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Ms. TLAIB. Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate Black History month, I want to honor Lieutenant Colonel Harry T. Stewart, Jr., one of our Nation's most decorated Tuskegee Airmen who flew with the storied Red Tails, the 332nd Fighter Group made up of African American pilots in the then- segregated U.S. military.

Stewart's lifelong passion for flight began at a young age. At the age of 17, he passed a military exam identifying potential pilots and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps as an aviation cadet. Following flight training at Tuskegee Airfield in Alabama, Stewart was awarded his pilot wings and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Stewart then completed combat fighter training in both the P-40 Warhawk and the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft, and in 1944 was sent to Italy for combat operations. As a member of the all-black 332d Fighter Group, Stewart flew 43 combat missions in the P-51 Mustang, escorting heavy bombers to their targets, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross.

In addition to his heroic actions during World War II, Stewart represented the 332nd Composite Group in the inaugural ten-day ``William Tell'' National Gunnery meet in Nevada. This meet would later become the equivalent of the U.S. Navy's ``Top Gun'' competition. His team's skills shined through in the competition, and the 332nd won first place in the conventional fighter class.

Stewart received an honorable discharge in 1950 and stayed in the Reserves, eventually retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. He went on to earn his bachelor's degree and worked in the private sector until his retirement, and now resides in Michigan.

Please join me in recognition of Lieutenant Colonel Harry T. Stewart, Jr. as we celebrate his courageous service to our country.

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