One Of The Last Living Tuskegee Airmen Dies In Tucson

TUCSON — One of the last living Tuskegee Airmen in Arizona died Saturday at a Tucson assisted living home.

A Nogales native, George W. Biggs was 95. A U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force veteran, Biggs flew as a Tuskegee Airman in World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black pilots in the history of the Army, prior to the beginning of the Air Force.

A fellow Tuskegee Airman, Malcolm Nettingham of Scotch Plains, New Jersey, died on Sept. 14 at age 101.

According to Biggs' obituary, he enlisted in the Army in 1948 at the age of 18 after attempting to do so two years earlier. He was placed with the Tuskegee Airmen and trained as a navigator. He later re-enlisted in the Air Force after the end of World War II as a non-commissioned officer.

"His career took him to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, where he was one of the first Black officers and helped integrate the base, though he later spoke of the severe discrimination he and other Black military personnel endured," his obituary said.

Despite his hardships, he was promoted to major and eventually flew in the Vietnam and Korean wars. After retiring from active military duty in the 1970s, Biggs joined the U.S. Customs Service in Nogales, Arizona, at the border. He was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal in 2007, along with other members of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Arizona leaders paid tribute to Biggs following the news of his death.

"Saddened to hear of the passing of Arizona’s George Biggs, one of the last living Tuskegee Airmen. Today and every day, we’re grateful for his service and sacrifice to our country," Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema tweeted.

"The Tuskegee Airmen were REAL LIFE super heroes-risking their lives for the USA in WWII," former Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer wrote on Twitter. "Over the weekend, Arizona lost one of these brave and courageous heroes when George Biggs passed away."

Earlier this year, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) wished Biggs a happy birthday from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

"I believe that Mr. Biggs' character and actions truly embody what it means to serve one's country," Gallego, a veteran, said at the time. "Not only did he fly in multiple wars, he rose above expectation and obligation as a Navigator and an officer. In addition to his time in the Army Air Corps and Air Force, his integrity, modesty, and principled character are values that we can all learn from and should strive to emulate."