One of the men honored during the coin flip before Sunday’s NFL Super Bowl was retired U.S. Air Force Col. Charles McGee.
McGee took flight for his country 136 times during World War II and was one of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen were a group of black pilots who trained in Alabama before deployment.
McGee saw combat in the European theatre of the war, attacking objectives in Italy and other parts of the continent.
“This is my first Super Bowl, so it’s quite a honor to be able to be here and to be a part of what’s taking place,” McGee told USA Today.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, McGee continued his service in America’s armed forces after WWII. He became a colonel and also flew missions during America’s conflicts in Korea and Vietnam.
The NFL asked McGee and three other 100-year-old veterans to be on the field for the coin toss. The NFL turns 100 in 2020, and supporting America’s troops is a big part of the league’s recent public image push.
“It was quite a thrill to be asked,” McGee said to the AJC. “I couldn’t say no.”
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95.
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