Retired Lt. Col. Luke J. Weathers Jr., a member of World War II's famed Tuskegee Airmen and a humble combat hero, has died in Tucson at age 90. He will be buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Tuskegee Airmen were the U.S. military's first African-American pilots.
"People should know this is a great American icon that has passed from us," said retired Air Force Col. Richard Toliver of Goodyear, a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War. "We've been blessed to have him among us."
Weathers was credited with downing two German fighter planes that attacked Army Air Forces bombers he was escorting.
"That's an incredible feat," said Toliver, who described Weathers as a great patriot and role model.
When he met Weathers, "there was no bravado or bragging," Toliver said. "He was a kind, humble person always willing to be engaged and doing things for his country and for his community. . . . He worked to open doors for women and minorities."
Weathers' daughter, Wanda Weathers Smith of Coolidge, said that having grown up decades ago as an African-American child in the South, she is fortunate because her father broadened her horizons.
For example, at one point he worked as an air-traffic controller in Galena, Alaska.
"We lived in Alaska with people from all over the world," Smith recalled.
The Tuskegee Airmen were the U.S. military's first African-American pilots.
"People should know this is a great American icon that has passed from us," said retired Air Force Col. Richard Toliver of Goodyear, a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War. "We've been blessed to have him among us."
Weathers was credited with downing two German fighter planes that attacked Army Air Forces bombers he was escorting.
"That's an incredible feat," said Toliver, who described Weathers as a great patriot and role model.
When he met Weathers, "there was no bravado or bragging," Toliver said. "He was a kind, humble person always willing to be engaged and doing things for his country and for his community. . . . He worked to open doors for women and minorities."
Weathers' daughter, Wanda Weathers Smith of Coolidge, said that having grown up decades ago as an African-American child in the South, she is fortunate because her father broadened her horizons.
For example, at one point he worked as an air-traffic controller in Galena, Alaska.
"We lived in Alaska with people from all over the world," Smith recalled.