COLORADO — On Sunday 22, Tuskegee Airmen Frank Macon passed away. Macon, 97, died in his home located in Colorado Springs.

Macon was one of two original remaining Tuskegee Airmen.

“The City of Colorado Springs has lost a local icon, and the nation another hero. Of the over 14,000 who were part of the Tuskegee experience, less than 50 are believed to remain with us. Their determination to perform with distinction despite challenges both at home and abroad made them true national heroes” stated Air Force Col. Mark Dickerson, president of the Hubert L. Jones Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc.

During high school Macon, designed planes and saved up any money made from his part time job at a local garage for flying lessons.

Macon then joined the Civil Air Patrol in 1941 due to World War II, that’s when he was introduced to the nations first group of African American fighter pilots, The Tuskegee Airmen.

In 1943 Macon enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, he had joined the Tuskegee Airmen class 45A.

For 23 years Macon was stationed at Fort Carson Military base, were he was eventually able to retire as head of aircraft maintenance.

“He had a heart for trade, he did a lot with his hands, because he was good at it” stated Dickerson in press release.

Throughout the years Macon donated numerous items to his local museums. In 1950 he had spent some time rebuilding a Stinson Vultee V-77 or “Gullwing” aircraft with some of his friends. The piece can be seen today at the National Museum of World War II Aviation in Colorado Springs.

“There’s a zillion people on the face of the earth and every last one of them is different. It’s just the way we were made. Everybody has some little niche that they’re good at and can do. And if we put that to work, we can really accomplish a lot of things. There’s no place where one group of people are better than another group. Just do your best. Even when times get hard, you just keep going” Macon from a 2019 interview for 176th Wing.