Princess Cruises honored Lieutenant Colonel James H. Harvey, a retired Tuskegee Airman, early for his 100th birthday.
With a patriotic salute and special celebration, Princess Cruises welcomed one of the few surviving Tuskegee Airmen onboard Discovery Princess in Seattle, as he arrived for his celebratory cruise to Alaska, marking an early commemoration for his 100th birthday. Lieutenant Colonel James H. Harvey III, retired Air Force officer (USAF), shattered racial barriers in the military as a part of a group of African American pilots who served their country with legendary distinction during World War II.
Lt. Col. James H. Harvey
Born in Montclair, New Jersey on July 13, 1923, Harvey is a former fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Groups 99th Squadron, best known as the Tuskegee Airmen, “Red Tails,” one of 1,007 documented pilots trained for aerial combat during World War II. He is best known as the first African American USAF jet fighter combat pilot to fight in the Korean War and flew 140 missions from 1949 to 1950. Harvey, along with every member of the Tuskegee Airmen, received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2006.
In addition, Harvey won the USAF’s very first “Top Gun” competition in 1949, when he and his team lead a grueling 10-day event comprised on aerial gunnery at 20,000 and 12,000 feet, dive bombing, skip bombing, rocket firing and panel strafing.
After serving a combined 22 years (1943-1965) in the United States Army Air Corps and the United States Air Force, Harvey retired and joined Oscar Mayer as a corporate salesman and settled his family of four girls in Denver, where he still resides.
Harvey to Share Stories on Princess Cruise Line
During the voyage Harvey will share insights from his storied service and remarkable life experiences with other guests as part of a scheduled onboard discussion. Discovery Princess is currently sailing on weeklong, roundtrip cruises from Seattle to Alaska, departing every Sunday through September.
Princess Cruises have recently been announcing their new itineraries for 2024. They added several summer Colonial Heritage Voyages and new cruises out of Port Canaveral.
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