1. LIEUTENANT COLONEL JAMES H. HARVEY III
FIRST USAF "TOP GUN" 1949
Lt Col James H Harvey III, Tuskegee Pilot, was one of the Primary members of the 332nd Fighter Group
Gunnery Team that won the "First Ever" USAF Fighter Gunnery Meet at Las Vegas AFB (Nellis) Nevada,
in May 1949. He was the "First Black" Jet Fighter Pilot to fly missions over Korea and flew 126 combat
missions in support of the Ground Troops.
L/Col James H Harvey III received his commission as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Air Corp, 16 October
1944 at Tuskegee AAF. He served in Japan and Korea from July 1949 until April 1951 and in
Newfoundland from January 1956 until December 1959.
On 29 March 2007 Harvy was awarded of the "Congressional Gold Medal" at the Capitol Rotunda in
Washington, DC. On August 6, 2011, Col. Harvey received the Noel F. Parrish Award, the Tuskegee
Airman's highest honor at the Tuskegee Airmen 40th National Convention. This award recognizes
outstanding endeavors to enhance access to knowledge, skills, and opportunities.
FIGHTER AIRCRAFT FLOWN TRAINING AIRCRAFT FLOWN
P-40 TAAF, Alabama Primary Training: Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama, PT-19
Basic Training: Tuskegee AAF, BT-13
P-40 Walterboro, South Carolina
P-47 Walterboro, South Carolina Advanced Training: Tuskegee AAF, AT-6
P-47 Godman Field, Kentucky
P-47 Lockbourne AAF, Columbus, Ohio DECORATIONS & AWARDS
P-51 Williams Field, Phoenix, Arizona
F-80 Misawa AB, Japan Distinguished Flying Cross
F-80 Taegu, Korea Air Medal with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters
F-86 A, E, F & D Victorville, California Distinguished Unit Citation with 10 Oak Leaf Clusters
T-33 Misawa AB, Japan Good Conduct Medal
T-33 Victorville, California American Campaign Medal
T-33 Norton AFB, California World War II Victory Medal
T-33 Pepperrell AFB, Newfoundland Air Force Reserve Medal
T-33 Selfridge AFB, Michigan United Nations Service Medal
T-33 Truax Field, Wisconsin Army Occupation Medal (Japan)
F-89 Goose Bay, Labrador National Defense Service Medal
F-94 Oxnard AFB, California Korean Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars
F-102 Harmon AFB, Newfoundland Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with 4 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
F-102 Selfridge AFB, Michigan Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
To learn more about the "Very First Top Gun" or if you’d like to schedule an interview contact:
L/Col James Harvey
303-755-7263 or email pjharv@comcast.net