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  • I knew I was a kid, that he was a pilot.

  • That's why I know.

  • Can you show me the plane?

  • It was like his back from his office.

  • You have all pictures of just everything.

  • So many different people.

  • And I would say Who is there?

  • Who is this is So So he flew with me, and as a kid, you don't really know what that means.

  • Lieutenant Colonel John Mole Zack was an original member of the elite Tuskegee Airman, a group of 994 pilots who, in World War two became the first African American aviators in the history of the U.

  • S.

  • Armed forces To his eight Children and 22 grandchildren, he was known affectionately as Daddy John, My father.

  • He loves all his Children in all his grandchildren.

  • Ah, he's so proud of to bias.

  • If I slipped up to my father and my father was very encouraging to him At what point did you realize that he was a two Stevie airman?

  • When I got in college and I really started hearing about it and seeing I was like, Oh, that job was it to ski gear like one of the first African Americans to flood plains.

  • And then that's when I really knew what to ski.

  • And no, it was never easy for these men.

  • They were pioneers, and no pioneer has it easy.

  • They fought lies, they fought heartbreak and they won.

  • Now they fight the enemy on his own soil.

  • What I know that face was the stigma that you're not able to do this or you're not good enough to do this, that they had toe go out and show improve what they essentially, what they're worth was and what they brought to the table.

  • And it just goes to show as African Americans, they all had to really work together because they were all representing not only themselves but African Americans as a race.

  • You know, one person messed up.

  • It made the whole group of bad, and that's how they were.

  • Really, Judge, When your grandfather was describing being one of the Tuskegee Airman, how would he talk about the experience?

  • Really emotional, like, energetic to like.

  • You could do whatever that you set out to do in your lifetime.

  • You know, it brings me to like a moment that I never forget is when I was drafted, Charlotte Bobcats select Tobias Harris from the University of Tennessee.

  • You know, I was communicating and talking with him and he started breaking down crying, cause he sound proud.

  • He wasn't me and like, I think, like, Why was he so proud of me in that moment to bring tears?

  • It was very sentimental for him because everything that that job set out to do was not only for his family, but was for everybody else that was coming up behind him to show that they could really achieving making these men in our presence felt a special sense of urgency.

  • They're fighting two wars.

  • One was in Europe and the other took place in the hearts and minds of our citizens.

  • That's why we're here.

  • In March 7 2066 years after forming Tuskegee Airman were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the most prestigious award Congress can give to civilians.

  • It was long overdue.

  • My father was very happy to be recognized.

  • He is very proud of getting that medal.

  • Half of the office I hold in a country that honors you.

  • I salute you for the service to the United States of America.

  • Eight years after receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, Lieutenant Colonel John Mole Zach died at 91 leaving an inspiring legacy for his family and his grandson to bias.

  • History starts with one piece in one action.

  • He was our It's made a change to We're at today, and there's a lot more change still to come.

  • What's up?

  • Thank you so much for watching ESPN on YouTube.

  • Don't forget to download the ESPN app, and if you want more premium content, which you dio make sure that you subscribe to ESPN plus see you soon.

I knew I was a kid, that he was a pilot.

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