Tuskegee Airmen Clarence Dart had been honored by two U.S. Presidents but never by his city or countyuntil now.
Surrounded by eight of his nine children, his wife of 61 years and numerous grandchildren and friends, the 90-year-old veteran was bestowed several honors and citations by the New York State Senate, Assembly, Saratoga County and Saratoga Springs at Wesley Health Care Center on Wednesday, April 20.
Today is a very special day for Saratoga County. It is the first recognition of an African American veteran that we have honored since having our program,` said Mary Ann Johnson, chair of the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors Veterans Committee.
Dart was part of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen during World War II, a group of pilots who weren’t allowed to train or fight alongside their white counterparts. Dart took part in combat missions in the North African and Italian theaters during WWII, spending 14 months flying B40 fighter planes. He flew 95 missions, including dive bombing, striking enemy targets and escorting and protecting U.S. bomber planes, being shot down twice by enemy fire over Italy.
That fearless service to his country earned him the flying cross with four oak leaf clusters, the air medal, the victory medal, the American defense medal, two purple hearts, the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush and an invitation to President Barack Obama’s inauguration.
`It is truly a very humbling experience to be here in the presence of a hero such as Mr. Dart and for his service we will be forever grateful,` said Thomas N. Wood, Supervisor of the Town of Saratoga.
Wood presented Dart with a proclamation from Saratoga County for preserving the `freedom, security and prosperity` of Americans through `dedication and bravery.` He also gave Dart the WWII Veterans Medal in recognition and appreciation of his service.
Congressman Chris Gibson, a 20-year Army veteran himself, presented Dart with an American flag.
`Here is truly a great American. When you think about what it was like to live here in America in the late 1930s and 1940s, Clarence had every right to sit this one out it took a special kind of man and character to step forward and to see the goodness and future potential for America,` said Gibson.
Assemblyman James Tedisco awarded Dart an Assembly citation recognizing `those remarkable individuals who have served the U.S. through military service with honor, integrity and courage.`
`Thank you for representing everything that’s good, great and really extraordinary about the American veteran and America itself,` said Tedisco to Dart. `90 percent is just getting there, getting up and getting there. You got up and you got there. But the other 10 percent is not only showing up it’s standing up and you stood up for the United States of America when in some instances, they weren’t standing up for you.`
A representative of Sen. Roy McDonald presented Dart with the New York State Senate Liberty Award for `exceptional valor and dedication` and announced Dart would soon be inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame.
Dart was also recognized by the City of Saratoga Springs, which he’s been a resident of since 1948. Deputy Mayor Shauna Sutton presented Dart with a proclamation.
`Since I was a little girl I grew up with knowing the Dart family, the Dart name, so it’s a personal pleasure for me to be here,` said Sutton.
Dart continued serving the community when his service was complete, working as an engineer for GE in Schenectady and later at Knolls Atomic Power Lab in Niskayuna until retirement in 1987.
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