100-Year-Old Bethesda Vet Participates In Super Bowl Coin Toss

BETHESDA, MD — Charles E. McGee, a retired Air Force colonel and Tuskegee Airman, was just a baby when the NFL officially formed in 1920.

Forty-seven years later, when the Kansas City Chiefs played against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I, McGee was fighting in the Vietnam War.

But on Sunday, the 100-year-old veteran from Bethesda was at Super Bowl LIV — participating in the on-field coin toss ceremony.

"This is my first Super Bowl, so it's quite a honor to be able to be here and to be a part of what's taking place," McGee told USA TODAY Sports.

McGee was one of four World War II veterans invited to participate in the ceremony, according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

"As we culminate the NFL's 100th season, we're extremely proud to honor four World War II veterans celebrating 100 years of life," Goodell said. "These four men deserve our gratitude for their tremendous contributions to the United States of America and we're thrilled to recognize their service on the country's largest stage."

McGee was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1919 and enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1942, according to The National World War II Museum. In 1943, McGee was among the first African American pilots to graduate from the Tuskegee Institute — the Army's segregated flying training facility in Alabama.

Prior to World War II, the military believed that African Americans did not have the capacity to fly planes. African American servicemen only began receiving flight training in 1941.

As a member of the Tuskegee Airmen — a historic group of African American military pilots who helped defeat the German Luftwaffe — McGee completed 136 combat missions and helped break down racial barriers in the United States.

McGee, who later fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars, has received a number of awards, including: the Army Commendation Medal; Presidential Unit Citation; Korean Presidential Unit Citation; and Hellenic Republic World War II Commemorative Medal.

The last few months have been nothing short of amazing for McGee. On Dec. 7, 2019, the Bethesda resident turned 100 years old. To celebrate such a milestone, he hopped into the cockpit of a private jet and flew around the D.C. metro area.

Also around that time, McGee received word that he would get an honorary promotion to Brigadier General.

McGee's youngest daughter, Yvonne McGee, said her father was finally getting the attention he deserved.

"Our hearts are overflowing with joy that Dad's long overdue promotion is finally coming to fruition," Yvonne said in 2019. "For a man whose entire life has been in service to God and country, attaining this, from representatives of the same institution that 78 years ago wanted to limit his participation in the American dream, is the perfect way for a grateful nation to say 'thank you.'"