Sacramento Tuskegee Airman Milford Craig, 88, Dies

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A man who served his country for decades and paved the way for African-Americans in the military died on Jan. 2.

Every military pilot gets their wings, but the wings belonging to Milford Craig, 88, are even more special, because they are the wings of a Tuskegee Airman.

"He had an exciting life. He graduated from high school at 17, he said he always wanted to fly," his daughter Anita Craig said.

Her sister, Vivien Knight, remembers their father fondly. Craig was a member of the first black military pilots who flew fighter bombers during World War II.

"It gives me a sense of pride," she said.

Knight followed in her father's footsteps by joining the Air Force. But back when her father served, times were very different because of racial discrimination and segregation.

"As a pilot going through training at Tuskegee, they had white instructors, but those instructors weren't able to sit down at the table and talk to those students except in the classroom," she said.

Craig served 30 years in the military, and after retiring he moved his family to Sacramento. For almost 40 years, he was a well-known businessman.

His daughters say he was a man who always lead by example.

"My father believed in working hard and never making excuses for not getting where you wanted to be. So he definitely instilled that in all of us," Anita Craig said.

Milford Craig leaves behind his two daughters, a son, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A military funeral is scheduled for Monday at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery in Dixon.