SSG Wilfred DeFour (April 12, 1918 – December 8, 2018) was a Panamanian-American soldier and centenarian. Born in Colón, Panama in 1918, DeFour emigrated with his family to the United States when Wilfred was still a child. The family settled in the Harlem section of New York City.
During World War II DeFour served in the United States Army as an aircraft technician with the distinguished Tuskegee Airmen, the first all African-American air corps. DeFour died in December 2018 at the age of 100, he was last surviving member of the Tuskegee Airmen.[1]
Military service
World War II
The Tuskegee Airmen's aircraft had distinctive markings that led to the name, "Red Tails."[N 1]
DeFour joined the Air Corps in 1942, and after completing basic training he was assigned to the 366th Air Service Squadron, and stationed in Italy in 1943.[3] In November 2018, DeFour appeared in a ceremony renaming a Harlem post office in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen.[4]
DeFour was born in Colón, Panama and emigrated to New York. After the war, he completed his associate and bachelor's degrees in real estate and business administration. He worked for the United States Postal Service, and retired after 33 years.[1] Defour was married to Ruth Christian (died in 2005). Together they had two children Wilfred Jr. and Darlene. He was survived by a daughter.[7][8]
Death
DeFour had been receiving at home care, and a care provider found him in the bathroom of his Fifth Avenue apartment in Harlem, New York at 9 a.m. Authorities said he died of natural causes.[5]
^The red markings that distinguished the Tuskegee Airmen included red bands on the noses of P-51s as well as a red rudder; their P-51B and D Mustangs flew with similar color schemes, with red propeller spinners, yellow wing bands and all-red tail surfaces.[2]
