Tuskegee airman George Hickman, 88, dies in Seattle Elaine Thompson / AP file George Hickman holds a photo of himself in the cockpit of an AT6 trainer airplane on Jan. 16, 2009. Hickman, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, died Aug. 19, 2012. By Jeff Black, NBC News George Hickman, a Tuskegee airman decorated as among the first black pilots to fly for the U.S. military during World War II, died over the weekend. His wife, Doris, confirmed to the Associated Press that he died on Sunday morning in Seattle. He was 88. Hickman had a long association with the sports community in Seattle, working as an usher at University of Washington sporting events as well as NFL football games with the Seattle Seahawks. Follow @NBCNewsUS "Things will be a little different right before we go out on the court not being able to shake the hand of George Hickman," UW men's basketball coach Lorenzo Romar tweeted. "He was one of the most inspirational men that I have ever met." Advertise | AdChoices "George Hickman will be missed. He represented the UW and the Tuskegee airmen with class. I will always appreciate how he treated my family," added UW football coach Steve Sarkisian. Hickman raised the "12th Man Flag" at a Seahawks game in November. Former Tuskegee airman dies (CNN)-- George Hickman Jr., a flight mechanic with the famed Tuskegee Airmen, has died, according to a spokeswoman for the group. Hickman, who served in Europe during World War II, died this past weekend, Sandra …CNN · 19 hours ago George Hickman, an original Tuskegee airman, dead at 88 USA Today Tuskegee airman and longtime Univ. of Wash. usher George Hickman dies in Seattle at age 88 Washington Post In-depth coverage .