The National Warplane Museum in Geneseo is celebrating Veterans Day on Friday with an historic event.
It will host the presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal, which is the highest civilian award, to two World War II Tuskegee Airmen as well as the families of three additional recipients.
The two living recipients are Wallace Higgins and Herbert Thorpe. They will be at the presentation along with family members of Richard Thorpe, (Herbert's brother), Leland Pennington and Robert Johnson.
"Tuskegee Airmen" refers to the men and women, African-Americans and Caucasians, who were involved in an Army Air Corps program to train African Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft.
Many Tuskegee Airmen have not yet received their medal (a bronze copy of the original medal issued by the U.S. Mint)
At Friday's ceremony, Congressman Chris Collins will be among those taking part in the presentation.