First Black woman accepted to U.S. Army Air Corps celebrates 100th birthday

The first Black woman to be accepted, commissioned, and integrated into the regular Army Air Corps, celebrated her 100th birthday Sept. 29, reports Newsday.

First Black woman Army Air Corps celebrates birthday

Nancy Leftenant-Colon, a nurse who served active duty in the U.S. Army Air Corps, celebrated her birthday via Zoom with more than 50 people.

Those who participated included students from Tuskegee University in Alabama, Leftenant-Colon’s sister, Amy; nieces, nephews and cousins, plus a cake, balloons and gifts.

Lifetime of accomplishments

The occasion commemorated a lifetime of accomplishments for a woman who still enjoys reading and writing and whose passion for nursing could not be stymied by the bigotry and racial injustices she faced.

“I wanted to be a nurse and there was nothing that was going to stop me,” Leftenant-Colon’ said.

“I had to be the best because I knew whatever I did, other Blacks after me would be judged by what I did and how I did it.”

About Nancy Leftenant-Colon

Leftenant-Colon was born Sept. 29, 1920. She grew up in Amityville, N.Y. as one of 13 children of James Sr. and Eunice Leftenant, whose parents were slaves.

Army Air Corps Nancy Leftenant-Colon

Military career

Leftenant-Colon comes from a military family with six siblings joining the force. She was enamored by their service making it natural for her to follow in their footsteps.

“I liked the way they looked, the way they dressed and their manner of speaking to people,” Leftenant-Colon said of those in uniform. “I said ‘I want to be just like them.’ ”

She makes history as first Black woman Army Air Corps

She joined the Army Reserves in 1945, unable to get into the regular Army Nurse Corps because she was Black.

In 1948, after President Harry Truman ordered the military to be desegregated, Leftenant-Colon became the first Black woman to be accepted, commissioned and integrated into the Army Air Corps, the aerial branch of the Army before the Air Force was created in 1947.

After joining the military, Leftenant-Colon became a traveling and flight nurse moving between bases and often encountering racism.

“You spend your last nickel to have the best-looking uniform in the world and somebody comes to you as you arrive at a base and they say, ‘I hope you’re not going to be stationed here,’ ” Leftenant-Colon said. “Here you were working, trying to save a soul or two, and then somebody treats you like this.”

But she didn’t let it defeat her. In 1989, Leftenant-Colon would make history again as she became the first woman elected president of the nonprofit Tuskegee Airmen Inc.

Military pioneer

Leftenant-Colon embraced the profundity of her role as a military pioneer and became a mentor to Black servicewomen.

Sheila Chamberlain, the first Black woman to be an Army combat intelligence pilot, called Leftenant-Colon a “pillar” of her life who has taught her and many others how to endure.

“Nancy helped open the doors for us and I’m so happy that she’s here to watch the flowers bloom from the seeds she planted and watered,” said Chamberlain.

On her 100th birthday, the Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation declared Leftenant-Colon a “Living Legend.” The still-fiery former Army nurse took her legendary status in stride.

“I still have so much left to do!” she declared.

Photo: Newsday/Johnny Milano