Posted on Jan 23, 2025
Nancy Leftenant-Colon, Who Was the First Black Woman in Army Nurse Corps, Has Died
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Known as “Lefty," she was one of six siblings who served in the military, including a brother who was a famed Tuskegee Airmen pilot. He was killed in a mid-air collision over Austria in 1945, according to a biography of Leftenant-Colon on the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. website. His remains have never been found.
“She was just an awesome person,” her nephew Chris Leftenant told The Associated Press. “She never created waves when she was doing all this first this, first that. She never made a big thing of it. It was just happening.”
After the military was desegregated in 1948, Leftenant-Colon initially joined the all-Black 332nd Fighter Group, as a nurse. She then joined the U.S. Air Force after the 332nd Fighter Group was disbanded, supporting the Korean and Vietnam wars.
“She was just an awesome person,” her nephew Chris Leftenant told The Associated Press. “She never created waves when she was doing all this first this, first that. She never made a big thing of it. It was just happening.”
After the military was desegregated in 1948, Leftenant-Colon initially joined the all-Black 332nd Fighter Group, as a nurse. She then joined the U.S. Air Force after the 332nd Fighter Group was disbanded, supporting the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Nancy Leftenant-Colon, Who Was the First Black Woman in Army Nurse Corps, Has Died
Posted from military.com
Nurse
Korean War
Vietnam War
Death
Women in the Military
Edited 1 y ago
Posted 1 y ago
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Because of her and other trailblazers, we can "make a big deal" now...
"She set up hospital wards in Japan, helped evacuate French Legionnaires from Vietnam and was on the first medical evacuation flight into Dien Bien Phu, where more than 70 years ago the French colonial army was defeated by Vietnamese troops. She retired as a chief nurse in 1965, according to the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. website."
"She set up hospital wards in Japan, helped evacuate French Legionnaires from Vietnam and was on the first medical evacuation flight into Dien Bien Phu, where more than 70 years ago the French colonial army was defeated by Vietnamese troops. She retired as a chief nurse in 1965, according to the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. website."
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