Floyd Carter Sr. seen in 2012. (CARLO ALLEGRI/AP)
Floyd Carter Sr., a Virginia native and hero who devoted his life to serving his country and opening doors for Black aviators died on Thursday, March 8. in New York at age 95. He was one of the last living Tuskegee Airmen and leaves behind an extraordinary legacy.
The veteran fought in World War II, Korean and Vietnam Wars and served 27 years with the New York Police Department. It doesn’t end there, Carter concurrently soared through the ranks of the United States Air Force Reserves and the NYPD. He was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal in 2007 by President Bush.
Carter and his peers broke color barriers in Tuskegee, Alabama after joining the U.S. Air Corps in 1944 (World War II). He ranked 2nd lieutenant bombardier navigator years after joining the crew of Black airmen at Tuskegee University. They became the first Black aviators in the U.S. military. He also received his pilot’s wings in 1946 and conducted the initial squadron of supply planes into Berlin amid the Cold War airlift of 1948-49.
“We mourn the loss of a true American hero… Our community & nation has lost a giant,” the 47th Precinct wrote in a tweet.
We mourn the loss of a true American Hero. Lt. Col. Floyd J. Carter, USAF Ret. Famous Tuskegee Airmen & a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, served WWII, Korea & Vietnam wars. Retired from NYPD, 26 yrs as a Det. 2nd Grade. Our Community & Nation has lost a giant. pic.twitter.com/6J3bzgdQyu
— NYPD 47th Precinct (@NYPD47Pct) March 9, 2018
The vet joined director George Lucas in 2012 for the screening of “Red Tails”, the film about the Tuskegee Airmen in the U.S. military.
Carter is survived by his wife Artherine, who he married on the air base in 1945, his son Floyd Jr. and daughter Rozalind, along with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
“He’s got a little history… We were blessed, we sure were. He went from what I call the outhouse to the fine house. The Lord blessed him,” said Floyd Jr according to Daily News.
