Nancy Leftenant-Colon, the first Black woman to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after the military desegregated in the 1940s, has passed away at the age of 104. She retired as a major and died earlier this month at a nursing home in New York. Leftenant-Colon was remembered by her family and friends for her quiet determination in breaking down racial barriers throughout her distinguished military career.
Nancy Leftenant-Colon, known as “Lefty,” was one of six siblings who served in the military, including her brother, a renowned Tuskegee Airman pilot. Tragically, he was killed in a mid-air collision over Austria in 1945, and his remains were never recovered.
Her nephew, Chris Leftenant, remembered her fondly, telling The Associated Press, “She was just an awesome person. She never made a fuss about being the first to achieve something. It just happened naturally.”
After the military was desegregated in 1948, Nancy Leftenant-Colon first joined the all-Black 332nd Fighter Group as a nurse. When the 332nd was disbanded, she went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force, where she provided support during both the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Nancy Leftenant-Colon played a key role in setting up hospital wards in Japan and assisted in evacuating French Legionnaires from Vietnam. She was also part of the first medical evacuation flight into Dien Bien Phu, the site where the French colonial army was defeated by Vietnamese forces more than 70 years ago. She retired as a chief nurse in 1965.
After her military career, Leftenant-Colon worked as a school nurse at Amityville Memorial High School in New York from 1971 to 1984. She was widely remembered for her inspirational saying, “The sky is the limit.” In recognition of her contributions, the school’s library media center was named in her honor.
Nancy Leftenant-Colon made history as the first woman to serve as president of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc., holding the position from 1989 to 1991. In 2007, President George W. Bush honored the Tuskegee Airmen with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian distinction awarded by Congress, recognizing the group’s significant contributions.
Chris Leftenant described his aunt, Nancy Leftenant-Colon, as someone who “led the way and kept the doors open behind her.” He emphasized that she was the first to break barriers, but she always made it possible for others to follow in her footsteps.
Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg, who presented Leftenant-Colon with a proclamation in 2022, remembered her as a “firecracker” with a strong presence. He praised her for being unapologetically herself—authentic, humble, and direct in expressing her needs and desires. Richberg noted that, like Chris, he remembered how she never boasted about her remarkable achievements. Instead, she humbly said, “I was doing my part.” Despite being a hero to her family, she always encouraged others to do more.
Leftenant-Colon was born in 1920 in Goose Creek, South Carolina, as one of 12 children and the granddaughter of a freed slave. Her family moved to Amityville, New York, in 1923, where she passed away on January 8.
