On the recordSeptember 15, 2015
I wish to celebrate the remarkable life and accomplishments of a great American and New Jerseyan, Lieutenant Calvin Spann. As a boy in Rutherford, NJ, Calvin was amazed by the miracle of flight, watching as planes took off from nearby Teterboro Airport. This early passion for aviation, coupled with a determination to prove that as an African American he was as capable as anyone to fly a plane, would eventually motivate him to take a courageous risk as a young man. Lieutenant Spann enlisted in the Army Air Forces at a time when all branches of the U.S. military were still segregated. He left home behind when he was assigned by the Army to attend Flight Training School at Tuskegee University in Alabama. In earning his wings at Tuskegee and serving in Europe during World War II as a member of the 100th Fighter Squadron and 332nd Fighter Group, Lieutenant Spann proved not only that he could fly but that he could do it with unusual bravery and skill. Lieutenant Spann flew 26 missions during the war, including what was at the time the longest bomber escort mission in history. Lieutenant Spann received numerous awards for his military service, including--much too late--a Congressional Gold Medal in 2006. The distinction with which Lieutenant Spann and his fellow Tuskegee Airmen served paved the way for President Truman to desegregate the U.S. military in 1948.…
