2/14/2012 - FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- By the time Merryl Tengesdal graduated from the Navy's flight aviation program in 1994, the early women aviation pioneers like Bessie Coleman, Janet Bragg, Willa Brown and Mae Jemison had pretty much broken the barriers for race and gender.
But after the Bronx native switched to the Air Force a decade later, she helped rewrite the aviation and Air Force history books by becoming the first African-American woman to fly the U-2 reconnaissance plane.
Inspired as a young girl by the Star Trek movies of the 1970s and '80s, Tengesdal went on to excel in math and science in high school and took that interest into college where she earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Haven, Conn.
After graduating from college, Tengesdal traveled to San Diego where she applied for and was accepted into the Navy's flight aviation program and would spend the next 10 years as a helicopter pilot flying the SH-60B Sea Hawk on missions in the Middle East, South America and throughout the Caribbean.
In 2004 Tengesdal switched to the Air Force where she made a dramatic change from helicopters to flying at altitudes of as much as 70,000 feet for hours at a time flying the U-2 reconnaissance plane. "I was one of five women in my class and the only female that graduated," said Tengesdal. "I just stayed focused as I went through the training process."
Tengesdal said the U-2 is one of the more difficult aircraft to fly, and is designed for high altitude, with a long wingspan and a landing gear with two wheels rather than three. "When you land, you actually have to stall the aircraft at two feet because of the wings." Tengesdal said that some of her best moments as a U-2 pilot have come during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, along with Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa where she was able to provide troops on the ground with information obtained from her flights.
Tengesdal is a senior pilot with more than 3,200 flying hours, with more than 330 of those in combat. She is currently a lieutenant colonel assigned to Peterson Air Force Base, Colo.
(Editor's note: We corrected the story from its original version to reflect that Colonel Tengesdal was in fact the first female African-American to fly the U-2, not the first African-American.)
Comments
2/17/2012 4:02:43 PM ET What I want to know is why Star Trek is relevant to this article at all. It was half a sentence and didn't link to anything else.
Devon, Whiteman AFB
2/16/2012 10:33:36 PM ET The title is correct but the article incorrectly states that she was the first African American to fly the U-2.
Retired PSD, Beale AFB
2/16/2012 3:58:15 PM ET Matt...the text in my comment was copied and pasted directly from the original article an hour before your post. Thanks to the editors for correcting paragraph two so quickly
Chris Canada, Offutt AFB
2/15/2012 2:08:51 PM ET Congrats Major, now LtCol T. Your inspiration and aggressive attitude is truly missed @ PSD
MSgt Mike Grawe, Beale AFB CA
2/15/2012 10:30:39 AM ET Chris RTFA. It says first AA female not first AA.
Matt, Randolph AFB
2/15/2012 9:35:58 AM ET Selection and qualification to fly the U-2 is an incredible accomplishment; however, paragraph two states that she helped rewrite the aviation and Air Force history books by becoming the first African-American to fly the U-2 reconnaissance plane. I know several U-2 pilots and Lt Col Merryl Tengesdal is not he first African-American to fly the U-2, not by a long shot.
Chris Canada, Offutt AFB
2/15/2012 12:36:32 AM ET Behold the amazing power of Star Trek to inspire people. Still, Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal had to take that inspiration and work hard in school and the military to maximize her potential. I look forward to the day when we will no longer find the notable accomplishments of minorities worthy of special mention just because they are a minority. In Roddenberry's universe no one cares about how you look because it is all about who you are as a human being. Lt. Col. Tengesdal seems like a fine example of our species and a great asset to the United States Air Force.
Robert A. Carver MA, New Orleans LA
2/14/2012 6:16:55 PM ET Very admirable achievements.A wonderful example for other young women to aspire to.Congratulations Lt. Col.
