John Lyman Whitehead Jr. (1924 - 1992)

Born 14 May 1924 in Lawrenceville, Brunswick, Virginia, United States

Died 6 Sep 1992 at age 68 in Sacramento, Sacramento, California, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: US Black Heritage Project WikiTree [send private message] and Barbara Geisler [send private message]

John Whitehead Jr. is a part of US Black history. Join: US Black Heritage Project Discuss: black_heritage

Biography

John Whitehead Jr. is Notable.

John Whitehead Jr. is a Military Veteran.
Served in the United States Army Air Force 301st Fighter Squadron 1945-1972
Tuskegee Airman flying Ace

John Lyman Whitehead served as a US military pilot during World War II. He was one of the “Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen.” The Tuskegee Airmen were known for heroic combat service in support of Allied Forces in the European Theater. They served with the 332d Expeditionary Operations Group and the 477th Bombardment Group, both largely Black units of the United States Army Air Forces.

John Whitehead Jr. was born in 1924, the son of John Whitehead and Jasper Davis.^[1] His father served at various roles at St. Paul's Polytechnic Institute. He had an undergraduate degree from the institute as well as a Master's Degree from New York University.^[2]

John Jr. joined the United States Army Air Corps at the age of 19 while he was attending West Virginia State College. He would go on to earn a degree in Industrial Engineering from the college in 1947. He was assigned to Tuskegee Army Air Field at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He received his pilot’s wings on Sept. 8, 1944 and was commissioned a second lieutenant.

He served with the 301st Fighter Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group in March of 1945 and flew 19 missions, returning to the United States in the fall. Later called back to active duty in August 1948, he was assigned to the 100th FS, 332nd FG at Lockbourne.

His military career stemmed over 30 years. He was known as the first African American test pilot and jet pilot instructor for the AirForce. He logged over 9500 hours of flight time in various aircrafts, which included command of a squadron in Korea. He retired as chief test pilot at McClellan Air Force Base in 1972. ^[3]

Joh was then employed by the city of Sacramento as a management analyst for nine years. He went on to teach electronics at American River College for five years. He passed away in 1992.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:C8GY-DZM : accessed 18 September 2021), John L Whitehead Jr. in household of John L Whitehead, Totaro, Brunswick, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 12, sheet 13A, line 25, family 262, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2437; FHL microfilm 2,342,171.
2. ↑ Richmond Times Dispatch, 26 Aug 1957, pg. 6.
3. ↑ The Sacramento Bee, 11 Sep 1992, pg 20: Obituaries: John L. Whitehead, Jr., Former Tuskegee Airman

• https://blackthen.com/john-l-whitehead-jr-tuskegee-airman-known-mr-death/