Marcella Ng

Marcella Ng (July 24, 1956 - ) was the first African American woman pilot in the United States Armed Forces.[1]

Life

Marcella, born Marcella Anne Hayes, was born in 1956 in Mexico, Missouri. She was raised by her grandparents in Centralia, Missouri.[2] She graduated from David Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri in 1974. She received her Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 1978.[1] She initially wanted to become a doctor.[3] She joined the army in 1978. She is currently married and has three children.[3]

Career

Marcella joined the ROTC in her second semester of college, and joined the army in 1978 after graduating from college.[4][2] On November 27, 1979 at the U.S. Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama, she became the first black woman, and the 55th woman, to become a pilot in the United States Armed Forces.[1][3][2] She went on to serve 22 years in the army, and retired in 2000 as a Lieutenant colonel.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gubert, Betty; Sawyer, Miriam; Fannin, Caroline, eds. (2002). Distinguished African Americans in Aviation and Space Science. The Oryx Press. p. 221.
  2. 1 2 3 Young, Charlotte. "Marcy Ng: America’s First Black Woman Military Pilot". MadameNoire. MadameNoire. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 "Marcella A. Ng.". AvStop Magazine Online. AvStop Magazine Online. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  4. 1 2 Considine, Marily. "Ng military’s first black female aviator". Harker Heights Herald. Harker Heights Herald. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
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