[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 177 (Wednesday, November 16, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S6737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT COLONEL ASA HERRING

 Mr. KELLY. Mr. President, today I wish to honor Lieutenant 
Colonel Asa Herring, an American patriot and hero who served with the 
famed Tuskegee Airmen before going on to complete a 22-year military 
career in the U.S. Air Force.
  Lieutenant Colonel Herring was born on October 3, 1926, in Dunn, NC. 
Despite being born during a time in American history when rights and 
opportunities for African-Americans were few, he persevered. At a time 
when high school graduation rates amongst African-Americans were in the 
single digits, Lieutenant Colonel Herring graduated at age 16 and then 
had to wait nearly 2 years before he could enter the military. After 
passing the Army Air Corps written examination, he entered Active Duty 
as an aviation cadet on December 27, 1944.
  However, World War II ended before he finished his training. On April 
26, 1945, the Tuskegee Airmen flew their last combat mission, and less 
than 2 weeks later, on May 8, 1945, Germany surrendered. Lieutenant 
Colonel Herring did not wish to serve in a segregated military, so he 
decided to request an honorable discharge in 1946.
  On July 26, 1948, President Truman issued Executive Order No. 9981, 
ending the policy of racial segregation in the military. Less than a 
year later, Lieutenant Colonel Herring volunteered for service in the 
newly established U.S. Air Force and served until 1970. Throughout his 
service, Lieutenant Colonel Herring fought in both the Korean and 
Vietnam war, flew more than 350 combat missions, and was awarded the 
Distinguished Flying Cross, a Bronze Star, and an Air Medal with 13 
oakleaf clusters. He was also the first African-American squadron 
commander at Luke Air Force Base, where he trained pilots from several 
European countries in the F-104G Jet Fighter Gunnery Program.
  After retiring from military service, Lieutenant Colonel Herring 
joined Western Electric in Phoenix, AZ, where he served in several 
management positions until 1989. Personifying the Air Force core 
values, he also dedicated much of his time and talent to community 
service organizations across Phoenix and to educating others on the 
history and incredible legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.
  I join Arizonans in mourning Lieutenant Colonel Herring's passing on 
May 22, 2022, at the age of 95. He was preceded in death by his wife of 
61 years, Honor Herring, and is survived by his two sons, Asa D. 
Herring, III, and Mark Alan Herring; his seven grandchildren; and his 
15 great-grandchildren--to whom we extend our gratitude for Lieutenant 
Colonel Herring's honorable service to his community and to his 
Nation.

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