[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 14190]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBERING LIEUTENANT CALVIN SPANN

  Mr. BOOKER. Mr. President, 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.
  Lieutenant Spann, unfortunately, returned home at a time in which 
racial discrimination still outweighed his distinguished military 
service. Trying to build flight hours in an effort to remain a pilot, 
he was denied access to planes at Teterboro, and commercial airlines 
would not hire him simply because of his race. With characteristic 
resilience, he earned a living for himself and his family as a factory 
supervisor, sales representative, restaurant owner, and real estate 
broker. Fifty years later, he was inducted into the New Jersey Aviation 
Hall of Fame.
  Lieutenant Spann pushed against a system that held all Americans back 
by denying some individuals the ability to contribute their talent and 
passion simply because of their identity. The United States of America 
is a better, stronger country because of Lieutenant Spann. For having 
the courage to pursue his dreams in the face of tremendous obstacles 
and at great risk to himself, Lieutenant Spann deserves our deepest 
respect and gratitude. May he rest in peace.

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