Honor Floyd Carter, Sr.

Assembly Resolution No. 940 BY: M. of A. Heastie HONORING the life and legacy of Floyd Carter, Sr. WHEREAS, The quality and character of life in this Nation, and the great State of New York, is reflective of the purposeful lives and good works of those patriotic and civic-minded community members who dedicated their lives and careers to the service of others; and WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor the distinguished life and accomplishments of Floyd Carter, Sr., Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force (Ret.); and WHEREAS, Floyd Carter, Sr. was born in Yorktown, Virginia; he joined the Army Air Corps in 1944, and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant Bombardier Navigator in 1945; and WHEREAS, In 1946, Floyd Carter, Sr. received his pilot wings and transferred the following year to the Air Force Reserves, where he served for 30 years until retiring in 1974, with the esteemed rank of Lieutenant Colonel and Commander of the 732nd Military Airlift Squadron at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey; and WHEREAS, During his military career, Floyd Carter, Sr. served as a bombardier navigator for the famous African-American Tuskegee Airmen unit at Tuskegee University, where he met his wife, Artherine; and WHEREAS, During his tenure with the Tuskegee Airmen, Floyd Carter, Sr. and his fellow airmen overcame both internal challenges and enemy fire in several war zones; and WHEREAS, He spoke openly about the discrimination he and his fellow airmen faced during their training, which was the main reason many cadets left the program; and WHEREAS, Floyd Carter, Sr. flew several missions in war zones, including World War II where he led the first squadron and supply-laden planes into Berlin during the Cold War Airlift of 1948-1949, and flew U.S. troops and supplies into South Vietnam during the Tet Offensive; and WHEREAS, Shortly before his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, Floyd Carter, Sr. once again made history as the first African-American commander of a heavy jet transport squadron; and WHEREAS, In addition to his reserve duties, Floyd Carter, Sr. became part of New York's Finest, a New York City Police officer in 1953, where he quickly rose to the rank of detective before retiring in 1980; and WHEREAS, His responsibilities while a member of the NYPD included work as a bodyguard for heads of state, even spending time with Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Soviet head Nikita Khrushchev; his distinguished service earned him a half-dozen citations for his outstanding police work; and WHEREAS, In 2007, Floyd Carter, Sr. was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal award by then President George W. Bush and remained active into his 90s serving as grand marshal of the annual Veteran's Day Parade in the Bronx in November of 2015; and WHEREAS, Floyd Carter Sr. is survived by his loving wife of 70 years, Atherine; two children, Floyd Jr. and Rozalind; and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as many friends and colleagues who will long cherish his good character, passion and positive attitude; and WHEREAS, Floyd Carter Sr.'s life was a portrait of service, a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to honor the distinguished life and accomplishments of Floyd Carter, Sr., Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force (Ret.), and to express its deepest condolences to his family; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Floyd Carter, Sr.