Lt. Col. James A. Black (Ret), Clemson Graduate, U-2 Pilot and American Patriot Passes Away
Born in York, SC on April 30, 1927, Lt. Col. James A. Black (Ret), took his last flight on July 13, 2020, as God took the controls and took him home.
Jimmy graduated Clemson College in 1949 after his college career was interrupted when he joined the U.S. Navy prior to the end of World War II. After the war he returned to Clemson on the GI Bill and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Textile Manufacturing. His passion in life was flying as he learned to fly when he was 14 years old. After graduating from Clemson, he joined the U.S. Air Force and spent 20 years 8 months and 15 days. His total military service was 28 years 7 months and 14 days of honorable service.
While in the USAF his overseas reconnaissance missions stationed him in Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Prior to being recruited into the classified U-2 reconnaissance program in June of 1957, he flew the RF-86Fs out of Japan right after the Korean War on secret missions personally approved by President Eisenhower. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for those missions. He flew the RF-84s for a couple of years before being selected for the U-2 program.
He reported to the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing at Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, Texas, to fly the U-2. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, as a wing staffer he flew a cadre of wing personnel to McCoy AFB in a U-3 under sealed orders and led the advanced team to prepare for overflights by the U-2 over Cuba. He logged over 1,000 hours flying the U-2 during numerous missions over foreign countries throughout the Cold War.
While serving a year?€™s tour in Vietnam in 1971-1972, he was in the unit searching for American POWs. He returned to Shaw AFB and retired in 1973 starting his civilian career as a corporate pilot.
The military aircraft Jimmy flew in the U.S. Air Force are: T-6, T-28, T-33, T-39, RF-80, RF-86, RF-84F, U-2, and U-3.
His numerous military awards include: The Distinguished Flying Cross, The Air Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster, The Air Force Commendation Medal and The Bronze Star Medal.
He was a lifetime member of The Quiet Birdmen, Raleigh Hangar, lifetime Mason and Shriner, member of the Elk?€™s Club and First Presbyterian Church of Raleigh, NC.
With Jimmy?€™s death we have lost a devoted husband, father, grandfather, devout Christian and American hero.