Virginia-born Tuskegee Airman from Richmond neighborhood turns 111

James Clayton Flowers, a Tuskegee Airman and World War II veteran born in Surry County, Virginia, is set to celebrate his 111th birthday on Christmas Day, NBC12 reported.

Flowers grew up in Richmond’s Frederick Douglass Court neighborhood and graduated from Virginia Union University, according to his nephew Gary Flowers.

During World War II, Flowers helped train the military’s first Black pilots by teaching aerodynamics and mechanics. His expertise led to him being retained to instruct cadets after his own training, Gary Flowers said.

After the war, Flowers worked as a teacher in New York City before retiring to New Mexico, where he has lived for over 40 years. Despite his age, he remains mentally active, enjoying Sudoku and engaging with family.

Family members plan to gather for his birthday, with Gary Flowers hoping to visit him in Las Cruces in December, NBC12 reported.