Colonel Merryl Tengesdal: Shatter the Sky - Leadership, Resilience, and Making History

Colonel Merryl Tengsedal is a trailblazer in the field of aviation and a symbol of perseverance and excellence. She is notably recognized as the first and only African American woman to pilot the U-2 “Dragon Lady,” a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft in the United States Air Force. Her journey to this remarkable achievement began with a degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Haven, where she was one of only three women in her program and actively participated in basketball and ROTC. Merryl’s military career started in the Navy as a commissioned officer after graduating from Officer Candidate School in 1994. She excelled as a Naval Aviator, piloting the SH-60B Seahawk Helicopter and serving in various global locations, including the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean. Her transition to the Air Force marked a historic moment as she became the only Black woman to fly the U-2 spy plane, accumulating over 1,000 flight hours and participating in critical reconnaissance missions worldwide. In addition to her flying career, Merryl has held significant leadership roles, such as the Chief of Flight Safety for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Director of Operations for the 9th Physiological Support Squadron, and Commander of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Detachment 2 at Palmdale, CA. Her last assignment before retiring in 2017 was as the Director of Inspections at the Pentagon, where she managed the USAF Nuclear Surety Inspections (NSI) program.Support the show