Luther is the 4th from the left of the Front Row in the picture on the Right
World War II~Tuskegee Airman
2nd Lieutenant~477th Bomber Group
Retired NYPD~22 years~Detective
Luther E. McIlwain of Lawrence, formerly of Methuen, a WWII Tuskegee airman, died Friday at Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill. He was 91.
Born in Blaine, S.C., Mr. McIlwain was a former resident of Methuen for many years before moving to Lawrence.
He attended Allen University in Columbia, S.C., before enlisting in the Army Air Forces in 1943.
Mr. McIlwain was a second lieutenant in the all black 477th Bomber Group, which flew B-25s. He was discharged in 1947.
As a Tuskegee airman, Mr. McIlwain was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush on March 29, 2007. He held several key administrative positions in the city of Methuen including in the Office of Equal Opportunity.
He was commissioned by Governors Edward King, Michael Dukakis and William Weld to serve on various boards relating to affirmative action and Equal Opportunity Employment.
Mr. McIlwain is survived by his wife, Irene "Mickey" (Graham); a sister, Glendora McIlwain Putnam of West Roxbury; a cousin, Eugene Smith of Andover; and close friend, Christopher G. Nihan of Andover.
Funeral services with military honors will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Charles F. Dewhirst Funeral Home in Methuen.
World War II~Tuskegee Airman
2nd Lieutenant~477th Bomber Group
Retired NYPD~22 years~Detective
Luther E. McIlwain of Lawrence, formerly of Methuen, a WWII Tuskegee airman, died Friday at Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill. He was 91.
Born in Blaine, S.C., Mr. McIlwain was a former resident of Methuen for many years before moving to Lawrence.
He attended Allen University in Columbia, S.C., before enlisting in the Army Air Forces in 1943.
Mr. McIlwain was a second lieutenant in the all black 477th Bomber Group, which flew B-25s. He was discharged in 1947.
As a Tuskegee airman, Mr. McIlwain was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush on March 29, 2007. He held several key administrative positions in the city of Methuen including in the Office of Equal Opportunity.
He was commissioned by Governors Edward King, Michael Dukakis and William Weld to serve on various boards relating to affirmative action and Equal Opportunity Employment.
Mr. McIlwain is survived by his wife, Irene "Mickey" (Graham); a sister, Glendora McIlwain Putnam of West Roxbury; a cousin, Eugene Smith of Andover; and close friend, Christopher G. Nihan of Andover.
Funeral services with military honors will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Charles F. Dewhirst Funeral Home in Methuen.
Luther is the 4th from the left of the Front Row in the picture on the Right
World War II~Tuskegee Airman
2nd Lieutenant~477th Bomber Group
Retired NYPD~22 years~Detective
Luther E. McIlwain of Lawrence, formerly of Methuen, a WWII Tuskegee airman, died Friday at Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill. He was 91.
Born in Blaine, S.C., Mr. McIlwain was a former resident of Methuen for many years before moving to Lawrence.
He attended Allen University in Columbia, S.C., before enlisting in the Army Air Forces in 1943.
Mr. McIlwain was a second lieutenant in the all black 477th Bomber Group, which flew B-25s. He was discharged in 1947.
As a Tuskegee airman, Mr. McIlwain was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush on March 29, 2007. He held several key administrative positions in the city of Methuen including in the Office of Equal Opportunity.
He was commissioned by Governors Edward King, Michael Dukakis and William Weld to serve on various boards relating to affirmative action and Equal Opportunity Employment.
Mr. McIlwain is survived by his wife, Irene "Mickey" (Graham); a sister, Glendora McIlwain Putnam of West Roxbury; a cousin, Eugene Smith of Andover; and close friend, Christopher G. Nihan of Andover.
Funeral services with military honors will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Charles F. Dewhirst Funeral Home in Methuen.
World War II~Tuskegee Airman
2nd Lieutenant~477th Bomber Group
Retired NYPD~22 years~Detective
Luther E. McIlwain of Lawrence, formerly of Methuen, a WWII Tuskegee airman, died Friday at Merrimack Valley Hospice House in Haverhill. He was 91.
Born in Blaine, S.C., Mr. McIlwain was a former resident of Methuen for many years before moving to Lawrence.
He attended Allen University in Columbia, S.C., before enlisting in the Army Air Forces in 1943.
Mr. McIlwain was a second lieutenant in the all black 477th Bomber Group, which flew B-25s. He was discharged in 1947.
As a Tuskegee airman, Mr. McIlwain was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal by President George W. Bush on March 29, 2007. He held several key administrative positions in the city of Methuen including in the Office of Equal Opportunity.
He was commissioned by Governors Edward King, Michael Dukakis and William Weld to serve on various boards relating to affirmative action and Equal Opportunity Employment.
Mr. McIlwain is survived by his wife, Irene "Mickey" (Graham); a sister, Glendora McIlwain Putnam of West Roxbury; a cousin, Eugene Smith of Andover; and close friend, Christopher G. Nihan of Andover.
Funeral services with military honors will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Charles F. Dewhirst Funeral Home in Methuen.
Inscription
2LT US AAF
WORLD WAR II
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