View source for Merryl Tengesdal

{{short description|American U-2 pilot}}

{{Use American English|date=May 2016}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Colonel
| name          = Merryl (David) Tengesdal
| honorific_suffix = 
| image         = Merryl.jpg
| image_size    = 
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| native_name   = 
| native_name_lang = 
| birth_name    = 
| nickname      = 
| birth_date    = <!-- {{birth date and age|1971|MM|DD}} or {{birth date|YYYY|MM|DD}} if dead -->
| birth_place   = The Bronx, New York
| death_date    = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} death date first, then birth date -->
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| placeofburial_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|display=inline,title}} -->
| allegiance    = {{flag|United States}}
| branch        = {{flag|United States Navy}}<br>{{flag|United States Air Force}}
| serviceyears  = 1994–2017
| rank          = [[File:US-O6 insignia.svg|18px]] [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]]
| servicenumber = <!-- Do not use data from primary sources such as service records -->
| unit          = 
| commands      = Det 2/WR-ALC [[Plant 42]]
| battles       = [[Operation Enduring Freedom]]<br>[[Iraq War]]
| battles_label = 
| awards        = {{plainlist|
* [[Legion of Merit]]
* [[Defense Meritorious Service Medal]]
* [[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] (2)
}}
| memorials     = 
| spouse        = Kjell Tengesdal<!-- Add spouse if reliably sourced -->
| relations     = 
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}}
'''Merryl Tengesdal''' (born 1971)<ref name="ColoradoSpringsGazette">{{cite news |last=Sutherland |first=Andrea |date=22 February 2011 |title=U-2 pilot says fascination with space, flying started early |work=[[The Gazette (Colorado Springs)]] |url=https://gazette.com/news/u-2-pilot-says-fascination-with-space-flying-started-early/article_50e24078-5281-5906-9560-c78b52466667.html |access-date=1 August 2022}}</ref> is an American retired career military officer who is the first and only Black woman<ref name="Cummings" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Steele |first=Ty |date=2021-11-05 |title=Merryl Tengesdal, world's first and only Black woman U-2 pilot, writes book about her life |url=https://www.kcra.com/article/merryl-tengesdal-worlds-first-and-only-black-woman-u-2-pilot-writes-book-about-her-life/38175438 |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=KCRA |language=en}}</ref> to fly the [[United States Air Force]]'s [[Lockheed U-2|U-2]] spy plane used for specialized high-altitude [[reconnaissance mission]]s.<ref name="Cummings">{{cite web |last1=Cummings |first1=Air Force Senior Airman Bobby |title=Face of Defense: U-2 Pilot Blazes Trail |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/604092/face-of-defense-u-2-pilot-blazes-trail/ |access-date=1 August 2022 |website=U. S. Department of Defense}}</ref> She is one of five women and only the fourth Black person (in 2004) to be in the U-2 program.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blansett |first=Sarah |date=2022-07-07 |title=Black Female U-2 Pilot Broke Barriers on the Ground and in the Air |url=https://www.military.com/history/black-female-u2-pilot-broke-barriers.html |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=Military.com |language=en}}</ref> She shares the plane's nickname, The Dragon Lady.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Life Lessons in the Stratosphere and Defying Expectations with U-2 Pilot Merryl Tengesdal |url=https://www.whenwomenfly.com/podcast/defying-expectations-pilot-merryl-tengesdal |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=When Women Fly Podcast |language=en-US}}</ref>

Tengesdal is a military veteran, aviator, and commander who served in both the [[United States Navy|US Navy]] and the [[United States Air Force|US Air Force]]. She served as Director of Inspections for The Air Force Inspector General from October 2015 through August 2017,<ref name=":1" /> retiring at the rank of United States Air Force Colonel.

Tengesdal had also served in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan.

==Biography==
===Early life===
Born Merryl David in [[The Bronx]], [[New York (state)|New York]],<ref name="Cummings" /> she attended local schools and developed an early interest in flying and the space program. Her goal was to be an astronaut.

She graduated from the [[University of New Haven]] with a Bachelor of Science degree in [[electrical engineering]], one of three women to complete the program.<ref name="ColoradoSpringsGazette" /><ref name=":0" /> She played on the basketball team and was in the [[Reserve Officers' Training Corps|ROTC]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title='Tough As Nails' Alumna Recognized for Determination, Grit, and Exemplary Career |url=https://www.newhaven.edu/news/blog/2021/merryl-tengesdal.php |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=University of New Haven |language=en}}</ref>

=== Navy service ===
She entered the Navy and was admitted to [[Officer Candidate School]], where she was commissioned in 1994 after graduation.<ref name="Cummings" /> David began a career as a Naval Aviator by flying the [[SH-60B Seahawk]] Helicopter at [[Naval Station Mayport]], Florida.<ref name="Cummings" /> During that time, she deployed on two long cruises and multiple short cruises to the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean.<ref name="ColoradoSpringsGazette" />

After a three-year sea tour in helicopters, David became a [[T-34C]] and [[T-6A]] Instructor Pilot. After completing T-6A Instructor Training, she became one of four Navy T-6A Instructors to train Navy and Air Force students at Joint Student Undergraduate Pilot Training ([[Air Education and Training Command|JSUPT]]) at [[Moody Air Force Base]], Georgia. Her Navy flight instructor, Commander Ron Robinson, said that she "was one of my best flight students, and it doesn't surprise me that she's doing so well."

===Air Force service===
After David completed her Navy obligation, she continued her military career by transferring to the Air Force to fly the [[Lockheed U-2S]] Dragon Lady at [[Beale Air Force Base]] in [[Northern California]]. She was promoted to Major and began flying the U-2 in 2004, the first African-American woman to do so.<ref name="ColoradoSpringsGazette" /><ref name="Cummings" /> Continuing to fly it, she was deployed to multiple locations in support of Operations OLIVE HARVEST, [[Operation Enduring Freedom|ENDURING FREEDOM]], [[Iraq War|IRAQI FREEDOM]], and [[Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa|HORN OF AFRICA]].<ref name="Cummings" /> While stationed at Beale AFB the first time, she held the positions of [[9th Reconnaissance Wing]] (9th RW) Chief of Flight Safety and 9th Physiological Support Squadron Director of Operations.

She married and took the surname Tengesdal. After her tour at Beale AFB, Tengesdal became the Detachment Commander of Detachment 2 WR/ALC [[Palmdale, California]], where she was in charge of flight test and Program Depot Maintenance for the U-2S aircraft. Thereafter, Tengesdal worked at the North American Aerospace Defense Command ([[NORAD]])<ref name="ColoradoSpringsGazette" /> and [[United States Northern Command|U.S. Northern Command]] (NORTHCOM) J8 staff.  As Chief of Studies and Assessments Branch, she was responsible for developing the Command's position on capability gap assessment(s), development, and integration for senior-level documents submitted to the Joint Staff. Tengesdal returned to Beale and held the positions of Deputy Operations Group Commander and Inspector General, 9th RW, Beale AFB, CA.

During these years, Tengesdal received advanced training and graduate education through Air Force and private university sources. In 2005, she took classes at the [[Air Command and Staff College]], Non-Resident Program, [[Maxwell AFB]], Alabama. Later she completed a Masters of Aeronautical Science in 2008 at [[Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University]], Florida. In 2011, she did additional studies at the [[Air War College]], Non-Resident Program, again at Maxwell AFB.

Tengesdal's final duty, beginning in October 2015 with a promotion to Colonel, was as Director of Inspections for [[Inspector General of the Air Force|The Inspector General (TIG) of the Air Force]], Office of the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon, Washington DC. The Inspections Directorate develops, revises, coordinates, and implements Air Force inspection policy, and provides oversight and reporting of inspection programs to TIG, [[Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force|Chief of Staff of the Air Force]], and [[Secretary of the Air Force]] on the readiness, economy, efficiency, compliance and state of discipline of the Air Force. Tengesdal was also served as Executive Secretary of the Air Force Inspection System Council.

In 2017, Tengesdal retired from the Air Force as a colonel, with more than 3,400 flight hours and 330 combat hours.<ref name="Cummings" /> Over 1,000 of those flight hours are in the U-2.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Ward |first=J. T. |date=2019 |title=Talking to: Merryl Tengesdal: Serene under pressure |url=https://issuu.com/university-of-new-haven/docs/university_of_new_haven_spring_2019_alumni_magazin/s/12180783 |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=issuu |publisher=University of New Haven Alumni Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

===Flight rating===
* Rating: Command Pilot
* Flight Hours: more than 3,400 with over 330 combat hours<ref name="Cummings" />
* Aircraft Flown: [[T-34C]], [[TH-57]] B/C, [[SH-60B]], [[T-6A]], [[Northrop T-38 Talon|T-38A]]/B/C, U-2S

===Assignments===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Officer Candidate School, [[NAS Pensacola]], Florida, June 1994 – September 1994
* Aviation Pre-Flight Indoctrination, NAS Pensacola, Florida, September 1994 – March 1995
* Primary Flight Training, [[NAS Corpus Christi]], Texas, Squadron [[VT-27]], March 1995 – September 1995
* Helicopter Flight Training, NAS Pensacola, Florida, September 1995 – August 1996
* SH-60B Fleet Replacement Squadron, [[NS Mayport]], Florida, September 1996 – September 1997
* SH-60B Pilot, NAS Mayport, Florida, September 1997 – June 2000
* T-34C Pilot Instructor Training, NS Corpus Christi, Texas, June 2000 – December 2000
* T-6A Pilot Instructor Training, [[Randolph AFB]], Texas, December 2000 – October 2001
* T-6A Instructor, [[Moody AFB]], Georgia, October 2001 – March 2004
* U-2 Student Pilot, [[Beale AFB]], California, March 2004 – April 2005
* U-2 Instructor Pilot/Sq Chief of Safety, Beale AFB, California, April 2005 – June 2006
* U-2 Instructor Pilot/ Wing Chief of Flt Safety, Beale AFB, California, June 2006 – July 2007
* U-2 /T38-A Instructor Pilot/9 PSPTS Director of Operations, Beale AFB, California, July 2007 – November 2008
* Commander Det 2/WR-ALC [[Plant 42]], Palmdale, California, November 2008 – December 2010
* NORAD/NORTHCOM J8 Staff, [[Peterson AFB]], Colorado, December 2010 – August 2013
* Deputy Operations Group Commander, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, California, September 2013–2014
* Inspector General, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, California, September 2014 – October 2015
* Director of Inspections, Office of the Air Force Inspector General, Washington, October 2015 – August 2017

{{div col end}}

===Awards and decorations===
{|
|-
|[[File:COMMAND PILOT WINGS.png|150px]]
|Command [[United States Aviator Badge|Air Force Pilot Badge]]
|-
|[[File:Naval_Aviator_Badge.jpg|150px]]
|[[United States Naval Aviator|United States Naval Aviator Badge]]
|-
|[[File:US Air Force Inspector General Duty Badge.JPG|110px]]
|[[Air Force Inspector General Badge]]
|-
|[[File:USAFCommanderBdg.jpg|60px]]
|[[Air Force Commander's Insignia]]
|-
|}
{|
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Legion of Merit ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Legion of Merit Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Defense Meritorious Service ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Defense Meritorious Service Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|name=Meritorious Service ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] with two oak leaf clusters
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air Medal ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Air Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air Force Commendation ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Air Force Commendation Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Navy_and_Marine_Corps_Achievement_ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Navy Achievement Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|name=Joint Meritorious Unit Award-3d|width=60}}
|[[Joint Meritorious Unit Award]] with oak leaf cluster
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air_Force_Meritorious_Unit_ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Air Force Meritorious Unit Award]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=7|type=oak|name=Outstanding Unit ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Outstanding Unit Award|Air Force Outstanding Unit Award]] with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air_Force_Recognition_Ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Air Force Recognition Ribbon]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|name=National Defense Service Medal ribbon|width=60}}
|[[National Defense Service Medal]] with bronze [[service star]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|name=AFEMRib|width=60}}
|[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Global War on Terrorism Service Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=60}}
|[[Nuclear Deterrence Operations Service Medal]]
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|name=Sea_Service_Deployment_Ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Sea Service Deployment Ribbon]] with bronze service star
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|name=Air Force Longevity Service ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Air Force Longevity Service Award]] with two bronze oak leaf clusters
|-
|{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Air Force Training Ribbon|width=60}}
|[[Air Force Training Ribbon]]
|-
|}

* [[Air Combat Command|ACC]] Aerospace Physiologist of the Year 2008

===Education===
* 1994{{spaced ndash}} Bachelor of Science Electrical Engineering, University of New Haven, Connecticut
* 2005{{spaced ndash}} [[Air Command and Staff College]], Non-Resident Program, [[Maxwell AFB]], Alabama
* 2008{{spaced ndash}} Masters of Aeronautical Science, [[Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University]], Florida
* 2011{{spaced ndash}} Air War College, Non-Resident Program, [[Maxwell AFB]], AL
* 2021{{spaced ndash}} Doctor of Engineering (honorary), University of New Haven, Connecticut<ref name=":2" />

===Effective dates of promotion===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* Ensign{{spaced ndash}} 9 September 1994
* Lieutenant Junior Grade{{spaced ndash}}  9 September 1996
* Lieutenant{{spaced ndash}}  9 October 1998
* Major{{spaced ndash}}  5 April 2004
* Lieutenant Colonel{{spaced ndash}} 1 February 2010
* Colonel{{spaced ndash}} 1 October 2015
{{div col end}}

== Personal life ==
Tengesdal is married to Kjell Tengesdal<ref name=":3" /> and has two children.<ref name=":2" /> She is a personal trainer, author, leadership consultant, and motivational speaker.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Citation |title=Merryl Tengesdal – Tough As Nails Cast Member |url=https://www.cbs.com/shows/tough-as-nails/cast/216480/ |language=en |access-date=2022-08-01}}</ref>

In 2013, her alma mater, the University of New Haven, Connecticut, gave her the Distinguished Alumni award.<ref name=":2" />

In 2021, Tengesdal was a competitor on the [[Tough as Nails (season 2)|second season]] of the [[CBS]] reality series ''[[Tough as Nails]]''.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{cite web|last1=Bloom|first1=Mike|title=We're Ready to Punch the Clock! Meet the Full Cast of Tough as Nails Season 2|url=https://parade.com/1145748/mikebloom/tough-as-nails-season-2-cast/|website=Parade|date=7 January 2021|access-date=7 January 2021}}</ref> She was on Team Savage Crew.

==See also==
{{Portal|Aviation|Biography}}
* [[List of firsts in aviation]]
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

* Tengesdal, M. (2022). ''Shatter the sky''. {{ISBN|9781737907312}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Merryl Tengesdal}}
*[http://www.raahistory.com/u2.htm Raahistory.com]
*[http://www.area51zone.com/aircraft/u2.shtml Area51zone.com]
*[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_n5_v27/ai_18614057 Findarticles.com]
*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2005/050731-u2-goods.htm Globalsecurity.org]
*[http://www.robinsonlawoffice.com Robinsonlawoffice.com]
*[http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2012/02/star-trek-fan-becomes-first-african-american-female-to-fly-u-2/ Star Trek Fan Becomes First African-American Female to Fly U-2]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tengesdal, Merryl}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American military personnel]]
[[Category:21st-century American military personnel]]
[[Category:African-American female military personnel]]
[[Category:Air Command and Staff College alumni]]
[[Category:Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University alumni]]
[[Category:Women helicopter pilots]]
[[Category:Military personnel from the Bronx]]
[[Category:United States Air Force colonels]]
[[Category:Female United States Navy officers]]
[[Category:University of New Haven alumni]]
[[Category:Female officers of the United States Air Force]]
[[Category:African-American women aviators]]
[[Category:American women aviators]]
[[Category:African-American aviators]]
[[Category:Aviators from New York (state)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States)]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American women]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American people]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American women]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American military personnel]]
[[Category:Participants in American reality television series]]
[[Category:African-American United States Air Force personnel]]
[[Category:African-American United States Navy personnel]]