06/28/2026
We join CAF Red Tail Squadron in saluting Tuskegee Airman William T. Fauntroy, Jr.
Tuskegee Airman William T. Fauntroy, Jr. carried the spirit of aviation, service, and public purpose throughout his life.
Born in Washington, D.C., on March 26, 1926, Fauntroy volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps Reserves in 1944 and was inducted at Camp Lee, Virginia. After basic training at Keesler Field, Mississippi, he was assigned to Tuskegee Army Air Field as a pre-aviation cadet.
In May 1945, Fauntroy entered Class 45-I-SE for single-engine pilot training. His instruction included pre-flight, primary, basic, and advanced flying. He later recalled that his Tuskegee experience gave him moments that made him “proud,” “angry,” and “thankful.” One of his proudest memories was teaching a sergeant how to write and spell his own name, a task Fauntroy considered one of the greatest accomplishments of his life.
As World War II ended, aviation cadets were declared surplus and given the choice to continue in service or be discharged. Fauntroy chose discharge in November 1945, but his commitment to excellence continued.
He returned to school, completed his high school requirements, and enrolled at Howard University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering. In 1961, he became the first Black civil engineer hired by the National Capital Transportation Agency, the predecessor to WMATA. His work contributed to the planning of the Washington Metropolitan Area rail system we now know as Metro.
Fauntroy later served as an urban planner for the subway system built in the District of Columbia and retired from WMATA in 1984.
William T. Fauntroy, Jr. may have called himself “little Willy,” but his legacy was anything but small. From Tuskegee to transportation planning, his life reflected perseverance, discipline, and service to a nation still learning to live up to its ideals.
Learn more: https://cafriseabove.org/william-t-fauntroy/
