NORTH AMITYVILLE, NY — The Town of Babylon has renamed the North Amityville Pool in honor of Major Nancy Leftenant-Colon, a trailblazing military nurse, Tuskegee Airmen veteran and longtime Amityville community member.
Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer and members of the Town Board joined State Sen. Monica Martinez, Suffolk County Legislator Jason Richberg, members of Leftenant-Colon's family and community members Saturday, Oct. 3, for a dedication ceremony honoring her life and legacy.
Leftenant-Colon, who died in 2025 at the age of 105, was the first Black nurse appointed to the regular U.S. Army Nurse Corps.
Born in South Carolina, Leftenant-Colon moved with her family to Amityville in 1923. She graduated from Amityville High School in 1939 and the Lincoln School for Nurses in 1941.
When she first sought to serve in the military, Black nurses were not permitted to join the regular Army Nurse Corps. She joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps as a second lieutenant reservist in January 1945.
Following President Harry Truman's desegregation of the military, Leftenant-Colon became the first Black nurse appointed to the regular U.S. Army Nurse Corps in March 1948.
Her military career continued to break barriers. She served alongside the Tuskegee Airmen and later became an Air Force flight nurse, serving during the Korean and Vietnam wars. She attained the rank of major before retiring from military service in 1965.
After returning home, Leftenant-Colon continued serving the community as a school nurse at Amityville High School from 1971 to 1984.
In 1989, she became the first woman elected national president of Tuskegee Airmen Inc. In 2007, she and her fellow Tuskegee Airmen received the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of their historic military service.
The dedication brought together Leftenant-Colon's family, elected officials, friends and community members to celebrate her decades of military and public service.
"Major Nancy Leftenant-Colon dedicated her life to breaking barriers, serving her country and giving back to the community she called home," Schaffer said. "Renaming the North Amityville Pool in her honor is a fitting tribute to an extraordinary woman whose courage, determination and commitment to service continue to inspire generations. We are proud that her name and legacy will remain a permanent part of the North Amityville community."
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