Meet the African-American who Became the First Female Helicopter Pilot for the US Coast Guard
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Meet the African-American who Became the First Female Helicopter Pilot for the US Coast Guard

  • Lieutenant Commander La’Shanda R. Holmes made history as the first African-American female helicopter pilot for the United States Coast Guard
  • She attained the feat after she graduated from Officer Candidate School in 2008 and completed flight school in 2010
  • Her pioneering achievement in the United States aviation industry has been highlighted on social media

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Lieutenant Commander La’Shanda R. Holmes made history as the first African-American female helicopter pilot for the United States Coast Guard.

Before attaining the feat, she served as an Aircraft Commander at Air Station Los Angeles, Air Station Atlantic City & Air Station Miami.

The Foundation for Women Warriors highlights that Holmes grew up in the foster care system and put herself through Spelman College.

La’Shanda R. Holmes
Meet the African-American who Became the First Female Helicopter Pilot for the US Coast Guard. Photo credit: @ffWomenWarriors/@CambColl_Global
Source: Twitter

In her own words, she stayed in a total of five homes between her junior and senior years of high school. She was later adopted at age 17.

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Joining the US Coast Guard

Despite having a turbulent childhood, Holmes graduated from high school top of her class. She later joined the US Coast Guard in 2013 and enrolled in her dream school, Spelman College where she graduated in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology.

Imprinting her name in the sands of time

Between 2008 and 2010, Holmes graduated from Officer Candidate School and completed flight school, becoming the first African-American female helicopter pilot for the Coast Guard.

Her pioneering achievement has earned her a spotlight from CommissaryShep on Twitter.

Meet the Dental Advocate who Became the First African-American to Graduate from MUSC

In more history stories, YEN.com.gh previously reported that Dr George C McTeer Sr, DMD, made history when he became the first African-American dentist to graduate from the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC.

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Dr McTeer: The Maths guru who became the first African-American to graduate from MUSC

The alumnus of the College of Dental Medicine at MUSC made a positive impact on his alma mater that has benefited students after him.

McTeer was a Maths and Science educator before switching to establish a career in dentistry, according to Education at MUSC.

Prof Dorothy Yeboah-Manu appointed first female Director of Noguchi

Meanwhile, Microbiologist Professor Dorothy Yeboah-Manu has become the first woman to be appointed as the Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR).

Professor Yeboah-Manu is the head of the Bacteriology Department at the NMIMR and is taking over from her predecessor, Professor Annang, who retires from active service on July 31, 2021.

The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research issued a message on Twitter to announce Professor Dorothy Yeboah-Manu's appointment.

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Authors:
Nathaniel Crabbe avatar

Nathaniel Crabbe (Human-Interest editor) Nathaniel Crabbe is a journalist and editor with a degree in Journalism from the Ghana Institute of Journalism, where he graduated in 2015. He earned his master's from UPSA in December 2023. Before becoming an editor/writer of political/entertainment and human interest stories at Asaase Radio, Crabbe was a news reporter at TV3 Ghana. With experience spanning over ten years, he now works at YEN.com.gh as a human interest editor. You can reach him via nathaniel.crabbe@yen.com.gh.