Theresa M. Claiborne — born in 1959, holds the distinction of being the first African American woman to achieve the rank of Captain in the U.S. Air Force and become a pilot. She graduated from Laughlin Air Force Base on September 16, 1982, with the class 82-08. In her remarkable journey, Capt. Claiborne acknowledged the trailblazing efforts of the historic Tuskegee Airmen, who paved the way for her groundbreaking achievement as the first Black woman pilot in the Air Force.