By Brady Rhoades
Piloting the U2 Dragon Lady, Merryl Tengesdal saw one of the most stunning sights of her life: a shooting star.
From her 70,000-foot perch above Los Angeles, she looked down at it.
“I saw a shooting star going under my aircraft,” she said, in an interview with U.S. Veterans Magazine. “The perspective you get…you see infinite amount of stars unobstructed…you see things you wouldn’t see from the ground.”
Her experience in the air made her want to go farther up and out, to see more. She’d traveled a long way from the Bronx, where she was raised, to an assignment in the Air Force as the first African-American to captain Dragon Lady, described as a skyscraper with wings, soaring on the edge of space.
Where does the idea of flying take shape for a girl from the Bronx, which is not exactly a prime place for looking at the stars?
“I watched too much Star Trek,” said the 53-year-old wife and mother of two.
She’s talking about the OG Star Trek, 1970s style, on ground-bound black-and-white Zeniths and RCAs. Captain Kirk. Dr. “Bones” McCoy. Lt. Uhura. Lt. Commander Montgomery “Scotty” Scott.
“My role models were all fictional characters,” she said.
By high school, she was enthralled by space and fully immersed in STEM before it was an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. If she speaks for 10 minutes, anyone listening will probably be guided to the stratosphere one moment and grounded in microscopic details the next.
“I was a member of the planetarium squad,” she said. “I was a big old nerd.”
An Aviation Pioneer
Colonel Tengesdal’s resume includes being the first and only African-American woman to pilot the U-2 Dragon Lady, a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft; piloting the SH-60B Seahawk Helicopter; serving her country in the Middle East, South America and the Caribbean; earning degrees in electrical engineering from the University of New Haven and a master’s in aeronautical science from Emory-Riddle University; serving as the chief of flight safety for the 9th Reconnaissance Wing, director of operations for the 9th Physiological Support Squadron, commander of Warner Robins Air Logistics center and director of inspections at the Pentagon; and serving in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The woman nicknamed “Dragon Lady” is a veteran of both the Navy and Air Force who was inducted into the 2019 Air Force Gathering of Eagles Foundation as an aviation pioneer. Photo: Merryl Tengesdal from the CBS series Tough As Nails. The second season premieres Wednesday, Feb. 10 (8:00 – 9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. Photo: Cliff Lipson/CBS ©2020 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Shatter Your Sky
Since retiring from the military in 2017, Tengesdal gives motivational speeches for organizations such as the National Air and Space Museum, focusing on how to marry STEM, leadership and diversity to underserved communities. She’s also appeared as a cast member on CBS’s Tough as Nails and as a contributor to the Smithsonian Channel’s Air Warriors and PBS’s UNLADYLIKE2020 – The Bessie Coleman Story. She consulted on Steven Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies.
Some of her motivational tips, spelled out on her website at merryltengesdal.com, are “Harness the power of doubt,” “No struggle, no success,” “Don’t assume intent,” “Do the hard things first” and “How to shatter your sky.” Photo courtesy Amazon.
She had her doubts. When she first joined the military in the early 1990s, some of the World War II and Vietnam-era pilots were skeptical of her abilities. Professional, but skeptical. Some civilians, not bound by a code of conduct, were not so civil.
A pivotal point in her career came when an instructor, an older male, sensed her self-doubt and encouraged her not to show it.
“Look Merryl, when you walk into a room people are going to think a lot of things.”
He also told her she was one of the best in her class. She ran with his advice. One of her mantras regarding obstacles is you must go over, around or through them. Sometimes, through is the only way.
“All I know is that I’m going to outperform everyone in any room in any given situation,” she said.
That’s one way for young people to “shatter their sky,” she said.
“It’s about being fearless and relentless in pursuit of your dreams. It’s a beautiful journey.”
The good news when it comes to females in traditionally male positions? “Women have proven themselves time and time again.”
The hard truth? “Women will continue to have to prove themselves time and time again.”
A Reflection on Life
In 2021, Tengesdal published a memoir, Shatter the Sky. Subtitle: What going to the stratosphere taught me about self-worth, sacrifice, and discipline. Proceeds from the book go to the Legacy Flight Academy, which focuses on providing aerospace education to underserved communities, particularly youth of color, fostering their exposure to flight and STEM programs.
The book is a reflection on life in the military. On that subject, Tengesdal was asked by U.S. Veterans Magazine why employers should hire veterans.
“Because we’re amazing,” she replied. “We have an amazing work ethic. We’re used to 12-hour days. If we’re treated well, we’ll go to the ends of the Earth for you. We’re loyal. Most military have leadership skills, and we’ve led under pressure. We have great organizational skills. We’re meticulous. We’re adaptable… We all have different perspectives. We work with different backgrounds. Diversity is ingrained in us.”
A story published recently in a military periodical reported that, “Fourteen years after the Navy began integrating women into submarine crews, the population of enlisted women and officers in subs continues to grow steadily year-over-year—and the service projects it will name the first female submarine commanding officer by 2028.”
What does Tengesdal say to a future, female submarine commander?
“Men and women are led the same,” she said. “You have to understand the vision and communicate that to subordinates… I’m absolutely sure she has grit and determination.
“People who talk behind your back are behind you,” she added. “They’re behind you for a reason. You’re looking forward.”
What’s on the horizon for Tengesdal?
How about…welding?
Retired Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal, works on stadium seats during the episode “Pour Your Heart Out” on Tough As Nails. CBS/GAIL SCHULMAN via Air Combat Command
“What I love about welding is that it’s very physical and you get to create stuff,” she said. “Maybe I’ll build an airplane or something.”
She’s taking classes at Sierra College, where she’s a board member.
“I wanted to see what was there for the kids. You get to the ground level and leverage people.”
Tengesdal advocates for not just higher education but community colleges and trade schools.
Door opening, she said, can be “done at the community college level…there’s welding, auto, robotics, finance…that’s STEM.”
According to the American Welders Society, there will be a need for 360,000 new welders in this country by 2028. There is also a need for plumbers, electricians, mechanics.
“A lot of the trades are desperately in need of people who are qualified,” she said.
Another option for young people who aren’t sure what road to take?
“The military is a great choice,” she said. “There’s nothing better than serving your country. Serving your country and learning new skills. It’s the best of both worlds.”
Read more articles for the Veteran Community here.
