John L. Whitehead Jr. | |
|---|---|
 As a Tuskegee airman in 1944 | |
| Nickname(s) | Mr. Death |
| Born | 14 May 1924 Lawrenceville, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | 6 September 1992 (aged 68) Sacramento, California, U.S. |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service |  United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1943–1974 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant Colonel |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | |
John Lyman Whitehead Jr. ("Mr. Death") (May 14, 1924 – September 6, 1992) was an American who served in World War II (as part of the Tuskegee Airmen), the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He was the first African American to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, one of the first to become a jet pilot instructor, and the first to fly the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber.