Park Middle School To Be Renamed After Scotch Plains Hero, Tuskegee Airman

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — The Scotch Plains-Fanwood Board of Education unanimously voted on Wednesday night to rename its middle school after a township WWII Veteran and SP-F alumni.

Park Middle School will be renamed to "Malcolm E. Nettingham Middle School on Park."

Nettingham, who died at the age of 101 last September, was one of the last remaining Tuskegee Airmen — the first Black military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps. Read More: Scotch Plains Hero: Tuskegee Airman Dies At 101

"This is an inspired renaming of Park Middle School filled with educational opportunities for learning. Thank you SPF BOE!" tweeted Superintendent Dr. Joan Mast.

This is an inspired renaming of Park Middle School filled with educational opportunities for learning. Thank you SPF BOE! @SPFProud #TuskegeeAirmen @natsupers @NJASANews @NJPSA https://t.co/et3kHIOZPV
— Joan V. Mast, Ed. D. (@jvmast) September" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/jvmast/sta... 30, 2021

Nettingham was born in New York City before moving to Scotch Plains when he was 5 years old and then graduated from Scotch Plains High School in 1939.

He became part of a five-man crew of Black soldiers chosen for the first integrated flight radio communications class. Having excelled in a Morse Code aptitude test, Nettingham served as a radio operator and gunner in the 617th Squadron, 477th Composite Group.

Nettingham was among the 300 Tuskegee Airmen who were honored in 2007 with the Congressional Gold Medal, and he attended both of President Barack Obama's inaugurations at the president's invitation, according to legacy.com.

The school board will be releasing details about the renaming event at a later time.

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