(Courtesy photo / Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham of Facebook)
James Clayton Flowers, a 110-year-old Las Cruces resident, Tuskegee Airman and the oldest living veteran in the United States, was honored Friday at his home with the New Mexico Medal of Merit.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recognized Flowers in a social media post after the ceremony, calling him “a true American hero.” The governor’s office said Flowers received the medal in recognition of a lifetime of service, sacrifice and dedication.
State veterans officials presented the award on the governor’s behalf during a ceremony at Flowers’ Las Cruces home. KRQE reported on the event, and other published accounts identified the presenters as New Mexico Department of Veterans’ Services Secretary Jamison Herrera and State Benefits Director Ed Mendez.
Flowers served during World War II as a first lieutenant and pilot with the 99th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group, part of the historic Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black military aviators in the U.S. armed forces.
The recognition honored both Flowers’ military service and his place in history as the country’s oldest living veteran.