Conaway Introduces Legislation to Rename Post Office

Washington, D.C.—Today, in celebration of the United States Postal Service 250 years of delivering mail to the American people, Congressman Herb Conaway Jr., MD led Reps. Frank Pallone, LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Rob Menendez in introducing legislation to rename a post office in New Jersey’s 3rd district in honor of the late Chief Master Sergeant James A. Cotten.

 

Chief Master Sergeant James A. Cotten dedicated his life to military and civilian service. A longtime resident of Willingboro, New Jersey, Cotten was drafted into the United States Army in 1945 and later assigned to the Army Air Corps as an air operations specialist with the 332nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, part of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen. Following military desegregation, he became the first African American assigned to the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, continuing a distinguished military career that spanned over two decades. He retired from active duty in 1965 while stationed at McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey and went on to serve an additional 45 years with the Department of Defense.

 

Cotten also served his local community as one of the first African Americans to deliver mail in Willingboro and remained actively engaged through civic and financial institutions. In recognition of his service, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2012, and he was among the veterans honored by President Barack Obama in 2013. 

 

“Chief Master Sergeant James A. Cotten embodied the very best of our nation—service, sacrifice, and a steadfast commitment to breaking barriers," said Congressman Conaway. "As a proud Tuskegee Airman and trailblazer who helped integrate our armed forces, he not only defended our country abroad but strengthened his community here at home in Willingboro. Renaming this post office in his honor ensures that his legacy of courage and public service will continue to inspire generations as we approach our nation’s 250th anniversary.”

 

“As a Tuskegee Airman with the 332nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron and the first African American assigned to the 334th, Chief Master Sergeant James Cotten walked into rooms the system never planned to open and made them impossible to close. He served America for more than two decades in uniform, then gave another 45 years to the Department of Defense and his community in Willingboro, including as one of its first Black mail carriers. When we name this post office after Cotten, we are naming it for a person who believed every day was another day to give back to your community and that’s why I am so proud to support Congressman Conaway’s bill,” said Congressman Pallone.

 

"I am so proud to pursue recognition for Master Sergeant James A. Cotten and honor his courage in the town he called home, said Congresswoman McIver. "From his time as a Tuskegee Airman helping to push forward progress for Black Americans, to serving his community as one of the first African Americans delivering mail in Willingboro, New Jersey, his commitment to community was clear. It’s fitting that it is that community that will soon have a post office named for him. Honoring our heroes, our leaders, and their legacies matters more than ever."

 

“I am pleased to see Tuskegee Airman Chief Master Sergeant James A. Cotten being honored for his military service and for his service to his community as a mail carrier," said Congresswoman Watson Coleman. “I'm grateful to Congressman Conaway for helping to honor such a groundbreaking man. It's not easy serving a county that at the time valued your life less than your white peers, yet he dedicated his life to serving his country and community.” 

 

“Chief Master Sergeant Cotten was a trailblazer and a hero who dedicated his life and career to protecting our nation,” said Congressman Rob Menendez. “I am proud to co-sponsor Rep. Conaway’s bill to honor Chief Master Sergeant Cotten’s service to the American people and to keep the memory of the Tuskegee Airmen alive for our future generations.”