PHOTOS: Senator Peters Attends Ceremony Rededicating the Mt. Clemens Post Office as the “Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson Post Office”
Rededication Was Made Possible by Legislation Led by Peters, Honors Jefferson’s Lifetime of Service to His Country and Community
MT. CLEMENS, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) attended a ceremony to rededicate the Mt. Clemens Post Office as the “Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson Post Office.” In 2024, Peters led legislation signed into law dedicating the post office in Lt. Col. Jefferson’s name to recognize his service as a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen of the U.S. Army Air Forces with the 332nd Fighter Group during World War II, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, and an educator with Detroit Public Schools.
“Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson served his country with distinction with the Tuskegee Airmen, and cemented himself in local history as a dedicated educator and letter carrier,” said Senator Peters. “I was proud to lead legislation dedicating the Mount Clemens post office in his name, helping to ensure his life and legacy are remembered for future generations.”
“We honor Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson by dedicating the Mt. Clemens Post Office building for his dedicated service to his country as one of the Tuskegee Airmen,” said Rick Moreton, USPS District Manager, Michigan One. “Dedicating the plaque, which will be placed in the post office lobby, we have an obligation in the Postal Service to preserve his memory for the community, his students, his family and those that were personally touched by Alexander Jefferson’s sacrifice.”
Below are photos of Senator Peters at today’s ceremony alongside members of Lt. Col. Jefferson’s family, representatives of the Detroit Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, and local elected officials.
Alexander Jefferson was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1921. Jefferson completed combat training at Selfridge Field in Mount Clemens and pilot training at the Tuskegee Army Airfield. He served in the military during World War II. During his time with the Tuskegee Airmen, Jefferson was shot down in France and captured by Nazi ground troops. He was a prisoner of war in German-occupied Poland before he was freed by General George Patton’s U.S. Third Army. Jefferson returned to Michigan, where he became a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, earned a teaching certificate, and obtained a master’s degree in education from Wayne State University. He was discharged from active duty in 1947 and retired from the Reserves in 1969 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Jefferson taught elementary school science in Detroit, was appointed assistant principal, and retired in 1979 after 31 years of service to Detroit Public Schools. In 2016, Senator Peters helped honor Jefferson at a ceremony for France’s Knight of the Legion of Honor Medal. This award is the highest honor France bestows on people who have carried out actions of great value to their nation.
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