WWII Female Pilots Take Flight Again At Reunion

[texasgirl]

This is such a great story. Wish I could have been there. Check out the video too

http://cbs11tv.com/local/Women.Airforce.Service.2.825922.html

And here too

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/935183.html

And pictures:
http://www.star-telegram.com/photos/gallery/934888.html

 

[Heather]

How very wonderful and heartwarming! Thanks so much for posting this. It's not right that they weren't recognized for their war effort. A sign of the time I guess! [huh]

 

[RHY]

WASPs in Hawaii

http://www.khnl.com/Global/story.asp?S=9015128

 

[H.Johnson]

An very interesting read in this context -
Spitfire Women of WW2 by Giles Whittell (Harper Press 2007).

 

[Eyemo]

Ahhh Excellent!... This is my photo-tribute to them...:eusa_clap

 

[Story]

Congressional Gold Medals are proposed for World War II work by Women Airforce Service Pilots
12:00 AM CDT on Friday, March 27, 2009
Corpus Christi Caller-Times

CORPUS CHRISTI – Looking out the windows of her 14th-floor apartment at Trinity Towers reminds Maxine Flournoy of her cockpit view from World War II military aircraft.

"I loved flying," Flournoy, 87, said, while fingering a diamond airplane brooch on her collar, "even that twin-engine trainer we called the bamboo bomber because it was fabric covered."

Flournoy is one of 300 surviving Women Airforce Service Pilots who soon may be recognized for their efforts during World War II. In all, 1,102 female pilots served.

"Their service paved the way for all women who serve valiantly in the military today," said U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who recently introduced a bill, co-sponsored by all female members of the Senate, to award the women the Congressional Gold Medal, which is awarded for exceptional service to the United States. The U.S. Mint designs and creates each medal to uniquely represent the individuals being honored.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcon...npilots_27tex.ART.State.Edition2.4ad0832.html

 

[fortworthgal]

That is very cool! I am friends with a couple of the WASP and they are wonderful ladies with some amazing stories. I am also involved with the WASP Museum in Sweetwater, Texas (where Avenger Field was located - where the ladies trained) and the past 2 years we have done a big WWII display there for their annual Memorial Day event and dance. They are a bunch of interesting ladies and I think they definitely deserve the recognition for what they did.

 

[Story]

Posted on Mon, Sep. 28, 2009


NY ceremony honors women WWII pilots

The Associated Press

EAST FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - Women who flew military planes during World War II are finally getting their due.

Case in point: a ceremony at Long Island's American Airpower Museum honoring veterans of WASP , Women Airforce Service Pilots.

The trailblazers include 86-year-old Margaret Gilman of Manhasset, N.Y.

Her plane towed targets that gunners shot at for practice. Gilman, laughing, says it could be scary: They didn't always hit the target.

Eighty-eight-year-old Bernice Falk Haydu of New Jersey says WASPs had to pay for their own room and board, and even tickets to and from their bases.

Haydu says she's grateful they're now getting recognition.

,,,

On the Net:

WASP on the Web: http://www.wingsacrossamerica.us/wasp/

American Airpower Museum: http://www.americanairpowermuseum.com/

 

[Story]

Members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II will be honored March 10 for their service with a Congressional Gold Medal. The presentation will take place in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.

AirTran Airways and American Airlines are offering special flights to members of the WASP. AirTran announced at Women in Aviation International February 27 that it will fly a WASP and companion for free to the event; American is offering discounts.

More than 1,100 former members will receive bronze replicas of the Gold Medal, which will be placed on exhibit in the Smithsonian Institution. Also receiving bronze medals are the families of 11 pilots killed during training.

http://www.aopa.org/aircraft/articles/2010/100302wasp.html

 

[jetgirl]

On NPR this morning

A wonder piece about the WASPs and the medals aired on NPR this morning. Nice photos on the NPR site.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124367587

 

[Sgt Brown]

Back in the mid-90's, the WASP's held their annual convention at the Piper Fly-In at LockHaven, PA. Now, that's fifteen years ago +- and the girls (about 30 of them) were that much younger than today.

If you have ever hung around with fighter pilots, you know that attitude they have. "Give Em Hell!" "Balls To The Wall" Etc., etc. That wild streak that leads to things like the infamous Tailhook parties, etc. Well, put yourself in a group with thirty "little old ladies" with that same attitude (and away from their homes and families). WHAT A HOOT! We couldn't keep up with them!

And I am proud to have all their autographs on an art print I have. Memories of one heck of a weekend.

Tom

 

[fortworthgal]

This is a wonderful story and I am SO glad to see the ladies finally receiving their medals.

I actually loaned my WASP uniform to one of the ladies to wear in the ceremony this morning! I am very excited about that, and glad I am able to do my part to help these ladies out. She no longer had her original and was quite upset about having nothing to wear, and the WASP Museum contacted me asking for help. (Some ladies still have their uniforms, but many have donated them to museums or can no longer fit into them.) I had to overnight my uniform to her last week and it fit her perfectly. When I receive some pictures back, I will be sure to share them here.

This is the lady who is wearing my uniform in the ceremony this morning:
http://operationfifinella.org/?page_id=201

 

[Story]

Female Fighter Pilot, 93, Takes Ride of a Lifetime

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/artic...s-to-receive-top-congressional-honor/19389988

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (March 10) -- It's been 66 years since Violet Cowden flew fighter airplanes during World War II, but when she took to the skies recently off the coast of Southern California, it was like she was home.

"It's like I never left," said Cowden, 93, who flew a light fighter plane for an hour, completing stunts that included barrel rolls and a mock dogfight with two other airplanes. "I feel more comfortable in the air than I do in a car," she told AOL News.

Cowden took the flight Feb. 26 as a prelude to an even more exciting event -- receiving a Congressional Gold Medal. As part of the dwindling group of Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, Cowden and her sisters in flight received the highest honor bestowed upon a civilian during a ceremony today at the U.S. Capitol. Although the WASPs worked for the military, they were not enlisted and their place in history has been largely ignored until now.

 

[fortworthgal]

Woohoo! WASP Millicent Peterson Young wearing my uniform at the ceremony:

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Female-WWII-...64c4d7d6bf6fa7/

 

[kampkatz]

NPR did a fine piece on the event. More people now are aware of the lack of appreciation the brave ladies were shown over the years. It is a shame that many of them did not live long enough to see this over-due award.

 

[Story]

Stumbled onto this pic while looking for something else, was going to post it in an Aviatrix thread but it needed to be here

Meet Hazel Ying Lee, WASP pilot
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazel_Ying_Lee

http://www.ncdemocracy.org/sites/www.ncdemocracy.org/files/docs/FFD_EducGuide_10_Hazel_0.pdf

 

[HepKitty]

Story thanks for giving this thread a bump I didn't dig deep enough to find it myself

 

[Talbot]

Woohoo! WASP Millicent Peterson Young wearing my uniform at the ceremony:

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Female-WWII-...64c4d7d6bf6fa7/

Nice thing you did. More power to you!

T

 

[HepKitty]

Female Fighter Pilot, 93, Takes Ride of a Lifetime

http://www.aolnews.com/nation/artic...s-to-receive-top-congressional-honor/19389988

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (March 10) -- It's been 66 years since Violet Cowden flew fighter airplanes during World War II, but when she took to the skies recently off the coast of Southern California, it was like she was home.

"It's like I never left," said Cowden, 93, who flew a light fighter plane for an hour, completing stunts that included barrel rolls and a mock dogfight with two other airplanes. "I feel more comfortable in the air than I do in a car," she told AOL News.

Cowden took the flight Feb. 26 as a prelude to an even more exciting event -- receiving a Congressional Gold Medal. As part of the dwindling group of Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, Cowden and her sisters in flight received the highest honor bestowed upon a civilian during a ceremony today at the U.S. Capitol. Although the WASPs worked for the military, they were not enlisted and their place in history has been largely ignored until now.

Wow. Just wow.

 

[murena]

Ahhh Excellent!... This is my photo-tribute to them...:eusa_clap

...looks great!