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Texas Wasp Honored By Senator
(November 19, 2009) |
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| RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (11/13/2009 - AFNS) -- It's been nearly 70 years,
but one of the most untold stories of World War II can finally come to a close.
The Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II were presented with a
commemorative copy of a bill awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal in a
ceremony for Texas native WASP Nov. 11 at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in
Dallas.
Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison sponsored the legislation in early 2009, and
only three months later, presented the WASP the Congressional Gold Medal, the
highest honor the U.S. Congress can bestow on a civilian for service to their
country. |
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| Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison presents Betty Jo Streff Reed, a former Women Airforce Service Pilot, with a commemorative copy of Bill 111-40, which was passed by Congress to award the WASP a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest honor Congress can bestow a civilian for service to their country, Nov. 11, 2009, in Dallas. Col. Jacqueline Van Ovost, the 12th Flying Training Wing commander and guest speaker, looked on. U.S. Air Force photo |
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"This is, indeed, a time to honor all of those who have served our country,"
Senator Hutchison said in her address to the WASP. "I am so fortunate to be able
to serve on the United States Senate and to honor not only the veterans who are
here with us, but to honor those who have died before to assure that our country
is the strongest, and best, in the world."
In 1939, Jacqueline Cochran, who would later become the WASP director, wrote to
then-first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, saying, "I think we should train women pilots
to fly noncombat assignments to free the men to go into combat."
The idea seemed to catch on. In 1941 Gen. Hap Arnold, Chief of the Army Air
Corps, asked Ms. Cochran to select 24 fellow women and send them on a pioneer
mission to visit the British Transport Auxiliary to see how they integrated
women into their military.
The next year, Mrs. Roosevelt wrote in her weekly column, "My Day," that women
pilots were a weapon waiting to be used and in November, the first class of 29
women aviators began their training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.
WASP officials faced overwhelming cultural and gender bias against women in
nontraditional roles, but were able to overcome those injustices in order to
serve their country as American military aviators, Senator Hutchison explained.
Assignments included flying as test and instructor pilots, towing targets for
air-to-air gunnery and ground-to-air anti-aircraft practice, ferrying,
transporting personnel and cargo, smoke laying, night tracking and flying
drones.
As stated in Congress' findings leading to passing bill S.164 into public law
111-40, WASP officials flew more than 60 million miles for their country in
every type of aircraft and on every type of assignment except combat, but were
never awarded full military status, and were ineligible to become officers.
However, through their actions, the WASP eventually were the catalyst for
revolutionary reform in the integration of women pilots into the armed services.
"You are great Americans from the greatest generation," said Col. Jacqueline Van
Ovost, the 12th Flying Training Wing commander and ceremony guest speaker.
"Women like me and other female Airmen owe you a huge debt of gratitude. Today's
female Airmen stand on your shoulders because of your pioneer achievements.
"We are able to see our dreams, not only to fly, but to serve in almost every
career in our military today, because you paved our way," she said. "You broke
the barriers and are pioneers of an industry that was mostly reserved for men
only. Your service in World War II established a new frontier -- a frontier
women aviators have been expanding ever since, but you were first."
More than 25,000 women signed up to become aviators, but only 1,074 were
accepted. Trainees came from across the U.S. to Texas, the only location for
WASP training. After 27 weeks of flight training, the WASP graduated and went on
to one of 120 Army air fields across the nation.
One Austin, Texas, native reflected on her time as a WASP.
"It was mind-blowing after all this time to have been notified of this award,"
said Betty Phillips Whiting.
Ms. Whiting realled the day she was asked to accompany a fellow WASP to pick up
a part for an aircraft in Indiana. The weather forecast showed some "rough but
flyable" weather.
"Of the two of us, I was the only one instrument-rated, so when it started to
get rough, I took the stick," she said. "When we got close to the airfield, I
circled only once to let them know I was there, and when we came in to land,
there were several men and women there to catch our wings and bring us down. It
was dangerous and exciting then, but it was so much fun."
A few years after the WASP inception, it looked as though the U.S. would win the
war and when it was all over, WASP service ended. There were no honors, no
benefits, very few "thank-yous," and they had the task of finding their own way
home after their courageous and honorable service, Senator Hutchison explained.
In all, 38 women lost their lives in service. Their families were left with
burial expenses, families couldn't fly a gold star in their window in memory of
their loved one and the WASP themselves weren't even allowed the honor of a
flag-draped coffin at their internment since Congress never officially
recognized the WASP as military members.
This year, more than 60 years after the first WASP graduating class, the 111th
Congress passed bill S.164, which President Barack Obama signed into public law
111-40, July 1.
In March 2010, in a ceremony during Women's History Month, officials in
Washington, D.C., will host a formal national award ceremony to officially
recognize the service of our nation's WASP.
"Thank you for braving everything that you did, for not taking 'no' for an
answer, and for saying you were going to serve our country no matter how many
obstacles there were," Senator Hutchison remarked. "You did, and we owe you so
very much." | |
By USAF Sr. Airman Katie Hickerson
12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
Copyright 2009
Reprinted from
Air Force News Service
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