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First Female Military Pilots Get Congressional Gold Medal
(March 15, 2010) |
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Betty Wall Strohfus, a Women Airforce Service Pilot from
Minnesota, displays her copy of the Congressional Gold Medal
at the U.S. Capitol, March 10, 2010. |
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WASHINGTON, March 11, 2010 – The first
female military pilots received the
Congressional Gold Medal yesterday at a ceremony
in the Capitol.
Almost 70 years ago, the Women Airforce Service Pilots were
disbanded with little fanfare. This ceremony was a way to
make things right for the trailblazers, Air Force Secretary
Michael B. Donley said at the ceremony.“As a result of your conviction and your devotion to duty,
from that time onward, women would forever be a part of
United States military aviation,” Donley said.
More than 200 WASPs attended the event, many of
them wearing their World War II-era uniforms.
The audience, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
noted was one of the largest ever in the Capitol
and too large to fit into Emancipation Hall,
also included their |
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families, as well as the families of WASPs who have died or couldn't travel. |
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Military members from every branch of service served as
escorts for the veterans. For Air Force 1st Lt. Sarah Reich,
escorting WASP Janet Lee Hutchison to the ceremony was “one
of the greatest experiences” of her life.
“The past couple of days with Janet have changed my life,”
said Reich, an Air National Guard communications officer.
“She told me, ‘I have never known fear; everything is an
adventure,' and I'll take that lesson with me forever. Her
story as a WASP is just amazing.”
The process to approve the Congressional Gold Medal was
introduced and approved in record time last year. The
bipartisan effort was led by Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison of
Texas and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland, as well as Reps.
Susan Davis of California and Ilena Ros-Lehtinen of Florida.
All four elected officials spoke at the event.
Deanie Parrish, associate director of Wings Across America,
accepted the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of the
WASPs. Along with Pelosi, House Minority Leader John
Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell presented the medal. |
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| Deanie Parrish, a World War II Women Airforce Service Pilot
and associate director of Wings Across America, accepts the
Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of her fellow WASPs at
the U.S. Capitol, March 10, 2010. Presenting the medal are
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; House Minority Leader John
Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate
Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. |
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Air Force Lt. Col. Nicole Malachowski, the first female
pilot in the Air Force's air demonstration squadron, was
instrumental in shaping the bill to honor and recognize the
WASPs. She also spoke at the ceremony.
“Today is the day when the WASPs will make history once
again,” Malachowski said. “If you spend any time at all
talking to these wonderful women, you'll notice how humble
and gracious and selfless they all are. Their motives for
wanting to fly airplanes all those years ago wasn't for fame
or glory or recognition. They simply had a passion to take
what gifts they had and use them to help defend not only
America, but the entire free world, from tyranny.
“And they let no one get in their way,” she added.
Of the more than 1,100 women who volunteered and flew every
fighter, bomber, transport and trainer aircraft in the
inventory 68 years ago, only about 300 are still alive.
Betty Wall Strohfus, a WASP from Minnesota, was one of the
women who “just had to be here for this.” She flew the B-17
Flying Fortress and B-26 Marauder bombers, as well as the
P-39 Airacobra fighter.
“It's almost unbelievable. We never thought this day would
come,” she said. “We were all just so grateful to have the
opportunity to fly. But this was just such a lovely ceremony
and so nice for all these people to come out for us.”
The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest award Congress
can present to a civilian or group of civilians. Past
honorees include the Navajo Code Talkers in 2000 and
Tuskegee Airmen in 2006.
Each WASP received a smaller version of the medal to keep.
The original medal will be donated to the Smithsonian
Institution for display later this year with the “Women in
Aviation” display at its Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va. |
Article and photos by USAF SSgt. J.G. Buzanowski
Secretary of the Air Force public affairs office
Special to
American Forces Press Service
Copyright 2010 |
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Photos > Honoring WWII Women Pilots - March 2010
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