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o l d M e d a l I n Res i dence

THE WASP GOLD MEDAL is now in

dence in the National Air and Space

seum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center,

ated near Dulles Airport outside

shington D.C.

DAWNSEYMOUR,43-5, WASP Memorials

air, visited the museum in April this

r to see the Gold Medal in place and on

ibit for all to see. The medal is part of the

w WASP exhibit at the museum.

wo WASP WAI Hall

f Fame Inductees

WASP MARTY WYALL and HAZEL AH

NG LEE were two of t he five women

ucted into this year's Women in Aviation

AI) Pioneer Hall of Fame, February 26,

1.

Marty, a graduate of the last WASP class

-10), served as unofficial historian of

WASP from the early 1960s until the

ASP selected Texas Woman's University

Denton in 1991 to be the permanent home

their Archives, the repository of their

ries, papers and photos.

Marty stored WASP papers, photos and

ppings in the garage on her Indiana farm

d carefully tended them for 30 years. Had

ot been for Marty's efforts, much of the

ASP history would have been lost.

After holding yearly reunions from 1946

ough 1949, the WASP ceased to meet for

years. "Everyone was getting married,

ing babies, following their servicemen

bands overseas. It became too much,"

s Marty.

It was Marty who organized the next

nion - in 1964 in Cincinnati. She also

s elected president and served until

69 when the women gathered again for a

nion at Jackie Cochran's ranch in Indio,

ifornia. There, she was awarded the

WASP 25th anniversary celebration plaque,

designed by Paul Crews, husband of WAFS

Nancy Batson. Marty was a key participant

in the organization of the 1975 reunion in

Reno, and served again as WASP president

1994-1996.

Two of her sons, Sumner (a Southwest

Airlines pilot) and John, escorted her at the

Awards banquet.Hazel, one of two Chinese-American

women to serve with the WASP, was

honored posthumously. She was a member

of WASP Class 43-4 and went on to ferry

pursuit airplanes for the Army Air Forces'

Ferrying Division.

Hazel lost her life in one of those pursuits.

Landing a P-63 (Bell Kingcobra) in Great

Falls Montana, November 23, 1944, she

collided with another airplane also on final

approach to land. The tower was blamed for

the accident.

Her sister, Frances Tong, accepte

Hazel's Pioneer Hall of Fame plaque at t

WAI banquet Saturday night. Frances a

was in D.C. to accept Hazel's Gold Med

and to lay her commemorative rose at

March 9 Memorial Service remembering

the 38 WASP who died serving in WW

That service was held at the new Air For

Memorial.

Also inducted into the 2011 Pioneer H

of Fame were: WAI founder and preside

Dr. Peggy Chabrian; AF Major Gener

Susan Helms, Director of Plans and Poli

for t he U.S. Strategic Command, and

former NASA astronaut; and Tamm

Duckworth, Army pilot who lost her legs

the crash of her Black Hawk helicopter

Iraq. She is now the Assistant Secretary

Public and Intergovernmental Affairs

the Department ofYeterans Affairs.

See photos on Page 2.

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--;-" --"-."~: ~. -~~, ,.- . ~---- ',

---- ~-- -'~._-_._~._.. .__ " :.J

WASP Cast Golden Glow at WAI in Reno

Sarah Byrn Rickman, WASP News editor

The neon glow from Reno's slot machines couldn't match the golden glow exuded by II WASP at the 22nd annual Women In

Aviation, Inc., conference Feb. 24-26, at the Grand Sierra Resort.

Attending WAI this year were: JAN GOODRUM (43-8), BEE HAYDU (44-7), SHIRLEY KRUSE (44-6), DOT LEWIS (44-5), JEAN

MCCREERY (44-10), ALYCE ROHRER (44-4), DAWN SEYMOUR (43-5), A.J. STARR (43-4), LUCILE WISE (43-7), MARTY WYALL (44-

10), and MILLIE YOUNG (44-10). Jan, Alyce, Dawn, AJ and Lucile had a daughter in tow. (Dawn also had a granddaughter.) Do

and Millie each had a son along for company. I had the pleasure of traveling west on Amtrak with Jean and Marty and rooming

with Bee.

It was my pleasure to present WASP GOLD - a slide show documentary of the events on March 9 and 10,2010, in Washington

D.C., when you-all were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. I showed some gorgeous WASP portraits taken by Bill Young

Millie Young's talented professional photographer son. I also had the use of snapshots taken by Air Force Reserve photographers,

courtesy Major Andra P. Higgs.

Kate Landdeck also gave a WASP presentation, Both of us spoke to nearly full houses and the WASP, out in force for both

held forth and answered questions to the delight of the crowd. WAFS BARBARA LONDON was not in Reno, but her daughter and

granddaughter Terry and Kelly Rinehart were in the audience for my presentation and spoke briefly.

TWU and the WASP Collection and Archives were WELL represented. Libraries Director Sherilyn Bird and Special Collections

Coordinator Kimberly Johnson both were in the TWU booth talking to people, I was fortunate enough to join them as I've done so

much of my research for my WASP books at TWU. I enjoyed being able to talk to other researchers and authors about the wealth

of information available in the WASP Collection. And I was able to sell my four WASP books to visitors to the booth. [See photo

on Page 2.]

Women in Aviation International is Mecca for all women of aviation - and for many men as well. Women aviators of today's

military, as well as women airline, corporate, private and student pilots and non-flying aviation personnel of all callings come to

rub elbows with their peers - to absorb and learn and leave with new goals entered on their life's flight plan.

And above all else, the WASP truly are the rock stars of aviation's women today. They DO draw a crowd!

Albert Z. "Chig" Lewis, KOW

Jean McCreery 44-10

Geri Nyman 43-1

Honey Fulton Parker, sister of

WAFS Dorothy Fulton

Pat Thomas, KOW

Lucile Wise 43-7

Bill Young, KOW

DEADLINE Next Issue Planned for December 2011

Deadline for news is November 1, 2011

Websites:

TWU/WASP Archives: twu.edu/library/wasp

WASP on the Web: http://www.wwii-women-pilots.orgWings Across America: http://www.wingsacrossamerica.org

WASP M useum: waspmuseum.org

Wingtip-to-Wingtip Assn: www.wtwa.org and www.fifinella.com

Contributors for this issue:

Jacque Boyd, Friend

Cappy Bridge 43-2

Radford Crews, KOW

Betty Darst, Friend

Kris Lent Gros 44-3

Bee Haydu 44-7

Pat Jernigan, Friend

Bac k cover pho tos by

Bill You ng, son of

Mil lice nt Young (44-10 ),

taken at the Gold Medal

Ceremony March 10, 2010.

~ Figurativephoto. com

Volume XLVIV NO.1

WASP News is published twice

yearly at Denton, Texas.

Postage paid at Denton, Texas.

Editor - Sarah Rickman

10 N. Johanna Dr., Centerville OH 45459

Phone &Fax 937-434-5979

Cell 937-581-0837

E-mail: [email protected]

Publisher - Kimberly Johnson

Texas Woman's UniversityPhone: 940-898-3743

Cell: 940-390-1188


Class News - 1943: Lucile Wise


Class News - 1944: Jean McCreery


@ 2011 Texas Woman's University

Summer 2011 3

http://www.wwii-women-pilots.org/http://www.wingsacrossamerica.org/http://www.wtwa.org/http://www.fifinella.com/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.fifinella.com/http://www.wtwa.org/http://www.wingsacrossamerica.org/http://www.wwii-women-pilots.org/

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WASP Endowment $678,270.69

We thank you for all the generous gifts and acknowledgements honoring your classmates, families, and

friends. The following donations were received after October 1,2010.

Outright GiftsBetty June Overman Brown, 44-W-7

Irma "Babe" Story, 44-W-7

Elaine Harmon, 44- W-9Ravenna Leigh Baker, 44- W-7

June Bent, 44-W-3

Bee Falk Haydu, 44- W-7Doris E. Lockness, 43-W-4t

Helen Snapp, 43- W-4

Capt. Lucy B. Young, USN Ret.

American Legion Auxiliary

AwardsRobert J. Dole Institute of Politics, 2010 Leadership Award

NEW:

Checks to the WASP Endowment

Should Read " TWU Foundation"The Woman's Collection appreciates all that our donors do

to support the WASP Endowment. The initiatives undertaken

to preserve the WASP legacy are made possible in part by the

generosity of our donors. We are committed to keeping you

updated about the WASP Endowment.

However, we must tell you of an important change.

Newly established banking regulations now require that

donations BY CHECK to the WASP Endowment be made out to

the TWU Foundation. The words WASP Endowment should now

be written in the Memo Line. Please see the enclosed graphic

for the example of how the check needs to be made out.

For your donating convenience, credit card donations are also

an option. Please feel free to call me - Kimberly Johnson, 940-

898-3743- if you have any questions. We appreciate all you do to

support the WASP Endowment. Example:

Date _

~~~.:,,~EROFTWUFOUNDATION $ I AMOUNTI

AMOUNT SPELLED OUT Dollars

WASP ENDOWMENT

Honoring Living WASPKatherine ''Kitty'' Willinger. 44-W-8

by Richard Willinger, son

Elizabeth Whitlow Smith, 43-W-2

by Michael J. Rummerfield, son

Betty Wall Stroh/us. 44-W-I

by Becky Seeger

Memorial Gifts

Anna White, 44-W-I

by Pat Young, 44- W-I t

Calendar of Events

July 25-31,2011 - AirVenture at Oshkosh. The

Women in Aviation International (WAI) Connect

Breakfast is Friday, July 29, at 8 a.m. Other

plans pending. Contact Bee Haydu for lodging

information: 281-239-9520; beehaydu @beehaydu.

com.

October 7-9,2011 - Commemorative Air

Force to Honor the WASP, at its annual AIRSHO

- Midland International Airport, between

Midland and Odessa Texas. The contact is Col.

Sharon Short: [email protected];

home phone 817-656-5052; work phone 972-770-

1188.See article on page 12.

November 8,2011 - "The WAFS Story"

at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 8,2011, at

the Warner Student Life Center, Brookdale

Community College, Lincroft, NJ. Reception and

viewing of a WAFS Exhibit to follow. See article

on page 13.

4

Memo Signature

Summer 201

mailto:[email protected];mailto:[email protected];

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Vi Cowden, WASP President 1996-1998, Flies West

Former WASP President Violet Thurn Cowden, 43-4, died

peacefully in her sleep in Huntington Beach, California, on

April 1O,201l.

Vi was born Oct. I, 1916,in a sod house on a farm in Bowdle,

South Dakota. From early childhood, "I wanted to fly like the

hawks," she told an interviewer. She made good on her dream.

After graduating from high school she received a scholarshipto Spearfish Normal School in Spearfish, SD, where she received

her teaching certificate. She obtained her pilot's license while

teaching first grade in Spearfish, and was accepted for WASP

training in February 1943.

Assigned to the Ferrying Division, Air Transport Command,

Love Field, Texas, after graduation from Sweetwater, she ferried

UC-78s, AT-6s and other aircraft and then was sent to pursuit

training in Brownsville, Texas, where she graduated May 15,

1944. She flew all the training planes, plus the P-40, P-63, P-39,

P-47, and her favorite, the P-5l. She called it "the love of her

life" and she ferried a bunch of them!

During WWII, a ferry pilot could bump any passenger on

an airline (other than the president, himself, or his cabinet)

enroute to an assignment. Vi was a ferry pilot. Once, on landing

in Memphis, she saw a huge crowd of young girls waiting at the

gate, jumping up and down and screaming. They were waiting

for Frank Sinatra. Vi learned, to her great amusement, that she

had bumped the popular crooner at the last stop.

After deactivation she went into the ceramic business. She

married Scott Cowden - the other love of her life - in 1955,

and they lived in Huntington Beach, California, just one block

from the ocean. She was Director of the Teacher Resource

For Dora - In Memory of Harry

Center for 10years. In her

later years she became

active in civic affairs and

environmental causes.

At the age of 89 she

became the oldest person

to skydive in tandem with

the Golden Knights, the

Army's elite parachute

team. In May 2009, at 92,

she took a ride in a rare

2-seat P-51 and had the

time of her life. The ride

was captured on film.

In 2010, Wings of

Silver: The Vi Cowden

Story - a 33-minute Vi Cowden, 43-4

documentary on Vi's life

and times as a WASP - was released. www.wingsofsilver.com. The film has won several documentary awards.

Vi was active in the Southern California WASP group and

in the national WASP organization, serving as President 1996-

1998. And of course, on March 10,2010, Vi joined some 200

of her living WASP sisters to receive the Congressional Gold

Medal in Washington D.C.

She is survived by a daughter, Kim, and three grandchildren.

Her husband preceded her in death.

A remarkable woman and a friend to all, she will be sorely

missed. (See Jean McCreery's tribute to Vi, page 35.)

By Jacque Boyd, WASP Friend

Editor's Note: Harry McKeown,

husband of DORA DOUGHERTY

STROTHER MCKEOWN (43-3), took his last

flight Oct. 9 , 2010. Jacque Boyd stood up

for them at their wedding back in 2003.

When Harry and Dora began "dating"

I was the third-wheel-chaperone! When

"we" would go dancing, I'd sit and watch

while Harry and Dora danced. After it

was evident that marriage was in the air

I asked Harry what the date might be.

He said they'd get married when he got

permission from her parents! Talk about

a "stall effort!"

One Saturday evening Dora called me.

"Tomorrow. Church. Be there."

Summer 2011

It told me everything I needed to

know. At church I saw another one of our

mutual friends; Dorothy. The four of us

sat together - three silver-haired Ph.D.s

and Harry. The Episcopal Priest stood up

and told the congregation that we weren't

having a sermon that morning, but that

we were going to have a wedding!

In the years since Dora's first husband,Lester, passed away she and I had a way

of coping with the craziness that often

comes with widowhood. She'd call and

say that a squirrel had invaded her family

room and then "I think I'll have another

Chardonnay." When I'd come back from

a trip to find a tree down in my front yard,

I'd call her and say, "I think I'll have

another Chardonnay." In fact, we had so

many little incidences she wrote them up

in a little book that I refer to quite often,

along with having a glass of Chardonnay.

We stood at the front of the church,

Harry and his friend plus Dora, Dorothy

and me. As the Priest reached the point

in the vows when he said, "Is there

anyone who objects to this marriage,"

Dora leaned over to me and whispered,"I think I'll have another Chardonnay!"

It was far from the first time in my life

that I played the part of bridal attendant,

but it was the first time I got to stand up

as witness for someone I loved and didn't

have to wear a dorky dress! Dora and

Harry, what a pair and what an example

they were.

5

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tFRO~' TH E EpITQR 'S M A I L ~o

Look What We Started!From Cappy Vail Bridge, 43-2

Dear Sarah:

For your interest, and for all the WASP, I call your attention to the

recent issue of Time magazine, dated April 18, 2011. Page 37 has a

most interesting article entitled Air Boss - Major General MaggieWoodward. She is the Air Force general in charge of the mission of

u.S. fighter planes involved in the NATO air cover over Libya!

She has logged (according to the article) more than 4000 hours and

is one of 612 women pilots in the U.S. Air Force. Please note, that is

less than 5 percent among 13,000 Air Force pilots!

Robert Gates pronounced, "Woodward's efforts a success 'because

much of Gaddaffi's military has been destroyed.'"

My reaction of amazement: "Look what we started!"

Editor's Note: Author of the Time article is Mark Thompson. All

WASP,KOWs and FOWs need to read the article in its entirety, but to

give you a couple of quick quotes from it:

"Operation Odyssey Dawn marked the first time in U.S. history

that a woman commanded a military air campaign."

No wonder Cappy exclaims, "Look what we started?"

General Woodward asked the reporter if he planned to "get into

the first woman thing?" And when asked if she considered herself

a role model for girls, she responded that she hoped to inspire both

boys and girls.

You REALLY need to read this article. It will make you proud.

Ask your local library Reference Department to access it for you on

the Internet and e-mail you a link. That's what 1did.THANK YOU, CAPPY!

Passing the Torch[Note: The author of this letter is Radford Crews. His Mom, WAFS

NANCY BATSON CREWS, was his flight instructor when he earned his

private pilot's license in 1975. He went on to become a captain with

Sky WestAirlines, the job from which he retired this spring.}

Dear Sarah,

Thanks for sending the newsletter along.

In mentioning what those bold ladies did regarding furthering the

cause of women, don't forget how many young men were mentored

and trained by those gals. Their influence has reached far and wide

in aviation.

1 know of one fortunate young guy who was lucky enough to

achieve an entire career flying because of them.

And now, 1 am retired. I am enjoying the early stage of my

Continued on Page 13

6

Veterans' Day 2010

Editor's Note: The following report -

Veterans' Day 2010 Celebration at the WWl

Memorial in Washington D.C - is courtesy

WASP Friend Pat Jernigan, Us. Army

Colonel (Retired). Please also note her PosScript regarding the individual Gold Medal

the WASP received March 10, 2010.

Veterans Day (2010) in Washington DC wa

a lovely day and there was a lovely early mornin

ceremony at the World War II Memorial to hono

veterans, particularly WW-2, and within that group

particularly women vets. It was great to see ELAINE

HARMON (44-9) representing the WASP.Don't believ

other WASP attended. It was early and brisk whic

would have discouraged some.

Women from all the military services were presen- Elizabeth McIntosh representing the OSS (Jul

Childs worked for her when she was with OSS), an

several who had worked in industry. A Gold Sta

mother (also a veteran) was also among the specia

honorees. The ceremony keynote speaker was GE

Ann Dunwoody.

The oldest vet there was retired WAC LTC Lu

McGrath who celebrated her 103rd birthday the ne

week... she's an inspiration! Still fully with it, and sh

gets around fairly well, though for today's events sh

was in a chair. At the Women's Memorial Veteran

Day remembrance in 2009 Colonel McGrath gave aexcellent ten minute talk, off the cuff, telling abou

her military service.

Thanks to all the veterans, WASP, KOW, FOW

ai, best wishes on this Veterans Day!

P.S. re: the Gold Medal

I suspect quite a few people thought the [Gold

medals were "issued" by the government - it wasn

so! WIMSA purchased them. Only the original (no

in the Smithsonian - see photo on Page I) wa

provided. Individual medals, when a Congressiona

Gold Medal is issued, are available from the UMint, but purchase is strictly optional. This was on

reason that the Women's Memorial staff worked har

to identify a single recipient, either the WASP hersel

or a single family member. I know there were som

family members who also wanted medals.

Pat Jernigan, WASP Friend

Summer 201

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News From The TWU WASP Archive

By Kimberly Johnson, Special Collections Coordinator, TWU

I am delighted to share with you a recap of last year's WASP activity involving the

archives as well as to preview some of our goals and initiatives for this year. In future

editions of the WASP News, you will receive updates about the projects we have been

supporting and assisting across the country. My staff and I are committed to doing all

that we can to ensure that the legacy of the WASP endures for generations to come.

What an amazing and incredible year 2010 was for the Woman's Collection. As aresult of the Congressional Gold Medal, the WASP received unprecedented media

coverage around the nation. This extensive coverage included interviews, news and

feature stories, and articles online and in printed publications about the WASP before

and after the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony held in Washington, D.C., in March.

Producers and editors from major news outlets such as ABC, NBC, and Hearst

Television utilized resources from the WASP archive including photographs and film

for their broadcast and print stories. Last year the staff responded to approximately

300 requests for archival assistance about the WASP. We continue to support students,

researchers, scholars, authors, and educators with materials from the archive to complete

and propel their projects forward.

Spring 2010, the History Channel visited the Woman's Collection and filmed footagefor its Saving History Project. This project featured footage shot by ALBERTA KINNEY,

44-7, while she was at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. During March, National

Public Radio interviewed Dr. Kate Landdeck, WASP historian. The story entitled

Female WWII Pilots: The Original Fly Girls on NPR's website credits the Woman's

Collection for source materials.

In April, PEARL JUDD, MICKEY BRIGHT and her daughter, Mary Ann Slate (niece of

DORIS BRISTOL TRACY), and Nancy Hoing (daughter of BUCKY RICHARDS) joined the

TWU community to celebrate Founders' Day. Dr. Landdeck was the keynote speaker at

the luncheon, which honored the WASP for their achievements during their country's

hour of greatest need.

Last summer, MARTYWYALLAND JEAN MCCREERY visited the Woman's Collection.

They spent their time working with our collections and especially our photographs to

identify photos for the WASP digital collections. Their dedication to assuring that as

many photographs as possible are identified is invaluable as was their willingness to

give their time. Our student assistants were thrilled to have had the opportunity to meet

Marty and Jean. As one student said as they were leaving, "I have met celebrities, just

wait until I tell my family."

I am happy to report that we began digitizing your oral history interviews last

summer and we are planning to have this project wrapped up by the end of the year.

With this digitization initiative underway, we foresee using portions of this audio online.

In addition, 12 new oral history interviews were conducted and 34 others transcribed.

We are steadfastly working to complete this project and get finished books in the hands

of WASP and family members.We continue to support exhibitions featuring the WASP around the country. Last

year alone, we assisted with more than 30 exhibits including the Bob Bullock Texas

State Historical Museum, The Women's Museum in Dallas, Texas, and the Museum of

Flight in Seattle, Washington, just to name a few. Users of the collection have included

various news and print organizations around the country from east to west and all points

in between - more than 60 last year. Articles were printed in such publications as

WARBIRDS Digest, The Daily Astorian, the Statesman-Journal, Michigan History, the

Dallas Morning News, and the Maine Independent Journal.

Continued on Page 8

Summer 2011

Jean McCreery, 44-10

@BiII Young, Figurativephoto.com

Pearl Judd, 44-8

Marty Wyall, 44-10

@BiII Young, Figurativephoto.com

7

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News From The WASP Archive

As 2010 drew to a close with Gold Medal excitement still lingering in th

air, the staff at the Woman's Collection could not help but wonder what 201would have in store for the WASP. Preparing ourselves for summer 2011, th

momentum and enthusiasm is at an all time high as requests for information

continue to come in to the archive daily.

Each of us looks forward to the second half of 2011 and what it mean

for the WASP and their archive. But one thing is certain, we are sur

that whatever our days are like, we will continue to educate and support

researchers, historians, students, and aviation enthusiasts about the story o

the WASP -transforming one patron at a time.

TWU Has Presence

at WAI in Reno

Submitted by Kimberly Johnson,

Coordinator Special Collections

During Women in Aviation's annual

conference held in Reno, Nevada, earlier

this year, the TWU Libraries were on hand "womaning" a booth and discussing with

women from across the aviation industry and

throughout the military the importance of

preserving their history and archiving their

papers.

Sherilyn Bird, Director of TWU Libraries,

and Kimberly Johnson, Coordinator of Special

Collections, along with Sarah Rickman,

WASP historian/author and editor of the

WASP News, spent time sharing the WASP

legacy with women of all ages. Throughout

the conference, WASP JEAN MCCREERY,

LUCILE WISE, DAWN SEYMOUR, and DOT

SWAIN LEWIS spent time at TWU's booth

signing autographs and passing out literature

about the archive to interested persons.

"This was a time to network and reconnect

with friends and supporters of TWU," said

Kim berly Joh nson, Coord inator of Collections.

"We had a wonderful time meeting the movers

and shakers of the aviation industry.

"As we move forward to grow the collection,

we are focused on further developing and defining our concentration of women in

aviation and women in military collections.

Because of the WASP, Whirly Girls, and

Women Military Aviators collections, we are a

premier resource for researchers and scholars

whose work is about women's military and

aviation history," Johnson said.

Following their return to Dallas, the Special

Collections immediately began receiving

photograph collections for the library's

digital initiative. The staff has been working

diligently to get these photos processed for upload to their digital collections by the end

of the summer.

The TWU Libraries is planning to return

next year to WAI, scheduled to be in Dallas,

Texas. The staff had a debriefing meeting a

month after the event and planning is already

under way for next year.

Continued/rom Page 7

As with any archive, the digitization

of materials and photographs remains

a top priority. Plans are already

underway to determine the next series

of WASP photograph collections

to be digitized and made available

online. The $25,000 gift award fromthe Robert Dole Institute for Politics

is enabling us to create new web

pages rich in content and graphics.

This prestigious award recognizes the

achievements and accomplishments

of individuals because of their public

service that encourages and inspires

others. The WASP were the first

group to be awarded this honor.

As your official archive, one of

our major objectives with the new

website is to illustrate the richnessand uniqueness of the WASP

collection and the vast resources

available. This includes primary

source materials such as letters

written during wartime, diaries

detailing daily activities, more

than 1000 biographical files on

WASP, trainees, instructors, and

staff, as well as an array of official

documents, log books, accident

reports, and military orders. We are

creating detailed finding aids for each of the manuscript, clothing,

and artifact collections intended to

aid historians and scholars in the

research process. Further, we are

enhancing the collection of data we

capture for our digital collections

and, beginning this summer, will be

modifying our records again with the

purpose of making searching easier

for users.

Kate Landdeck

Mickey Bright, 43-7

Photo courtesy

the Air Force Reserve

8 Summer 2011

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Six WASP Buzz the Big Apple! By Jean McCreery, 44-10

When the invitation came inviting the WASP to a Recognition banquet of

THE WINGS CLUB of New York, a venerable pilots association of 68 years,

I was surprised and thrilled. Even though it came on top of the Women in

Aviation International Conference in February in Reno, six WASP answered

the call and off we went to New York City not knowing what to expect.

Where could we stay? The flights on Jet Blue were provided, but housing

was up to us. Fortunately my son lives on Long Island and offered his home

even though I invited two WASP from my class (44-10) and their families. My

daughter-in-law welcomed us graciously and we had a wonderful house party

with, believe it or not, beautiful weather! How lucky can we get?

We rented a great Toyoto van, with MILLIE YOUNG'S son, Bill, to drive,

and using a Garmin to tell us where to go, we really did the town! Millie's

daughter, Martha Young, flew in from Montana to enjoy her mother's honors.

The WINGS CLUB Recognition Program was on Wednesday, March

30, 2011, at the Yale Club. The WASP received the Annual Wings Club/

IAWA Outstanding Aviator Award. IAWA stands for International Aviation

Women's Association - a group of women in executive positions in the field

of aviation.

Dinner afterwards at the Cafe Centro was hosted by IAWA and their

president-elect, Mylene Schotnick. We were treated so graciously by these

organizations and everything went without a flaw! WASP attending were:

JAN GOODRUM, DAWN SEYMOUR, JEAN MCCREERY, MARTY WYALL,

MILLICENT YOUNG and KATHERINE WILLINGER. Katherine, whose

address is 35 Park Avenue, simply walked around the corner escorted by her

nephew, Charles Willinger. Other family members accompanied us. They

included Dawn's son and daughter and Jan's granddaughter and her husband.

Somehow, I am always astonished at what a great "show" we can put on

when we get together! We seem to inspire each other and I am so proud of

all the WASP when we accept honors for our distant past as though it wereyesterday.

Since we had a week to spend in the "Big Apple" we took a day for a self-

guided tour of Manhattan and a day to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

We even toured Theodore Roosevelt's home, Sagamore Hill, in Oyster Bay

on Long Island.

And we had a wonderful surprise when, at lunch at a local bistro (Louie's)

in Port Washington, JAN GOODRUM and her granddaughter, with family,

walked in! What a wonderful coincidence!

Thankfully, we made all plane connections and dinner engagements and

even found a parking place to see the Statue of Liberty from the Bowery Park!

And DAWN SEYMOUR adds:

What a happy, delightful evening we had and we thank the WINGS Club,

the IAWA, and Jet Blue for their generosity in honoring the WASP WWII.

It was a delight to meet Sallie Bondy, Director Sales &Marketing Operations

Commercial Airplanes The Boeing Company, who attended the Annual IAWA

Meeting and the lovely dinner at the Cafe Centro later that evening.

What fun for all of us WASP to be together again.

(See photo on Page 39)

Summer 2011

Monument Honors

Four Local WASP By Pat Thomas, daughter of

Audrey Tardy Brady, 43-7

A WASP Monument that honors

four "home town girls" - WASP with

connection to the Antelope Valley -was dedicated Memorial Day at the

Lancaster Cemetery, Lancaster CA.

The monument is of black granite

with porcelain portraits of the four

WASP: MARGARET MCANALLY, 43-

6; IRMA "BABE" STORY, 43-6; FLORA

BELLE REECE, 44-4 and MARGARET

"TY" KILLEN, 44-8.

Recessed in the granite are U.S.

Mint replicas of the front and back

of the Congressional Gold Medal theWASP received March 10, 2010. A

steel archway and Fifinella top the

granite monument, symbolizing the

entrance to Avenger Field.

On either side of the walkway

leading up to the monument are 38

engraved bricks to honor the 38 WASP

pilots who were killed during their

service. The bricks carry names, class

and hometown of each of the 38.

Three Kids of WASP (KOWs)

attended in honor of their deceased

mothers: Tom Sword, Bruce Guthrie,

and Pat Thomas, as well as family

members and friends of t he three

WASP who were present. We lost Ty

Killen in January of this year. WASP

Jan Wood attended, as did Sallie

Russell, Doris Tanner's sister.

The keynote speaker, Col. Dawn M.

Dunlop, USAF, is the Commander of

the 412th Test Wing at the Air Force

Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force

Base. Her resume includes combat

time in the F-15E.

The local community has supported

this monument with funds raised by a

local middle school, Rotary Club and

the AV 99s.

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Tornado Uninvited Guest at WASP Sun n Fun Luncheon

By Bee Haydu, 44-7

A tornado with 90-100 mph winds turned out to be the

surprise - and most unwelcome - guest at the annual

WASP luncheon hosted by the Ninety-Nines, March 31, at

Sun n Fun, Lakeland, Florida.

WASP BEE HAYDU instantly became our on-the-scene

reporter and, here, provides an eyewitness account of themayhem created when the storm hit their tent and the

amazingly quick response of the 70 occupants. Here's her

account:

The luncheon was being catered in a large tent adjacent to

the museum. We were all seated at long tables and the caterer

was starting to put out his special buffet as the black clouds

and high winds hit.

Lana Kraeszig, a Ninety-Nine, shouted, "Get under the

tables." A group tried to close the tent openings but the wind

was too strong. KAY HILBRANDT was having back problems

that prevented her from getting completely under. When the

roof collapsed, the water began accumulating and pressing

against her back. Her niece, Marie Friese, managed to get

to her and stood over her allowing the water to drain. She

remained there until we were rescued.

Susan King pulled JANET SIMPSON to the floor and

shielded her from debris. An unidentified Ninety-Nine [we'd

like to have name] helped lower TEX MEACHAM to the floor

and shielded her. It got very crowded under those tables

and things started blowing around. The storm lasted 10-15

minutes. We learned later that a tornado was imbedded in the

thunderstorm.

When I finally got out from under the table, I was surprised to see that a portion of the tent was lying on the tables and

when I stood up, the top of the tent was on my head. We were

all very wet but Susan and Marie were soaked to the skin.

Rescuers - both in the tent, strangers outside, and museum

volunteers - came quickly to lead us out of the rubble. One

young man actually carried LIZ STROHFUS out. [Editor's

note: We heard via the grapevine that Liz told her rescuer tha

it was the "mostfun " she'd had all day!}

We were next to the museum, so made our way there, stil

getting drenched from the falling rain. Inside, we were give

box lunches and placed in the safest part of the building in th

event more tornados came.

We stayed in the museum for several hours since mor

storms were predicted and all roads were closed. Extensiv

damage was done to the airport, several airplanes were severel

damaged, turned upside down, etc. Trees were uprooted an

flooding was everywhere.

Our deepest THANKS to the many unsung heroes who di

so much for us. We wish we had all your names.

Susan King and Bob Oehl of Wings of Dreams mad

it possible for the following WASP to attend Sun n Fun i

Lakeland, Florida. KAY HILBRANDT 44-10, PENNY HALBERG

44-6, BEE HAYDU 44-7, SHIRLEY KRUSE 44-6, TEX MEACHAM

43-7, BETTY JO REED 44-7, HELEN SNAPP 43-4, JANET SIMPSON

44-6, LIZ STROHFUS 44-1.

Susan and Bob have been doing this for a few years and giv

us VIP treatment. The Ninety-Nines have a permanent buildin

on the grounds and generously invite the WASP to make it the

headquarters. They are exceptionally gracious hosts.

Wings of Dreams is in the process of building a hanga

museum at Keystone Heights Airport, Florida, near Gainesville

They have already been awarded the Guidance & Navigatio

Simulator used to train astronauts and are planning a larg

exhibit featuring the WASP. More about them on their websitewww.wingsofdreams.org.

Observation: Every WASP came out from under the ten

with her pocket book.

Question for Susan and Bob: What do you have planne

for us next year?

See photos on Page 39.

CAF to Honor WASP at An nual AIRSHO, Oct. 7-9

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) plans to honor

the WASP at its annual AIRSHO, Oct. 7-9, at Midland International Airport - located between Midland and

Odessa TX.

To view the show, WASP attending - and an escort -

will have reserved seating in the Prime Viewing area. This

is an opportunity to see many flyable warbirds and witness

reenactments of WWII's notable air battles. And there will

be flight demonstrations of today's finest military airplanes.

WASP also are asked to participate in the Saturday parade on

the airport grounds. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

10

Ifinterested in attending -and FOR MORE INFORMATION

- contact Col. Sharon Short: email sharonshort@mfppoercom; or by phone. Her home number, 817-656-5052; her wor

number, 972-770-1188. Arrangements are being made to cov

much of the WASP's travel and lodging expenses, as well a

those of her escort.

The CAF hopes this will be an opportunity for a WAS

Reunion, Colonel Short says. "You played a very special an

important role in our nation's history and we have not forgotten

so please make a decision to honor us with your attendance an

allow us to show our appreciation for your service."

Summer 201

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Bean Salad, Bamboo Bombers

For 'Guinea Pig' Class 43-1 By Ger; Nyman, 43-1

Twenty-five women from all over

the U.S. headed for Houston. For this

first class Jackie Cochran had selected

members who had lots of flying hours.

She said if this first 25 didn't make it

the whole program would go down the

drain. She warned us to expect bad stuff

in Houston.

Four of us from New York drove to

Houston in two cars. We headed for the

municipal airport - not Ellington Field,

which was next door. We would be given

$150 a month and had to pay our own

room and board. We were told we had to

find our own housing. A lot of the girls

went into town to a hotel because theyhad to take a bus or cab to the airport.

Eventually, the base found an old cattle

truck without seats to transport the girls

from town. MAGDA TACKE and I found a

nice room in a private home near the field

and fortunately had a car to drive back

and forth.

Even though we were using the only

nonmilitary field in Houston, the brass

did not want anyone to know what we

were doing. We were to tell anyone who

asked that we were a basketball team.With two 5-footers and three close to 6

feet, it was truly a comic opera.

Our headquarters were in an old shack

at the end of the field. That's where

we were to do all our studying and

training. If we wanted to eat or go to the

bathroom, we walked a half-mile up to

the terminal. They did eventually put in a

port-a-potty for us. In the lunchroom, the

commanding officer and the instructors

would sit in the middle ofthe room eating

their steaks, etc. We sat on high stools athigh tables eating starchy foods that were

really bad. We asked for salads for lunch.

So they gave us beans on a lettuce leaf.

\t~J'" - . . W I -

Summer 2011

To show their good humor, they gave us

brown beans one day and white the next.

One of our girls was a stunt pilot.

When she got aboard for her qualifyingrun, her young instructor asked her if she

could really fly.

"Do you really want to know?" she

asked. She took off down the field, turned

and flew back over the field upside down,

righted and flew straight up in the air until

she stalled out. What a performance! The

young lieutenant staggered off the plane

and vowed he would never get in a plane

with one of those wild women again.

We really had a comedy when the PTs- open cockpit trainers - arrived. Two

of our girls were only 5 feet tall. Those

girls required two pillows tied to their

parachute and another pillow to sit on.

Otherwise they could not reach the rudder

pedals. In January, it was so cold in the

PTs that we complained. They brought

in several boxes of cast-off winter gear

from Ellington. Not a suit was under size

44, and the smallest boots were size 11.

Ifwe used the boots we couldn't feel the

rudders.

One day some heavy equipment

removed a section of fence between our

field and Ellington. They shoved five

airplanes through the hole. We couldn't

understand why they didn't just fly the

planes over. I got a call that night from

a friend at Ellington who said the planes

had been junked when termites were

discovered in the wings.

If we had complained they would've

said we were scared, and it would've been

a good way to get rid of us. So we flewthem - the bamboo bombers. We had

one minor accident with one plane when

its wing gave way. Our girl was okay, but

the male instructor was slightly hurt.

They started a second and a third class

and they stayed in a motel downtown for

a few weeks and rode back and forth in

Geri Nyman

Photo courtesy

the Air Force Reserve

the old truck with no seats. The Air Force

realized this program was going to fly so

it was transferred to Sweetwater, Texas

to a great facility. We were the only class

to graduate from Houston.

Twenty-three of us graduated. tWO

dropped out for health reasons. For th

graduation ceremony, we each flew a

plane over to next-door Ellington fo

the ceremony and formed a half circl

around the podium. There, Jackie

Cochran presented us with our wings

She had purchased the wings herself a

the Army still didn't acknowledge us a

real Army Air Force pilots. We had n

uniforms but our own tan pants and tan

shirts so at least we had something to pin

our wings on.

From the February 2011 Roadrunner

Extra, the newsletter for the residents

of the Beatitudes Campus in suburban

Phoenix and published monthly by Th

Writer's Group, (Used with permission.)

Thanks to WASP Friend Betty Darst for

"finding" the story for us.

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WASP Homecoming Held

At Avenger Field, May 28Twenty-two WASP returned to Sweetwater and Avenger

Field on Memorial Day Saturday 2011 to celebrate

Homecoming at the scene of the training and initial

experiences of most WASP OF WWII. Here's the list:

MERIEM ANDERSON, BETTY BLAKE, MICKEY BRIGHT,

EDNA DAVIS, LEE DOERR, MARY HELEN FOSTER, PENNYHALBERG, BEE HAYDU, KATHLEEN HILBRANDT, DOTTIE

HOEY, SHIRLEY KRUSE, MARY LAMY, KRIS LENT GROS,

DOT L EWIS, TEX MEACHUM, BETTY JO REED, DAWN

SEYMOUR, BARRY SMITH, A.J. STARR, HELEN SNAPP, LIZ

STOHFUS AND MARY ALICE VANDEVENTER.

Chig Lewis, son of DOT SWAIN LEWIS (44-5), gave your

editor an email head's up that they had all arrived and made

it to the Pecan Plantation in Granbury, TX. Chig continues,

"There, they were safely lodged with our generous hosts, the

Los Brazos River 99s, where we had a nice barbeque dinner

poolside Thursday night."

Friday, the WASP contingent were guests at a public

media gathering (see photo of Tex Meacham on page 39)

and Saturday they all headed for Avenger Field for the BIG

EVENT, HOMECOMING, and all the goings on.

Saturday was full of activities with a Fly-In beginning at 8

a.m. and a membership breakfast/ meeting. A car/motorcycle

show began at 9:30 at the Texas Theater and a parade wound

its way from there out to Avenger Field.

BEE HAYDU (44-7) was the luncheon speaker. Bee is the

author of Letters Home, her account of her time in the WASP

and her flying life after.

Students from Highland High School performed a one-act

play about Jackie Cochran, "Fastest Woman Alive," at the

WASP Museum at 1:30 p.m. The WASP were available for

autographs and photos all afternoon and a dinner with Big

Band 1940s era dance was held in Hangar One that evening.

Other highlights included airplane rides given to 60 Young

Eagles - ongoing throughout the day - and, thanks to

Andy and Mike Porter, the appearance of their Stearman

PT-17 - #12 - that served as a trainer for the WASP going

through primary training at Avenger in 1944.

At the moving sunset memorial service, Brig. Gen. Linda

McTague, Air National Guard Retired, read the names of the38 WASP who died in World War II.

Special thanks to the partnership of American Airlines

and Air Compassion for Veterans who make the free airplane

tickets for the WASP possible.

4620 Haygood Road Suite#l

Virginia Beach, VA 23455

Phone: 888-662-6794

www.aircompassionforveterans.org

12

Wind Still Howls at Avenger By Kris Lent Gros, Class 44-3 Secretary

My flight to Homecoming in Sweetwater was delayed by

hailstorm in Dallas on Thursday so I didn't arrive until Friday

When I came in to the hangar where the day's gathering wa

being held, the WASP were lined up at a long table to introduce

themselves and speak about their experiences. Each one ha

a mike and we were to speak for 4 minutes. Some went on a

greater length. An attentive crowd was seated on chairs in th

hangar.

Afterwards we were taken by different hosts to their homes

Marcia and Roe Walker hosted LEE DOERR, BETTY JO REED

and me. They live on a Pecan plantation in Granbury, TX

located in the Air Park area where they all have planes an

custom trailer homes.

Saturday they drove six of us to Sweetwater - a 3 hour an

30 minute drive! It was 106 degrees with winds ono mph an

gusts of 50 to 60 mph. We saw a tractor-trailer truck on th

highway that had been blown over!

Avenger Field is vastly different from our training days. Texa

looks a lot greener, but the wind still howls with authority an

the sun beat relentlessly. Despite the huge fans they had in th

museum, it was HOT. The museum had photos of all the WAS

mounted at the top of the walls so you could find yourself there

We WASP were seated at adjoining tables and people cam

to have us autograph books, cards, shirts etc. Four hours of tha

convinced me I won't write a book! The High School play abou

the life of Jackie Cochran was beautifully acted. Did you know

she had a son when she was 15 and he died in a fire? We didn't

A brief rest and back for dinner at 6. They had a great danc

band and some of the gals were up dancing.

Attending from Class 44-3: LEE DOERR, MARY HELEN

FOSTER, and yours truly, KRIS LENT GROS. MERIEM ROBY

was there. She began with our class but dropped back when he

buddy RUTH FLEISHER was sick and graduated with 44-4.

was great to see her.

Sharron and Lana and everyone did a terrific job ...God bles

them. Coordinating this was a challenge.

I am blessed with good genes, go to the Y for aquati

exercise 2 times a week and it keeps me walking at 90.

would recommend that we old relics be treated more gently a

the schedule was strenuous. Betty Jo had just had chemo anamazed us by coming.

I was given the royal treatment on my flight back to PA. Th

Captain announced my service in WW2 to all aboard. I wa

escorted to the cabin and a photo taken of me in the pilot

seat! Upgraded to first class. Passengers applauded. It erase

the rude dismissal we had when we were deactivated!

Summer 201

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All-Female Airmen Team

Launches Historic Mission

from Bagram Afgh anistan By Tech. Sgt. Michael Voss

455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Monday, 04 April 201122:14

Editor's note: Thefollowing article appeared in my e-mail inbox.

I'm not sure who sent it to me, but! thought the WASP would be

interested.

3/31/2011 - BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) - A

team of female Airmen made history here March 30 when the

F-15E Strike Eagles of "Dudette 07" blazed down the runway to

provide close air support for coalition and Afghan ground forces.

The two-ship formation consisted of all females, two pilots and

two weapons system officers, but more importantly, it marked the

first combat mission flown from Bagram to be planned, maintained

and flown entirely by females.

This mission represents the first combat sortie on record to

involve only female Airmen from the pilots and weapons officers

to the mission planners and maintainers, said Lt. Col. Kenneth

Tilley, the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing historian. Although the

call sign for the mission may have been lighthearted, the sortie was

all business calling for the pilots to travel to the Kunar Valley just

west of the Pakistan border in support of a large Army operation

that was underway.

"I have flown with female pilots before, but this was the first

time 1 have flown in an all female flight," said Maj. Christine Mau,

a 455th AEW executive officer. "This wasn't a possibility when I

started flying II years ago."

Editor's note #2: Like CAPPY VAIL (43-2) says in her letter on

Page 6: "Look what we started."

Passing the TorchContinued from Page 6

retirement and am building and racing drag cars. What a thrill.

You will recall how my Mother tried the horseracing thing. I guess

I am still influenced by her personality.

In my study, I have all manner of historic aviation memorabilia.In one photo you will see Nancy's Gold Medal, along with my

wings, now retired. Her old cloth helmet and goggles are also

visible, as well as my combat helmet from Vietnam. (See photo on

Page 39) My Father's WWII medals are also on display. Did you

know he was awarded the Bronze Star?

Thanks again for all you have done.

Radford Crews, son of WAFS Nancy Batson Crews

Summer 2011

'WAFS Evening' Set

at New Jersey College

Tuesday, November 8Submitted by Honey Fulton Parker,

sister of WAFS Dorothy Fulton

Honey Fulton Parker, sister of WAFS DOROTHYFULTON, has given talks about the WAFS - the firs

WASP, recruited and led by Nancy Love - for more

than ten years in communities throughout hers and

Dorothy's native New York/New Jersey region.

A year ago, her efforts came to the attention o

Professor Paul Zigo, Associate Professor & Director

of the Center for World War II Studies and Conflic

Resolution at Brookdale Community College

Lincroft, NJ. Professor Zigo invited Honey to bring

her WAFS presentation to Brookdale for a WAFS

evening at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 8, 2011, a

the College's Warner Student Life Center.

Joining Honey at the speaker's podium that evening

will be Nancy Love's youngest daughter, Allie Love

and Nancy's biographer, Sarah Byrn Rickman, who

also serves as editor of the WASP News.

"In attending the 2010 Congressional Gold Meda

ceremony last year- as my late sister's representative

- I was disappointed that nothing was said abou

Nancy Love and those original 28 who started it all

nor was there anything about the WAFS in the Fly

Girls Exhibit at WIMSA. 1 could find no photo o

Nancy Love, and yet she was the founder of the firsgroup of women to fly for the Army - the WAFS,

Honey says.

The college will have on display many vintage

photos of Dorothy and others from Honey's persona

collection, as well as photos of "The Originals,"

provided by Kimberly Johnson and the WASP

Archives at Texas Woman's University. The exhibi

may become a permanent part of Brookdale College'

Center for WWII Studies.

A reception will follow the lecture. Honey and Sarah

will sign copies of Sarah's book about the WAFS, Th

Originals - in which Dorothy is featured. Sarah wilalso have copies of her biography Nancy Love and th

WASP Ferry Pilots ofWW!! available for signing.

"I am indebted to Professor Zigo for his grea

interest in World War II history and its stories and fo

letting us tell this important story," Honey says.

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* * * Memorial Day * * * By Chig Lewis, son of Dot Swain Lewis, 44-5

Memorial Day is about memory. And, as we know, if we honestly

reflect, memory is not always very accurate or even consistent.

Memorial Day reverberates with this ambiguity, even in its origins,

and in the celebrations and observances throughout this nation.

My favorite explanation of the origin of Memorial Day is the Civil

War story in which a group of Southern women, on a traditionalDecoration Day, after some initial discomfiture, chose to decorate the

graves of Union soldiers as well as their own fallen, recognizing all

the graves that filled that quiet cemetery. This is consistent with what

I know of Southern women, most prominent in my memories, my

mother, and the proud Southern military traditions that would have

required an act of remembrance for fallen comrades, yet perhaps forget

the consequences to the other side, until a mother, sister, daughter,

girlfriend or wife would recognize and point out the obvious. Southern

men, in particular, have always needed Southern women to get it right.

And I suspect Yankee men could benefit as well.

I chose this explanation/memory over the other popular origin

stories: General Logan's General Order, or LBJ's proclamation,

because it represents what Memorial Day later changed to be, a day

in which all the graves, all wars, all sides" are decorated. We decorate

the graves of those that have served and perished. And it matters not

where or how they served or for what cause. What matters is Service,

and Loss, and, for those of us who remain, to Remember.

Every memory is personal - the vision projected in our human

mind to help each of us cope with our current choices and decision-

making, to avoid the mistakes our predecessors have made or to mimic

the heroic positive conduct, which that memory approves.

I wince when I hear the expression "Fallen Heroes." For me, Death

or Loss is not, in itself, heroic, it is simply Loss or Death. Deathmay result from a foolish choice, a lack of experience or training, an

impossible coincidence, an act of ugly cowardice, or an act of selfless

bravery. Talking to those that served and survived, I have often heard

them credit their survival either to their fortunate extensive training,

or to the intercession of incredible good luck or, for some, to the hand

of God. For me, I don't lay the rap on some sentient power up there

deciding which stupid fool should be excused the consequences of

complete arrogance, and some other super skilled brave soul should

be rewarded by having their physical body ripped apart and mangled.

If God exists, which I chose to believe, he or she has long since said

"hands off' or "you've got the controls" and lets the consequences

play themselves out with all the physical, biological, emotional,

historical, statistical, and intellectual forces that our presence on this

planet creates.

Since death and loss is universal to all - hero, coward, enemy,

friend, smart, stupid - our only rational goal is to to lessen its useless

frequency. This is the purpose of Memory - to Remember what is

important, and, in that clear frame of mind, to Serve.

r,y ,a < f.o

14

My mother does not remember the details of he

own service sometimes. .. I gently remind her, correc

some false memory, or start off a chain of remembrance

which brings pride or laughter. And we travel to such

places as Sweetwater, Texas, where she instructed

and trained, played her guitar, and visited briefly back

in the 1940's with her brother near the hangar tha

now houses the WASP National Museum, as he flew

through in his P-40, headed for the Pacific (. .. if that's

exactly how it happened). And we meet up with her ol

comrades of the sky, and a local elderly gentleman tell

how he heard the WASP buzzing his father's haystack

and fellow WASP Lillian confesses that somehow th

lower parts of her plane (was it an AT-6 or a BT-13?

seemed to end up stained with a lot of green chlorophyl

following some of her training flights through that par

of west Texas, way back then.

I think of my brothers, Andy, Charles, John ... m

sisters, Barb, Nancy, Kit ... so many others, KOW

not KOW (Kids of WASP!). I think of the smiles an

laughter, and yes, the memory loss of their mothers

so many of whom I have met over the years, almos

as much as I think of the confident skill of my mothe

barrelling fearlessly down a road in Arizona in he

'51 Chevy convertible, her quiet directions to me i

the cockpit of a small airplane many years ago, and

the picture of her goggled joy in the BreeZ ultraligh

over Glenbury Texas, her challenging discussion i

the Modern History class she taught 48 years ago, and

now, some confusion as to details, people and facts tha

once were so clear and immediate. I also remember my

father who served, traveling and analyzing bombing photos with the 8th Army, in England, in North Africa

Sicily, and Italy, but about which he talked so little -

his choice not to remember - to me, at least ... mor

Loss, of a different but also painful, clearly troubled

sort.

It is inevitable on Memorial Day that each family re

experiences Loss - Loss that is new and progressive

or losses that are old memories, mellowed and perhap

imaginary, or quietly deteriorated and fading, each

memory personal, as is each loss. Memory loss is

personal double whammy, an emptiness that hurt

without form, that troubles and frustrates with a shorexhaled breath, a blank darkness that alarms by wha

one knows is missing, a fierce, angry premonition

without shape, color or name. We feel the loss even

as the memory disappears. And because of thi

burgeoning reality, each family remembrance become

more important, heavier, on Memorial Day.

Continued next page

Summer 2011

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Loss of memory poses direct

immediate dangers that each of us must

mitigate - sons, daughters, mothers

and fathers. This Loss is largely limited

to each family, but, in my case, we're

doing great and having a wonderful

time together, remembering, reliving

her service as a WASP, as a teacher, as

an artist. But the Loss will inevitably

become more severe, as it already hasfor so many of my dear friends, brothers

and sisters, each of whom I determinedly

remember this Memorial Day.

Last year some criticized our President

for not staying in Washington to lay a

wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and

to parade for our national media, as if

not doing so was an affront to our grand

American military honor and our nation.

For me, it was wise and appropriate

that he chose to go to a local cemetery

near his family home, reminding us that

Memorial Day is about each family, and

what we share with every other family

who has lost, is losing, or will lose a

loved one to Service .... To remember

each family, in each city, in each country,

across this world, each gathering that

honors Service, and feels the pain of

Loss, Yankee, Rebel, white, yellow or

brown, rich or poor, enemy or friend .

... To remember the piercing pain thatshould dedicate each of us to lessening

that loss .... To remember the impact

of Education, Compassion, Hard

Work, Creativity, Imagination, Skill,

Determination, the factors which directly

impact, and either lessen, or increase the

probability of Loss of those who choose

to Serve, and ironically also how memory

loss progresses.

Memorial Day should refresh our

collective memory of the pain suffered

when our leaders fail collectively,

suffered not just by our nation, not just

our military, but by those who we mus

sometimes call our enemy. We should

remember that they suffer as much as we

and that if we do not feel their suffering,

we are likely doomed to future Loss

And that, knowing and remembering

that pain, we will tend naturally to work

intelligently, diligently, compassionately,

strongly and effectively, to create better, more peaceful world.

This broader remembrance is the

symbolic decoration that we should place

on the graves of those who have served,

heroes or not, this Memorial Day and

each day thereafter, honoring the pas

by working for Peace, not the Peace o

the grave, but a Peace that allows ou

children to walk in old cemeteries, where

ancient losses are remembered, and new

graves reserved only for those who hav

lived a full and happy remembered life.

God Bless Us All!

WASP Last Flight

NAME OF WASP CLASS DECEASED

Marcella Fatjo Tucker 43-4 11-8-20 I0

Velta Snyder Haney Benn 44-W-7 12-1-2010

Ruth Humphreys Brown 43-8 1-6-2011

Mary Jane White La Plante 44-I-T 1-14-2011

Katherine "Ruth" Kupferberg Kornblum 43-6 1-16-2011

Marguerite "Ty" Hughes Killen 44-8 1-17-201 I

Anna Hopkins White 44-1 1-29-2011

Mildred House Ferree 44-9 2-1-2011

Martha McKenzie Carpenter 44-5 2-6-2011

Dolores M. Meurer Reed 44-1 2-20-2011

Violet Thurn Cowden 43-4 4-10-2011

Lois Nash 43-8 4-24-2011

Justine Fletcher Woods 44-8 5-26-2011

Emma Coulter Ware 43-3 5-29-2011

Dottie Dormandy-Hoey 44-4-T 6-7-2011

Betty Whitlow Smith 43-2 6-16-201 I

Summer 2011

Note to Class Secretaries:

Please notifY Kimberly Johnson

at TWU, 940-898-3743,

or [email protected],

when you learn of

a classmate's death.

1

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8/20/2019 WASP Newsletter ~ 06/01/11

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Following In Our FootstepsSubmitted by Bee Haydu, 44-7

Notice the similarity in the two photos? Four women

pilots, carrying their parachute bags, striding away from a

large airplane. The difference in the photos?

Sixty-one years!!!

Photo #1 was taken at Lockbourne Army Air Field outside

Columbus, Ohio, in late 1943. It shows four WASP B-17 pilots, FRANCES GREEN (43-5), MARGARET KIRCHNER,

ANN WALDNER and BLANCHE OSBORN (ALL 43-6) walking

away from the B-17 known as Pistol Packin' Mama.

Photo #2 was taken in May, 2004: SMsgt Kim Burton

Frey snapped a photo of Capt. Vickie Quinn, Capt. Barb

Bartch, Maj. Stefanie Perkowski, and Lt. Heather Arehart

(Burris). The four, at that time, were pilots with the 121st

Air Refueling Wing (Ohio National Guard) and the 166th

Air Refueling Squadron. Notice how they all are stepping

forward with their right feet and carrying their bags in the

same hands as the WASP - three using the right hand and

the farthest to the right of the photo using her left.

Msgt. Don "Pop" Porter coordinated the photo, and it was

taken in front of a KCI35R at the same airport, except that

the facility is now known as Rickenbacker lAP.

Today, seven years later: Lt. Col. Quinn is now an Air

Force Reservist and Government Flight Representative with

the Defense Contract Management Agency. Major Bartch is

still affiliated with the 121stAir Refueling Wing.

Lt. Col. Perkowski, a graduate of the Air Force Academy,

is currently in two forward-deployed geographic combatant

commands: U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa

Command, both located in Stuttgart, Germany. As an Air

Force Reserve Officer, she supports the Headquarters

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WASP pilots Frances Green, Margaret Kirchner, Ann

Waldner and Blanche Osborn walking away from a B-17.

Summer 2011

U.S. European Command Plans and Operations Center and as

a government civilian, supports the Headquarters U.S. Africa

Command Outreach Directorate.

Major Burris is a Reservist at Scott AFB in the Flight PlanningShop. She builds and maintains flight plans for all Air Mobility

Assets. She is the mother of 3 young boys.

Highly recognizable, photo #1 may well be the most famous

WASP WWII photo around. All four of the women have now

taken their final flights - the most recent, Blanche Osborn Bross

in 2008. They are four of the seventeen from the WASP Fligh

Training Facility at Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas, who were

sent to Lockbourne in the fall of 1943 for B-17 training. Thirteen,

including all four of these ladies, graduated.

Four WASP B-17 pilots survive: DAWN SEYMOUR and JULIE

LEDBETTER (43-5) and VIRGINIA WATERER (43-6) from thetraining school and BARBARA JEAN "B.J." ERICKSON LONDON,

one of the original WAFS, who was the third woman to fly a B-17

She had two orientation flights on October 8 and 9, 1943, and

checked out on the Fortress on April 9, 1944.

The first two women to fly the B-17 were NANCY LOVE,

executive for WASP in the Ferrying Division and the founder o

the WAFS, and BETTY GILLIES, Nancy's second-in-command

and the leader of the WASP squadron stationed with the 2nd

Ferrying Group, New Castle Army Air Base, Wilmington

Delaware. Nancy, followed by Betty, was signed off to fly the

B-17 on August 16, 1943.Already in Goose Bay, Labrador, Sept

5, 1943, they were ferrying a B-17 to England when General

Arnold cancelled their flight.

Capt. Vickie Quinn, Capt. Barb Bartch, Maj. Stefanie

Perkowski, and Lt. Heather Arehart (Burris) walking

away from a KC135R.

37

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impossible this could have happened. Yet, on each field we visited

saw some of the remains of bomb shelters, Quonset huts, buildin

bomb storage pits, etc.

May 9th we made our way to London and the Kensington, anoth

first class hotel. Our leader and driver, Timothy Davis, has got to be

best driver in the world. He could squeeze through impossible plac

Anyone who has visited London in particular would appreciate

driving expertise.

We visited Churchill War Rooms and museum in the origin

underground location. Going beneath the ground and seeing how th

lived and conducted the war during those years was an eerie experienc

The Imperial War Museum is a must, covering many wars and

complete it would really take about 4 days to see everything.

The Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial was anoth

beautiful and interesting place. Mike Quering and Bee Haydu w

privileged to do the flag lowering and folding at the end of the day.

Of course, we also saw the many important sites in Lond

and throughout England, enjoyed many pubs - great eating (a

drinking), places where so many gather.

I encourage anyone desiring to take a trip to the many sites offer

by The Greatest Generations Foundation to visit their website wwtggf.us. There you will find an application form you can submit.

Elaine Harmon adds: We had a fabulous time. There were only

people on the trip - 3 tour guides, 3 Americans who flew from ba

in England and the 3 of us. As a small group, we had time to talk m

about our wartime experiences and get to know each other better.

We hoped to meet up with WASP Friend Wendy Cooper - curren

in England - but it didn't work out in spite of planning. There ju

wasn't enough time for her to get to London before we had to leave. T

bad. We tried.

In England: Bee Haydu (left), Elaine Harmon and Shirley Kru

(4th and 5th) and their traveling companions with the tour bThe next day we visited Lavenham Air Base - the

site of where the air base had been during the war. This

is where StaffSgt. Mike Quering had been stationed in

WWII. He was an Armorer Gunner in B-17 Bombers

with the 8th Air Force. The runways and most of the

buildings were no longer there having been given back

to the farmers, but we could make out most of the

outline. We learned from Mike what it was like some

67 years ago.

Then to Mendlesham Airfield, Stowmarket, Suffolk,

UK, also north of London. This was where Major

Joseph Clark had been stationed. He was a B-17 pilot,having completed 31 missions. Again, the location had

been returned to the farmers and yet we could make

out where the runways had been, especially since some

portions of runway remained. Joe could still hear the

engines of the B-l7s taking off.

Next was Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire

County, Thurleigh Airfield, where Staff Sgt. Homer

Goodman, ball turret gunner on B-l7s had been

stationed. His first mission was on D-Day June 6,

1944. On his 30th mission he was shot down in enemy

territory. He spent 6 weeks hiding behind enemy

lines. He came back with the advancing infantry.

Although the field had been returned to the farmers,

a tower was preserved in which a museum was

established. From the tower we could see the runway

layouts.

Most memorable and touching was to listen to these

three veterans re-live their life of so many years ago.

We listened to their individual experiences, so vivid we

could imagine being there. Now amongst the beautiful

fields of yellow flowers and greenery it seemed almost

3 WASP Tour AAF WWII Air War Sites in England By Bee Haydu, 44-7 and Elaine Harmon, 44-9

Three WASP are JUST back from England - a

trip they made May 5 to 11through THE GREATEST

GENERATION FOUNDATION. SHIRLEY KRUSE

(44-6), BEE HAYDU (44-7) AND ELAINE HARMON (44-9)

were the three lucky gals.

There were only nine of them on the bus. The otherswere three men who flew out of bases in England in

WWII - Mike Quering, Joseph W. Clarke and Homer

Goodman - and the hosts from the foundation,

President Timothy Davis, Alicia Harms, Vice President

of Communication and Jon Bunyak, Chief Financial

Officer.

Bee writes: From London our first stop was Duxford

Air Museum, Cambridgeshire County, about one hour

north of London and 10miles south of Cambridge. Our

first day ended at Bedford Lodge Hotel in Newmarket,

Suffolk. Accommodations and food the best!

38 Summer 20

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