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The Women’s Airforce
Service Pilots (WASP’s) Between
1942 and 1944, 1,102 women served as pilots for the U.S. Army Air Forces.
They participated with instructor training, towing targets for air to air
gunnery and ground to air anti-aircraft practice, transporting personnel and
cargo and ferrying airplanes to training fields and embarkation points. This
freed the male pilots for combat. The
original group was called the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron or WAFS. In
1943 they were re-designated Women Airforce Service
Pilots or WASP. By December of 1944 the group had unceremoniously been
disbanded. During that short time frame, the ladies had logged over 60
million miles in military aircraft. At the final graduation ceremony in
Sweetwater, Texas, General "Hap" Arnold spoke of their exemplary
safety and delivery record. In
1977, Congress granted veteran status to this group. This allowed them to
receive medical benefits and the American Campaign Medal and the WWII Victory
Medal. But most important to these ladies was that they could now be buried
in our Nation’s cemeteries and their caskets could bear the United States
Flag. On March 10, 2010 the Women Airforce Service
Pilots were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their service in World
War II. Nineteen
of those women came from Nebraska. They are: Dorothy L. Bancroft, Mary B.
Beecham, Lois V. Boien, Lois A. Bristol, Grace
"Betty" E. Clements, Mary A. Jershin,
Eileen "Ikey" A. Kealy,
Marybelle J. Lyall,
Esther L. Mueller, Roberta E. Mundt, Margaret
"Peggy" L. Nispel, Millicent A. Peterson,
Alice L. Riss, Evelyn G. Sharp, B. Kristin Swan,
Helen A. Turner, Isabel E. Tynon, Jane E. Waite and
Mary E. Williamson. All but four of these ladies are deceased,
they are Lois A Bristol Young, B. Kristin Swan Lent, Millicent A. Peterson
Young and Dr. Mary E. Williamson. |
