Honored Nearly 70 Years Following Disbandment Of The Unit
The nations first female military pilots received the
Congressional Gold Medal Wednesday at a ceremony in the U.S.
Capitol.
It was almost 70 years ago that the Women Airforce Service
Pilots was disbanded with little fanfare. Air Force Secretary
Michael B. Donley said this ceremony was a way to make things right
for those trailblazers. "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
families, as well as the families of WASPs who have died or
couldn't travel.
(L-R) Rep. John Boehner, WASP Deanie
Parrish, Sen. Harry Reid, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen Mitch
McConnell
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.
WASP Betty Wall Strohfus, AF CoS Gen
Norton Schwartz
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.
ANN Salutes Air Force Staff Sgt. J.G. Buzanowski, serving in the
Secretary of the Air Force public affairs office.