Honored At American Valor Event

The Ninety-Nines, Inc., International Organization of Women Pilots announced that its esteemed member, pioneering aviator and Mercury 13 Member Wally Funk was honored November 9 at the American Veterans Center’s American Valor event in Washington, D.C.

The venerable event honors individuals who exhibit courage, dedication, and contribution to the nation’s rich history in aviation and other endeavors. Wally Funk is just such a person as a lifelong trailblazer in aviation and aerospace and as a passionate advocate for women in flight and along the way has made significant contributions throughout her extraordinary career.

Wally was one of the Mercury 13 – a group of women who went through the same rigorous astronaut training and testing as their male counterparts who became the Mercury Seven in the early 1960s. She finally – at age 82 – achieved her dream of flying in space on July 20, 2021, exactly 52 years to the date after Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s first steps on the Moon.

Among the others honored at the ceremony are America’s Women Commandos, the Last Buffalo Soldiers, the surviving Heroes of D-Day, the Liberators who freed the captives of the Nazi death camps, and SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, one of the most honored and respected SEAL who was awarded the Medal of Honore posthumously for his service in Afghanistan.

Robin Hadfield, President of The Ninety-Nines said, “We are incredibly proud of Wally and honored that she is part of The Ninety-Nines. Her spirit and determination have paved the way for countless women to soar higher in both aviation and space. This recognition is a fitting tribute to her legacy and the barriers she has broken.”

FMI:  www.ninety-nines.org/ , americanveteranscenter.org/