Air Guardsman escorts WASP during medal ceremony

WASHINGTON - The first female military pilots received the Congressional Gold Medal yesterday at a ceremony in the Capitol.

Almost 70 years ago, the Women Air Force 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 families, as well as the families of WASPs who have died or couldn't travel.

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.

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.

ARLINGTON, Va., (3/10/10) - More than 1,000 civilians and servicemembers watched as World War II Women Airforce Service Pilot corps remembered their sisters-in-arms during a wreath-laying ceremony March 9 at the Air Force Memorial here.

Several WASPs, many clad in their World War II-era service uniform, placed roses next to the wreath in memory of those who died during the war.

The audience included their families and as well as the families of those who have since died or couldn't travel.

"Today's event, held at this most beautiful and prestigious Air Force Memorial, pays tribute and honor to the 38 WASP who made the ultimate sacrifice to their nation in a time of war," said retired Brig. Gen. Linda McTague, the first woman to command an Air National Guard wing, who emceed the ceremony.

Pilots and aviators from all services took part in honoring the WASPs as well. Retired Coast Guard Vice Adm. Vivien Crea thanked the WASPs for "their great sense of duty." Navy Cmdr. Heidi Fleming and Marine Corps Capt. Katherine Horner read the names of those who died while on duty.

As part of the ceremony, Army Col. Laura Richardson read a poem titled "Celestial Flight." The poem was written in honor of Marie Michell Robinson, a 19-year-old WASP, who died during a training flight aboard a B-25 Mitchell bomber Oct. 2, 1944, over California's Mojave Desert. Just two weeks earlier she had married Army Maj. (Dr.) Hampton Robinson. In attendance was her niece and namesake, Cheryl Marie Michell Van Riper.

"I'm so very proud to be here to honor my aunt," Van Riper said. "She's always been such an inspiration to me. Today is a happy ending to a sad story."

Following the somber event, a mix of Airmen past and present met at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. There, several WASPs reminisced about their flying days along with their contemporaries, including retired Col. Eileen Collins, the first woman to command a space shuttle mission, and Lt. Col. Nicole Malachowski, the first female pilot in the U.S. Air Force's Air Demonstration Squadron.

Collins commanded STS-93 Columbia on its July 23-27, 1999, mission. Colonel Malachowski flew No. 3 (right wing) for the Thunderbirds from November 2005 to 2007.

Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton Schwartz also attended the event, and addressed the women pioneers who, the general noted, not only blazed a trail to the military cockpit, but a path for women to have greater roles in society.

"From those marvelous machines of the past to the highest performance aircraft of today, you helped to break barriers and shape modern American society," said Schwartz.

The result, the general said, is that "the daughters and granddaughters of America's 'greatest generation' have traveled far along the trail that the WASP helped to blaze."

Thirty-three years after the WASP were disbanded, Congress voted to grant veteran status to the WASPs just as the U.S. Air Force Academy's first female cadets worked through their sophomore year, the general said.

It has been nearly another 33 years, he said, to recognize their importance with the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation's highest honor.

During this time, the general noted, the "nation's transformation is even more substantial and our gratitude for the WASPs ever more sincere."

Betty Wall Strohfus, who flew in from Minnesota, said she was "tremendously overjoyed at the outpouring of love and support," she and her fellow WASP received at the event.

"It just means so much to all be here together for this," she said. "It was simply wonderful to see so many friends, and it's just been a thrill."

The records of WASP accomplishments had been sealed for decades after their unit was disbanded and the women were sent home. They weren't recognized as veterans until 1977. Of the more than 1,100 women who volunteered and flew every fighter, bomber, transport and trainer aircraft in the Air Force inventory 68 years ago, only about 300 are still alive.