V. Scotty Bradley Gough, 44-W-7 | May 22, 2013

"Don’t ever put limits on your dreams.   Dream farther and higher than you can imagine.   I would never have flown if I hadn’t looked to the sky and beyond." 

/s/ Scotty Bradley Gough, 44-7

Scotty Bradley was born on October 28, 1922 in Los Angeles, California.  She lost her mother at an early age, so she and her two brothers were raised by their dad. 

From the time she could remember, she said she wanted to fly.  Even before she was old enough to take lessons, she read everything she could on flying.  When she realized that pilots had to have good eyesight, she began eating carrots, one each day, which she did for the rest of her life. 

After high school graduation,  she was chosen as one of ten finalists for a college scholarship. When interviewed, she was asked what she wanted to be,  and what courses she would take.  When she told the committe she wanted to be a pilot and take aeronautical engineering courses, the looks on their faces convinced her the scholarship was not going to happen.  So, she began working in a bank, earning $25 a week.  Her dad encouraged her to take part of her salary and follow her dream.  She did.

Scotty began taking ground school and flying lessons at Glendale Municipal Airport in Glendale, California.  It was after she had soloed and on an early  Sunday morning (December 7, 1941), while practicing landings,  that she was given a red light signal.  When she taxied to the hangar, she learned that Pearl Harbor had been attacked.  America was at war.   Immediately, all civilian flying within 200 miles of the coast was grounded.

In order to be able to continue flying, she commuted inland to Blythe, California, whose municipal airport was beyond the restricted coast line 'no-fly'  zone.   There she worked on the weekends with an ambulance corps that was teaching women to fly.  Once the Blythe Army Air Field became operational,  Scotty relocated closer to the base and worked in the base's control tower.  However,  she also continued to build up her flying time.

When Scotty heard about the WASP training program, she wrote to Jackie Cochran, the originator of the program and its director.  The reply was disappointing.  She was told that, although she had all the basic requirements,  she wasn’t old enough.  She then knew that she would have to wait a year before reapplying.

During that year, the owner of the local airport offered her free flying time if she would make parachute jumps, which would attract people to the airport.  Her instructions for her first jump came from the parachute rigger:  “When you jump out that door, you count to ten real slow, because I don’t want that parachute caught in the tail and ripped up.”   She made her first jump and continued jumping and building up her flying time until she was old enough to report to Avenger Field for WASP training.

Scotty paid her way to Sweetwater, Texas and, on February 11, 1944,  reported for training (together with ninety-seven other hopeful young women pilots) as a member of Class 44-W-7.    She was immediately chosen Squadron Commander.  This ‘honor’ meant she was responsible for marching the trainees everywhere, was last in line for the mess hall, and the first one out the door each morning in order to line up her classmates to march to their destination, be it the mess hall, flight line,  ground school, or calisthenics.    

For the next seven months, she went through the Army Air Force’s training program, taking the same type classes and flying the same type airplanes as the AAF cadets were flying.   On September 8, 1944, Scotty and fifty-eight of her classmates graduated.  One final time, Scotty lined them up,  and they proudly marched onto the stage to receive their silver WASP wings.

After graduating,  she received her Army Air Force orders to  report to Williams Army Air Field in Mesa, Arizona, which was under the command of the West Coast Training Center.  While there, she was assigned to fly ferry missions in AT-6‘s.  She also flew as an engineering test pilot, making sure that damaged or red-lined planes had been repaired and were safe for the cadets and instructors to fly. 

When the WASP were deactivated, she returned to California and flew sighteeing flights around southern California.  Eventually, she joined other WASP as part of a ferrying service, flying planes to civilian factories around the country and back to California.

In November of 1947, Scotty married Peter Gough, the brother of classmate Joan Frost Gough.  She continued flying until the young couple started their family.    Her last commercial flight as a pilot was the day Idlewild Airport became John F. Kennedy Airport.  Although she was seven months pregnant at the time, Scotty flew a Luscome as part of the opening day ceremonies.   With the arrival of each of their children:  Michael, Joan-Scott, Larry,  and Connie, she was a dedicated, full-time mom. 

For many years, she shared her story as a WASP by traveling to Oshkosh, Wisconsin and speaking at EAA’s Air Venture. She was also a tireless volunteer in the WASP Stores at Oshkosh and at other air shows across the country. She was a frequent speaker at local events and schools and helped establish a WASP exhibit at the Air Mobility Command Museum at Dover Air Base. 

In 2002, she was inducted into the 99‘s “Forest of Friendship,” and in 2007, she was inducted into the "Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame".  She was a life member of the First Flight Society at Kitty Hawk and an Honorary Commander at Dover Air Base in Delaware.  

How did Scotty feel about being a WASP?

“ I want you to know that all of us were just -- some people asked us, you know, why we did this-- why we flew.   It was an honor and a privilege for us to serve our country, doing what we loved best, and that was to fly. But to tell you the truth, and every WASP will agree with me on this:  if I had had the money at that time, I would have gladly paid them for that wonderful training and the opportunity to fly those wonderful airplanes.”

In 2010, Scotty and her sister WASP were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their outstanding service to our country during World War II.  At the ceremony, which was held in the Emancipation Hall of the United States Capitol, she was seated on the front row.

Scotty never lost her love of flying or of parachute jumping.  Always an outstanding athlete, she eventuallly added golf, tennis, bowling, gardening and cards to her passions, along with enthusiastically 'rooting' for her favorite team: the Maryland Terrapins.  She loved living near the beach, where she spent time walking and swimming.  Her many acts of kindness she kept to herself, but her family is just now beginning to learn the depth of her compassionate, loving spirit.  

On May 22, Scotty quietly slipped away. Her two daughters were at her bedside.   Her latest hospital stay and battle with pneumonia had weakened her to the point that,  when she developed a bacterial infection, she wasn't able to overcome it.  Her one wish was to go back home, which she was able to do on May 21st.  Her family later learned that the day she died was also the birthday of her younger brother, who had been deceased for several years.  

Scotty took her final flight  moments before a terrible rain storm arrived.  Her family is sure  she wanted to get beyond the clouds before they came in, as they lovingly  expressed it:  "She'd always look at the clouds and say how beautiful they were,  but she wouldn't want to be flying through them.”    

“What we'll all remember and miss about mom was her ever present smile, her constant wave and greeting of:   "Hello,  Love",  and her usual farewell of:   "God Bless."

Scotty was preceeded in death by her husband, Peter W. Gough and her younger brother, William Bradley.  She is survived by her children Michael Peter Gough, Joan-Scott Gough, Laurence Bradley Gough and Constance Josephine Gough.  One grandchild, Heather Foster, USAF MD, is currently a flight doctor in Afghanistan.  She is also survived by her older brother Laurence Bradley and sisters-in-law Joan Bradley and Pat Gough, along with numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial mass to celebrate Scotty's life will be held at St. Ann's Catholic Church in Bethany Beach, Delaware on June 25, 2013.

Personal note:

I first met Scotty at Oshkosh, where I was immediately captivated by her sweet spirit and gentle encouragement.  Her ‘Hello Love’ and ‘God bless you’ were always a part of every conversation.  Those words echo today, as I see her smiling face and sparkling eyes-- 20/20 vision from all those carrots! 

Until her health prevented her, she was at every WASP function, including the opening of the Fly Girls Exhibit at the Women’s Memorial in 2008 and the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in 2010.  On both occasions, I still remember her sitting smack dab in the center of  the front row!   Scotty, as always, was smiling.  

Scotty at the CAF Air Show.  In the background, her photo in her
WASP uniform, 1944, although she wasn't a fan of the beret.

My life has been  touched by the incredible women who have gone before--like Scotty -- by their passion and their invincible spirits--by their kindness and their encouragement.  Over the last few years, Scotty and I shared a passion for women’s basketball and for the Baylor Lady Bears.  She would call,  or I would call,  or her daughter, Joan,  would call,  and we would all be cheering.  I will miss those days, but I will never forget.

Scotty Gough was more than a WASP to me.  She was a friend.  

God bless her family and all who have been touched by this special lady.  We are all blessed for having known her.

Respectfully posted by Nancy Parrish

Sources:

Betty Turner’s “Out of the Blue and Into History”

Veteran’s History Project interview with V. Scotty Gough

Edith Smith Beal, 44-W-7 | April 24, 2013

Edith was born on July 15, 1916, in Kirkland, N.Y., the daughter of W. Carlton and Edith F. Munger Smith. She graduated from Buffalo State Teacher's College and studied Art at Pratt Institute.

After teaching for three years and learning to fly an airplane,   In 1944 Edith applied for and was accepted into a flying training program to teach female pilots to fly military aircraft.  She then paid her way to the flying training base at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.  She was one of ninety-eight young women pilots who became  members of class 44-W-7.

Edith was one of only fifty-nine trainees who successfully completed the seven months of military flight training. On September 8, 1944, Edith graduated and received her silver WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) wings.  After graduation, she was assigned to Eagle Pass Army Air Base, Eagle Pass, Texas.  While at Eagle Pass, Edith flew AT-6’s for Advanced Gunnery School, towing targets to train cadets in gunnery training.

During her service at Eagle Pass, Edith met Flight Instructor Donald Ivan Beal, from South Portland, Maine. The couple began dating and, after the WASP were disbanded, they were married on Feb. 10, 1945. Together they raised their four children and operated Sandy Cove Cottages for over twenty years,  before retiring to Florida to enjoy their ‘golden years’. During those years, Edith took up her artist's brush again, painting in water-colors.

Edith  passed away on April 24, 2013 at her home after a short illness.

She was a member of the First Congregational UCC Church of Bridgton, Maine.   She was predeceased by her parents,  her husband of fifty-three years,  a sister (Frances Adams),  and a brother (Charles Munger Smith).  She is survived by her four children:   Kathy Bartke and husband Hal;  Carol Riley;   Jon Beal and wife Hope;  Nat Beal and companion,  Jane;  thirteen grandchildren;  and eleven great-grandchildren.

A memorial service to honor  Edith’s  life was held at First Congregational Church in Bridgton, Maine on Monday, May 13, at 5 p.m.

Donations in Edith’s memory may be made to the Donald I. Beal Memorial Fund of Bridgton Scholarship Foundation.


v/r re-posted by Nancy Parrish  from official obit  (WASP content added) 

Velta Haney Benn, 44-7 Dec 1. 2010

WASP VELTA SNYDER HANEY BENN 44-W-7

Velta was born in Vienna, Virginia, where she grew up with a love of aviation.

 

When she learned of America’s  desperate need for military pilots,  and the Army Air Forces’  recently enacted  training program to teach women pilots to fly military aircraft ‘the Army way,’ she applied for the program. She was one of ninety eight women pilots from all over America who was accepted as a member of class 44-7 and reported for training to Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. 

 

After 7 months of the Army Air Forces’ flight training, she graduated with fifty eight of her classmates on 8 September 1944.

 

Velta was then stationed at Merced Army Air Field in California.  There she flew At-6s as an administrative pilot, flying personnel from one base to another, as well as flying  BT-13s on observation flights and as an instrument instructor, teaching AAF male pilots how to fly by instruments alone.  She remained there until the WASP were disbanded on 20 December, 1944.

 

After hanging up her WASP parachute,   Velta worked in different aviation related jobs, helping to produce aviation training films, researching safety and landing procedures off carriers for the Navy, and was  an FAA accident prevention counselor.  In addition, she was an FAA pilot examiner for private, commercial, multi-engine and instrument ratings, with over 27,000 flight hours to her credit.

 

In 1983,  Velta Benn was inducted into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame, and on March 10, 2010, she, together with  1,101 WASP peers, was awarded the CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL, the highest  honor  Congress can give a civilian.

 

On December 1, 2010, Velta passed away at her residence in Alexandria, Virginia, less than 20 miles from where she grew up and learned to fly.     She was ninety three years old.

 

Velta is survived by her children:   Delmar "Del" Haney, Lynne Ratz, Laura Benn, Bonnie Martinez, Terri Gentry and Dawn Bauer; two sisters, Narcissa Newcome and Mary Tucker.  She is cherished by every member of her family, including  her six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.  She will never be forgotten by her WASP classmates and friends.

 

This special WASP leaves a unique  aviation legacy, as is evidenced by the following selected postings:

 

MESSAGE TO VELTA:   "I had the honor to share an airplane cockpit with you on seven FAA checkrides and on each one of them it truly was a pleasure to fly with and learn from you. That's right - one of the most important things I learned from you was how to remain calm, cool and collected in a cockpit under adversity. I sometimes would ask myself during a flight, "What would Velta do in this situation?  "
You taught more with fewer words than anyone I have ever known and that is an admirable trait.
You were a class act and set an unwavering example for all who were fortunate enough to come across your path in life. Simply put, your sphere of influence was quite large. And although I know that YOU would never say it - you were one of the greatest of the 'Greatest Generation'.
   First Lieutenant, we all are truly going to miss you!"  Matthew Tyson   Louisa, VA

 

"It was an honor and pleasure to know her and learn from her. Her life's accomplishments are what many dream of and few ever achieve."  Dr. Tom Roselle   Oakton, VA  

 

God bless her family and those whose lives she touched.  She is truly flying higher.

Respectfully posted by Nancy and Deanie Parrish Dec. 6, 2010

_____

Iola "Nancy" Virginia Magruder, 44-7

"I took flight lessons at Stevens Airport in a rural hayfield
in Frederick County, Maryland"

Iola "Nancy" Virginia Magruder, 90, of Frostburg, died Monday, Sept. 6, 2010, at the Devlin Manor Nursing Home.

Born March 31, 1920, in Montgomery County, Maryland, Nancy was the daughter of  Joseph William Clay and Grace Virginia (Warfield) Clay. 
She  graduated from Damascus High School and Towson State College with a B.S. in Elementary Education.   She also received a Master's in Education from the University of Maryland.

Nancy took her first flying lessons in Frederick County, Maryland.  After reading about Jacqueline Cochran recruiting female pilots for her experimental Women's Flying Training Program, Nancy flew the required number of hours, applied and was accepted into WASP training.

Nancy and 97 other young women pilots, paid their own way to travel to Texas, raised their right hands, took the military 'oath,' and became members of class 44-W-7.  59 of these young women graduated on September 8, 1944, and received their silver WASP Wings.  After graduation, Nancy's Army Air Force orders sent her to Enid, Oklahoma, where she flew Bt-13's, BT-15's, AT-6's, PT-17's and managed to fly a few hours in a B-18.

After the WASP were deactivated, Nancy Joined the American Red Cross, trained as a staff assistant, and worked in USO canteen clubs.  She was stationed briefly at Annapolis and, after  physical exams and immunizations... went, via train cross-country and boarded a Victory Ship in San Francisco, California.  From that point, she traveled to Ascom City with the Armed Services Command, between Inchon and Seoul, Korea.

At the end of her tour with the Red Cross, she returned home on a Victory Ship, and traveled to New London, Connecticut, where she was hired as a pilot for a textile consultant.  Later, she returned to Montgomery County and to teaching.

She married Samuel Wade Magruder, and raised 2 daughters.  In 1977,  Nancy lost her husband.  She kept busy volunteering in a local senior center and wrote 4 books, including several childrens' books.

In the mid-1990s, Nancy moved to Frostburg to be near her eldest child and grandchildren. For the past four years, she resided at Devlin Manor Health Care Center in Cumberland.

On March 10, 2010, Nancy, along with all the WASP of World War II, was awarded the CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL, the highest award Congress can bestow on a civilian -- for their groundbreaking, pioneering, patriotic service during World War II.



Respectfully posted by Nancy Parrish
from Nancy Magruder's own words, p 443 "Out of the Blue and Into History" by WASP Betty Turner.

________________

The following reposted from the Frederick News:

Mrs. Magruder is survived by her two daughters, Barbara Arnone of Frostburg, and Katharine Magruder of Frederick; two grandchildren, Katrina Opel and Lynn Hovatter, both of Frostburg; four great-grandchildren, Seth Arnone, Dylan Hunt, Rylee Hovatter and Chase Opel. She is also survived by her sister, Hilda Wells of Sparks, Md.  Nancy was also preceded in death by her husband Samuel Wade Magruder, and one sister, Ruby Purdum.

Friends were received  Thursday, Sept. 9, at the Molesworth-Williams, P.A., Funeral Home, 26401 Ridge Road, Damascus. Services were held Friday, Sept. 10, at the funeral home. The Rev. Joseph Pierce officiated.

Interment was held privately at the convenience of the family in St. Mary's Church Cemetery, Rockville, Md.

The family would like to thank all of the staff at Devlin Manor for the excellent care they provided.

The family requests the omission of flowers and that contributions be made to St. Paul's Catholic Church, 9250 Damascus Road, Damascus, Md., 20872 and/or St. Michael's Catholic Church, 1200 St. Michael's Road, Mount Airy, Md, 21771.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at molesworthwilliams.com.

WASP Beverly Frisbie Carruth, 44-W-7

CARRUTH, BEVERLY F. of San Diego Aug. 2, 1922 - July 19, 2010 7/30 2pm at San Carlos United Methodist, 6554 Cowles Mtn. Featheringill Mortuary (619) 583-9511

Published in San Diego Union-Tribune on July 26, 2010
________________

Additional information from Scott Ferguson:

Beverly Frisbie Carruth WASP 44-7
Beverly passed away peacefully at home on 7-19-2010.

A memorial service was held on Friday, 7-30- 2010 at 2:00 PM
San Marcos United Methodist Church
6554 Cowles Mountain Blvd     San Diego, CA

Funeral service will be held on Thursday, 9-23-2010 at 12:00 PM    Fort Rosecran's National Cemetery      San Diego, CA
_____________

 Beverly was only of only 1,074 women who completed Army Air Force flight training and became a WASP.  She entered  training from Highland Park, IL as one of 103 trainees of Class 44-7.    59 young women graduated on September 8, 1944.  The Big Spring Bombardier School Band played as the trainees passed in review for the graduates.  Lt. Col. Roy P. Ward, the CO of the 2563rd AAFBU (Army Air Force Base Unit) was the speaker for the graduation ceremony. 

After graduation, Beverly received Army Air Force orders and was sent to Douglas Army Air Field in Douglas Arizona to the 3014th AFBU.  There, she flew as a utility, administrative and engineering test pilot.  Aircraft she might have flown included the BT-14, AT-8, UC-78, AT-17 and B-25.

If you knew Beverly, or would like to post a message to her family, please fill out the box below.

Thank you for caring.

God watch over her family.

Respectfully posted Aug. 3, 2010
Nancy Parrish
Information from  WASP Bryd Granger's "On Final Approach"

WASP Ann Cawley O'Connor, 44-7

WASP Ann O'Conner passed away on September 20, 2009 at the age of 87.

Her passing is yet another reminder of the fragile numbers of courageous and pioneering women who paved the way for all women pilots flying military aircraft today.

Ann was born in Orange, New Jersey on July 20, 1922 to Herbert and Dorothy (Tomkins) Cawley of Short Hills, New Jersey. The family moved to New York City after her father's death when she was just 15 years old.

Ann attended two years at the University of Arizona and one semester at Harvard College, graduating from Finch College. She took secretarial courses in New York and worked until she was qualified for WASP training, learning to fly in the New York area.

After earning her private pilot license and the required 35 hours, Ann applied and was accepted into the WASP training program as a member of the class of 44-7, traveling to Sweetwater, Texas in March of 1944. After graduation, she was assigned to Stockton, California as part of the training command, where she ferried retired UC-78's.

After the WASP were deactivated, Ann met married H. Hayden O'Connor on June 18, 1948. The couple lived in Cazenovia in the 1940s and 1950s and again in the 1980s. They resided in Rye, NY, from 1952 to 1980. They spent 45 years together. Hayden passed away in 1993.

During her 87 years, Ann had a variety of colorful jobs, from working on a cattle ranch to testing ship models to administration of hospital-based home care. She enjoyed tennis, was a prize-winning floral arranger, an avid bridge player and traveled extensively. She was a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, The Little Garden Club of Rye, the Malletts Bay Club in Vermont and the Cazenovia Club.

She was an elder of Cazenovia Presbyterian Church. She was also vice president of the board of the Friends of Lorenzo and an active volunteer in many organizations.

For the last several years of her life, Ann suffered from Meinere's disease--a condition she called 'bothersome' and 'a great indignity for a pilot.' Her good humor and her volunteer spirit no doubt inspired many whose lives she touched.

Ann is survived by her son, Hayden T. (Liz) O'Connor of Washington, CT, and their daughters, Sydney and Gillian; daughter, Sheila F. O'Connor, and son, John P. O'Connor, both of Syracuse.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, October 24, 2009, at 2:30 p.m. at the Cazenovia Presbyterian Church, 27 Albany Street, Cazenovia.

Contributions in memory of Ann C. O'Connor may be made to the American Hearing Research Foundation.

Respectfully submitted by Nancy Parrish, October 29, 2009

Based on information from Ann's entry in WASP Betty Turner's "Out of the Blue and Into History"

p. 456 and an online obit.

WASP Alberta Paskvan Kinney, 44-W-7 July 10, 2009

On July 10, 2009, America lost another of its courageous, patriotic, pioneering WASP.

Alberta Antonia Paskvan Kinney was born in Black Eagle, Montana, right across the Missouri River from Great Falls, on July 16, 1919. She was one of two redheads in a family of six children. Her parents had immigrated to Montana from Croatia, so young Alberta grew up speaking Croation before she could speak English.

Alberta’s mother died when she was 4 years old. All 6 children moved in with their maternal grandmother, an aunt, and uncle. One of her fondest early childhood memories was a summer trip from Black Eagle, Montana to Chicago, Illinois to the 1933 World’s Fair when she was 14. Her uncle rigged 2 extra jump seats in the Overland, and the family took off across the country. When they reached Kansas City, they visited the airport, and, thanks to her grandmother, Alberta had her first ride in an airplane. That ten minute site-seeing trip over Kansas City was something she never forgot.

Alberta graduated from Great Falls high school, and was working for the Navy in Seattle when she read about the WASP program. Because America had entered World War II, civilian flying was prohibited near the coastlines. So, Alberta took flying lessons in Yakima, from an ex-Alaskan bush pilot. Her first solo was on skis! As soon as she had the required hours, she applied for and was accepted into the WASP training program in class 44-7.

She reported to Avenger Field in February of 1944, during one of the coldest winters in West Texas history. For a girl from Great Falls, Montana, the winter was no problem for her. After graduation, Alberta was assigned to Aloe Field, Victoria, Texas, flying tow target missions in AT-6’s for the gunnery training program.

After the WASP were disbanded, Alberta returned to Montana, where she earned her instructor’s rating and worked at a small flying school, eventually teaching CAA classes for pilots returning from combat wanting to transition to civilian flying at Gore Field Air Base. As the war was winding down, Alberta went to Florida and worked for the Airline Training, Inc., where she eventually met Frank Kinney, formerly with the RCAF during the Battle of Britian and then joined the Navy when the US entered the war. “He was Texas, I was from Montana, and we got married in New Orleans,”

Frank and his new wife moved to Sumatra, where he flew for Standard Vacuum for several years. The couple returned to the States, raising their 3 sons (Fran, Michael and Will) in Michigan until Frank died.

Alberta moved back to Whitefish, Montana and became a very active mom and grandmom. Most recently, she had moved, first to Arizona and then to New York to be near her family.

Although she did not live to receive the Congressional Gold Medal, Alberta did know that the President had signed the bill. In her memory, Representative Chris Lee of NY added a tribute to WASP Alberta Kinney into the Congressional Record on July 14, 2009.

A few years ago, Alberta put her wings, her dogtags, and her insigna into a special shadow box. She showed it to her granddaughter, Susan and promised her that one day it would be hers. Susan just stood and looked at it and finally said, “But, Grandma, what if I don’t want to fly?” Alberta answered, “This doesn’t mean you have to fly. This means you can do anything you want to do.”

She can indeed.

_____________

Respectfully submitted by Nancy Parrish

August 17, 2009

WASP Sylvia Burrill, 44-7 August 10, 2009

Sylvia Burrill 44-7

In memory of this special WASP, who passed away on August 10, 2009, I share this story, written a few years ago by Jennifer Callender, Staff writer for the Bennington Banner. It has served as the centerpiece for a page that was published by Sunny's daughter, Cindy Weisner, that she re-titiled

"Sylvia's Story"

In 1944, Sylvia Miller Burrill - "Sunny" was a young woman with a heart for her country and her head in the clouds-literally. Burrill was one of a unique group of women pilots during World War II known as W.A.S.P. (Women Airforce Service Pilots). These women, the first female pilots ever to fly military aircraft for the United States towed targets for the men to practice shooting at with live ammuninions and also transported non-flying officers, ferried new aircraft to their destinations, flew tired, worn out planes to repair depots and then flight tested the repaired planes, leaving male pilots free to satisfy the increasing demand for combat missions.

Nearly 63 years later, Burrill, now 83, can be found occasionally helping her daughter Cindy and son in law, Jim who own and operate a summer ice cream stand. She also spends her days reading books and tending to her flower gardens and baking treats for her many grand and great grandchildren. A wall of memorabilia tells a story of adventure and courage the belongs to the past of the tall, graceful dark eyed beauty. Although she has not piloted a plane for about 20 years, Burrill still takes to the skies at any opportunity. " My daughter Cindy has kept me flying with gifts of rides in various aircraft, helicopters and gliders" Burrill said. "In 1999 we went soaring in Stowe, and visited many old haunts and in 2007, we got a ride on a B-24 from the Collings Foundation. What a great time we had!

Born in Liverpool England, Burrill moved to Connecticut with her parents and three siblings when she was seven years old. After graduating high school in 1941, she found employment as a fashion show model for the D.M. Read company in Bridgeport, Ct. In 1943 Burrill was living in Stratford, Ct. and already an "enthusiastic flight buff". She and her friends watched Igor Sikorsky's flying boats soar down the Housatonic river into Long Island sound. The large airplanes, which held up to 100 passengers, were designed for Trans-Atlantic flying and could land in the ocean when necessary. She began to fly as a member of the Civil Air Patrol (C.A.P.) in 1943. During World War II flying was prohibited within 60 miles of the coast, so Burrill learned to fly out of a farmers field in Wingdale, N.Y. She and her friends would "chip in" their gas coupons, if they had any, to fuel their flights. Burrill's parents encouraged her lofty pursuits. One of her friends had a motorcycle and sometimes she rode to the field with him. "It didn't phase my parents that I was going back and forth to New York on the back of a motorcycle" she said. "They really were very cool about (my flying) - very supportive - which was great. In August of 1943, the W.A.S.P. was organized under the direction of Jacqueline Cochran and the minimum age for pilots was dropped to 18 years 6 months.

Burrill at 19, applied and was accepted into the class of 44-W-6 in January of 1944. She went to Sweetwater, Texas for Flight school training at Avenger field stopping off to see her boyfriend in Georgia. Burrill had never been further from home than a train trip to New York City, she said. Burrill's high school sweetheart, Cedric 'Ric' Joslin graduated from flight school and while visiting her in Texas proposed marriage. They were married in the only all W.A.S.P. formal military ceremony at St. Stephen's Episcopal church in Sweetwater, Texas and Joslin left to continue his pursuit flight training and then ship overseas. Shortly afterwards, Sylvia got an infected wisdom tooth and was sent to the infirmary to await the once a month visit from the base dentist. She was afraid she would get washed out if she got too far behind and was granted a request to go to a local dentist in Sweetwater to have the tooth pulled. She lost one week of training and was washed back one class to 44 W-7. Flight school was a challenge for the young women. The "washout" rate was about 40 percent according to Burrill. Of the 20,000 women who applied to enter the W.A.S.P, only 1,830 were accepted into the program and 1,074 of these brave women completed the seven months of training to earn their wings. "Every day was a struggle with hard courses. We all thought we'd wash out at any time," Burrill said. "We managed to get through; we perservered. We just thought we were lucky." "Every test we thought we wouldn't pass. Then we'd find out we were lucky enough to pass and oh, what a relief that was!" Burrill graduated with her silver wings on September 8, 1944. She returned home on leave and received "the dreaded telegram" informing her of her young husband's death. He had been killed when his plane crashed in Corsica, Italy on September 6, 1944, two days before her graduation.

Burrill reported for duty at Enid Air Base in Oklahoma where she did engineering test flights and transported non-flying officers to their destinations. One flight she said she remembers round most was a trip to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, to drop off a passenger. "I was shocked," she said. "I got on the ground and he loaded me up with booze to fly back to the officers club at Enid." Oklahoma was a "dry" state at that time, she said. Planes being repaired needed to be tested. After a wing or a landing gear was replaced, the W.A.S.P took the planes up before the cadets flew them. They would test them out through slow flight and a series of spins and acrobatics to make sure they were air-worthy. "It was a matter of taking them up and wringing them out," Burrill said. Another W.A.S.P, Abby Quinlan and Burrill and fourteen male instrument instructors from Enid ferried PT-17's, PT-19's, and BT-13's to Mustang field in El Reno, Oklahoma. At the insistence of the men we flew formation ( Which is wing tip to wing tip and we were not supposed to be doing!) They were a bunch of would be hot shots! Burrill smiles. The W.A.S.P. were among the first to fly the B-29 when it was put into service. This was the aircraft used in the bombing of Hiroshima. "Paul Tibbetts taught our girls how to fly it because the men were afraid of it," Burrill said. "The women pilots took the guys up and after they landed, Paul Tibbetts introduced his B-29 pilots to the men. The guys said: if the women can do it, so can we and overcame their fear."

When the male pilots began returning from overseas, the W.A.S.P. were not needed any longer. They were disbanded on December 20, 1944. Burrill returned to the Bridgeport Civil Air Patrol and became Squadron Commander. The government gave them a PT-17 and a BT-13 to use in search and rescue flights. She also applied to be a test pilot for the F4U Corsairs which were being built at United Aircraft and being tested at Bridgeport Airport, but only male pilots were accepted. Instead she was given a job in operations and kept the BT-13 at Bridgeport, flying it between there and a small airport in Monroe until it was grounded, because she wore it out! She met some very interesting people including Charles Lindbergh and Pappy Boyington, as well as some of the test pilots some who became lifelong friends.

Burrill said she fell in love with Vermont on a skiing trip in 1945 with a group of W.A.S.P. and finally moved up from Connecticut in 1968. She spent many years in the Mount Snow area, and with her daughter, Cindy, owned a few different businesses all of which were successful. She married Robert Reich in 1946 and together they had a son, Lee, and two daughters Cecily and Cindy. Reich passed away in 1973 and twelve years later she married Gerald Drayton Burrill. They travelled extensively and enjoyed their lives. Sadly, Sylvia was widowed again when Jerry passed away in 1991. On Tuesday, Burrill once again flew in a PT-17, like the one she flew so many years ago. Willard Van Wormer of Bennington, also a WWII Veteran, graciously made his beautifully restored plane named "The Flying Dutchman" available for photographs for this article. Once the pictures were done, he and Burrill took the plane up and "went for a little spin" according to Burrill's daughter, Cindy Wiesner. "She still is walking on air."

===========

There were many flights after that special flight-many they took together, some they took alone. In March, Sunny's daughter, Cindy, passed away after a battle with cancer. Sunny had been struggling with her own health problems, and loosing Cindy must have been devastating.

Our thoughts and our prayers go out to Sunny's family...her son, Robert Lee and family and daughter, Cecily and family and Cindy's husband, Jim. When Sunny wrote her history as part of WASP Betty Turner's "Out of the Blue and Into History," she proudly listed five grandchildren: Max and Mathew Reich; Brooke and Kit Carson; and Emma Strohmaier, and five great grandchildren: Samatha; Zachary; Ariana; Hailey, and Zebediah. Since her entry was written in 1999, there are more names and more great family to be added.

When there is more information, we will post it.

Cindy Weisner