WASP MAE BALL PIETZ BEHREND, 43-W-8

Born on May 3, 1920, in Clintonville, WI, May Ball Pietz Behrend was quickly introduced to adventure by her father at his airfield near Sturgeon Bay, where his musical vaudeville act often entertained at early air shows. Later, after her parents moved to the Quad Cities, May enrolled at Augustana College.  Before morning classes, her father drove May to the Moline, IL airport for flying lessons, which soon earned her an opportunity to enter the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) program at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX, where she flew many planes including a B-24 after graduation. 

May was then stationed at Scott Field where she flew AT-6s, and DC-3s while radio operators trained on her flights. 

During college days, May helped earn her tuition by dancing with the Dot Carlson's Ballet Jubilesta group who entertained at state fairs and theatres. Dancing and music, especially jazz, remained passions throughout her life. 

During May's marriage to Vernon Pietz, she enrolled her three children at National College of Education (National Lewis) while she was earning a Masters Degree in Education. Her first teaching job was at Golf Junior High School, Skokie, IL, where she became interested in film. This led her to further studies at Columbia College and a Masters Degree of Fine Arts in Film. Next, she taught at Niles North High School, also in Skokie, and expanded the filmmaking and film appreciation courses with some literature classes before retiring in 1985. In 1991 May became director of Facets Chicago International Children's Film Festival, later writing film reviews, directing part of the Media Arts Camp and also the selection jury at Facets. Other passions May pursued included sailing out of Columbia Yacht Club in Chicago and the North Channel Yacht Club in Ontario, Canada. Also, as an enthusiastic student at Alliance Francais, May often traveled to France and studied there while pursuing her love of good wine and fashion. 

After 88 years of joie de vivre, May "touched down" with a "soft landing" on July 27, 2008, having spent important parts of her journey with her husband of 24 years, Jack Behrend; daughter, Linda Theede; sons, David and Douglas Pietz; grandchildren, Jonathan Pietz and Carolina Gier; sister, June
Horowitz; many friends; and cat, Genoa.

 A celebration of May's life can be made to one of her favorite organizations including: Doctors Without Borders, NARAL, Wellstone Action Fund and ACLU.
Published in the Chicago Tribune on 8/1/2008

WASP ROSINA 'ROSIE' LEWIS TODD, 44-W-1

TRIBUTE TO LEE TODD
June 26, 1922, Salt Lake City, UT
February 7, 2009, Jefferson County, CO

I am writing in loving tribute to Lee Todd - also known as Rosina Lewis and, fondly by those who've known her the longest, as Rosie - upon her death at her Lookout Mountain home this evening, February 7, at age 86.

On behalf of her sons Vince, Ron (and his wife Jayne), and myself (and my partner Ron) I would like you to know she lived and died knowing how fortunate she was to have led such an extraordinary life, touched by so many wonderful people. Even with congestive heart failure sapping her energy these past months, she remained interested in the world and passionate about making it better - one of her several defining qualities. Mom was exceptional in so many ways, and an activist to the end. It is my hope to make her proud by capturing her uniqueness, her active life, and her commitment to activism in this tribute.

While we feel a tremendous sense of loss, we celebrate our great fortune to have received life from her, for her to have survived breast cancer 43 years - half-her-lifespan - ago, and also for us to have known such an extraordinary person: a white-suburban-housewife stereotype-busting WW-II pilot, technical rock climber, pre-civil rights era reader of Ebony Magazine, relentlessly energetic activist for peace, justice, and democracy, and passionate partner for Dad.

Of course this was yet another of Mom's defining qualities, her devoted love for Dad - Clem, who predeceased her on March 14, 1998. Mom and Dad loved each other tremendously, and had such wonderfully multi-faceted lives together. It was Mom's extraordinary care giving for Dad and determined focus on enriching his life during his final decade, after a massive stroke followed by brain cancer, that set the care giving example to which we aspired for her.

Mom loved to fly - not just commercial, ultimately exploring the world with Dad - but at the controls. In fact, she had her pilot's license before her driver's license, and was soon a flight instructor, too. Her service as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corp's Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs, class 44-W-1 and flying PT-19, BT-13, AT-6, C-45, P-39, B-17, and B-26 aircraft) was not just a tremendous thrill for her but also a profoundly defining experience in her life.

Yes, it was remarkable because she was one of only 1,074 WASPs who in turn were pioneers, women pilots in a man's world. But what was most notable, as she would insist at every opportunity from private conversations to public forums, was that she was not seduced by the popular glorification of war.

She never missed an opportunity to underscore our complete failure to heed President (and General) Eisenhower's warning to be ever vigilant lest what he called the "military-industrial-complex" consume our culture and pervert our political processes; and to point out that since WW-II, the country she served has gone to war way too quickly and has taken diplomacy way too casually. As she and I watched the Inauguration of Barack Obama together on TV, she expressed hope that the time might have finally arrived for us to reconsider our misguided ways.

Mom loved the outdoors and in fact got to know Dad doing technical climbs - and rescues and recoveries - in California's mountain and desert environs. Their love of climbing, skiing, and ice skating in particular, was nurtured by the Sierra Club - one of their life-long loyalties - and had them leading the three of us into the outdoors almost right out of the womb. Throughout their lives, they enjoyed constant exploration, from mountains to deserts to islands, with family and their closest friends.

Mom's life was further defined by a far-reaching commitment to public service:

from the Red Cross to the United Nations Association to the Board of Plan Jeffco Open Space, and so many committees, commissions, and boards in between;

organizing forums to expose the excesses of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), Senator Joseph McCarthy, and the blacklisting of that dark chapter in American history, to organizing volunteers to fight an earlier Colorado pine beetle infestation;

as a volunteer education lobbyist at the Colorado General Assembly on behalf of the League of Women Voters, an organization whose advocacy and action on behalf of responsible and informed citizenship she was devoted throughout her life, wherever we lived, and in so many capacities;

as a compassionate philanthropist for social justice, the environment, women's and reproductive rights, ending poverty, and ending war;

providing financial support to three Korean orphans and anonymous support to victims of misfortune and natural disaster;

organizing the SHARE social services program with her colleagues from across the faith community through the Jeffco Action Center; serving a similar clientele at Legal Aid; and, just a few year ago, volunteering with the Police Department's Victim Services Section;

throwing open our Norfolk home as a dorm for Civil Rights workers in 1965 while she was co-founding the first-in-the-state racially integrated Head Start prototype Good Neighbor preschool in Virginia Beach.

Mom was a people person and a great advocate and aspiring practitioner of empathy and non-judgmentalism, offering counsel, inspiration, and hope to the special people she knew burdened with suffering and struggling with personal challenges.

Mom's social life was similarly far reaching: enjoying theater outings with friends; playing bridge with her Suburbanites social club, for which she also organized countless social, cultural and educational events; organizing monthly bridge nights for her Jefferson Unitarian Church friends, where she also organized Circle Suppers and Family Cluster activities; and binding our greater family together with her amazing memory for the complexities of our family tree and her dedication to staying in touch.

As a people person, it wasn't often that Mom made time to be alone, but when she did it was usually for two life-long interests: watching football and reading, with her curiosities ranging from murder mysteries to public policy. She was both an avid reader and committed life-long learner, as evidenced by the wide range of issues she mastered, the foreign languages she studied, the stimulating Elderhostel programs she pursued, and the world travel she shared with Dad. This provided her with a great background for her monthly Colorado Foothills World Affairs Council programs and our annual trips to the Conference on World Affairs, the Bioneers Conference, and lectures by renowned authors - including in 2005, a seminal one for her about Peak Oil.

This it turned out was her final cause. Since seeing the Peak Oil documentary A Crude Awakening last year, she has passed the DVD and the torch to the League of Women Voters in hopes that this will become a high priority issue for the League, first to study and then about which to develop policy.

Mom was particularly concerned about Peak Oil because she knew how we face up to its challenges will affect the quality of life and the prevalence of war or peace that her grandchildren Jennifer and Scott - and their generation - inherit. Mom loved to dote on small children and understood that the greatest legacy we leave them is the state of the world - and that a lot is at stake right now.

Mom had many favored charities but for those looking for the most meaningful way to celebrate her life, please consider making a personal commitment to action on the critical challenges of our times. This would be the perfect tribute to her and gift to her grandchildren and their generation about which I know she would be grateful, and want noted: two grandchildren, not an upward-soaring exponential curve's worth of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and more, overwhelming the Earth's finite resources - leading to the ultimate nightmare, a future of warmongering for resources.

War and overpopulation - at home and around the world - have long been high priority issues for Mom, knowing there cannot be peace in an overpopulated, over consuming world. I invite you to join me, in honor of Mom and in tribute to her extraordinary concern and activism for the world and its people, in finding your own way to work for peace and to intelligently and peacefully contract local, state, U.S. and world populations so our human numbers - and our consumption - are ultimately within balance.

This summer Mom and Dad will be symbolically reunited as we scatter Mom's ashes in their cherished Rocky Mountains, at the same place we scattered Dad's ashes eleven years ago.

Let me close by restating Mom's expressed gratitude to have lived such an extraordinary life touched by so many wonderful people. Thank you for making it possible.

Love,

Gerry Todd

WASP Sylvia Barter, 43-W-7

“Barnstorming pilots would land in my father’s fields and take us on exciting rides. Belted into an open cockpit, I knew one day I’d be a pilot.” Sylvia B. Barter, WASP

________________________

To Our Beloved Mom, Sylvia Barter

Do not mourn for me but allow the precious memories 
we shared together to brighten your days and bring smiles to your face.

Please celebrate my life with my children and me and
know that I am free.

Our Mom Sylvia was born in Solvang California on January 23, 1920. She was the second daughter born to Anker and Esther Bredall and was graciously received by her sister Rosalie. Her brother Buddy joined the family a few years later. Mom used to laugh when telling the story about her and Rosalie were not happy with a new baby brother as they had requested a baby sister. She often shared stories about her beautiful childhood memories, running and playing in fields covered with wildflowers.

After high school Mom attended Merrit Business College in Oakland and in 1939 accepted a job in Salinas. Her husband to be, and later our Dad, Gene worked upstairs in a different office. They were engaged in February 1940. During their engagement they both enrolled in a private pilot training course where they proudly accepted their pilots licenses on September 14, 1940. Two weeks later they exchanged marriage vows on September 28, 1940.

When WWII was declared, our courageous Mom joined the Women
Airforce Service Pilots, also known as the WASP. She was one of very
few women offered this opportunity and couldn't get to her assigned airfield in Douglas Arizona fast enough. Once there, she had many piloting duties including transporting military personnel from one airbase to another. This part of Mom's life was very special and exciting and she continued to be involved in the WASP organization until just a few years ago. Her passion for flying instigated her membership in the local Womans’ Pilot Club, the 99's. We are so proud to have the bragging rights that this honorable woman was our Mom.

In 1945 a whole new chapter unfolded for Mom. In 1945, Elise was born, followed by Andy in 1946. In 1947 the twins Kathy and Krissy arrived. All four under the age of 3. We teased her often about her method of birth control and she would always smile proudly and proclaim it was planned parenthood. We are sure that her calm demeanor and patience was attributed to her career oriented life rather than a stay-at-home-Mom. As we grew up and had children of our own, our respect for her choice was fully understood.

Our Mom loved her family more than anything. Even after 4 children, 10
grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren she knew all their ages and birth dates. This beautiful woman has left a legacy unequaled to any. Her kind hearted, generous, loving and caring personality was always present. Over the years she developed many dear friendships and had acquaintances all over the United States. At Christmas time it would take her days to write her cards as she remembered everybody and didn't leave anyone off her list.

________________________

Her family will be celebrating Sylvia's life on March 27th at 2 pm at
Connolly and Taylor, 4000 Alhambra Ave, Martinez, Ca 94553.

_______________________
Sylvia Barter passed away on February 4, 2009 

Sylvia's online interview at scholastic.com.

WASP MARY Breidenbach HANSEN, 44-W-6

HANSEN, Mary B. passed away September 04, 2008. Visitation Tuesday, Sept. 09, 2008 from 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. at Green Hills. Funeral service 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2008 at Green Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary 310-831-0311.

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This was the only official obituary I could find online. It was only released after paying a fee.   However, that one paragraph is not the whole story by any means. Mary was a unique woman who served her country as a WASP, and that deserves so much more.

With thanks to WASP Betty Turner for her wonderful “Out of the Blue and Into History,” I can print Mary’s story--in her own words. Below is  from p. 412.
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“I was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. My interest in flying began at an early age of nine years. My brother was in the Army Air Corps and he took me flying one day when I was about 12 years old. My hobby at the time was making model airplanes; I even made one of wire.

I started flying at the age of 18, at a local airfield in Birmingham, Alabama. I took several classes in aeronautics, meteorology, and cross-country navigation at this time.

I met the requirements for the WASP in the summer of 1943, and was interviewed by Mrs. Sheehy at Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas. I went to work at Avenger Field as an airplane parker in hopes of an early entry into the program. In a couple of months I was accepted into the Class of 44-6 on January 8, 1944.

After graduation in June, I was stationed at Columbus, Mississippi flying engineering test flights on the AT-10 (twin-engine Beech). My second station was to be at Tyndall Field, Florida, going through B-26 school, but the decision for deactivation made such training unnecessary. I finished up the WASP program stationed at Freeman Field, Indiana flying the AT-10s.

After deactivation I found employment at North American Aviation (now Rockwell) as a graphic artist illustrating the aircraft flight manuals. The manuals that I have worked on include: AT-6, T-28,F-86, F-100, B-25, B-70, and B-1, being manufactured at the Los Angeles Airport plant. It was there I met my husband, Vic Hansen, who was an engineer in the autonetics division. After 30 years I retired, my husband retired three years later.

We have no children, so we did a lot of traveling to England, Scandinavian countries, Switzerland, Italy, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Kenya, Tanzania, China. We took various cruises: Caribbean, North Seas, China Seas, also Greece, Israel, Yugoslavia, Turkey and Austria, all a lot of fun. We also like playing golf. We have been living here in Rancho Palos Verdes, California since May 1959 and have no intention of moving elsewhere. We love it here.

The WASP have a Southern California Chapter that meets quarterly and I am very active in it. I am now secretary of the So-Cal WWII. My husband and i try to attend most of the national conferences.

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WASP Betty Jane Williams, 44-W-6

It is with a sadness and sense of loss which cannot be expressed in words that I announce the passing of Betty Jane (BJ) Williams. Betty passed away at 5:15am (Pacific) this morning from complications related to the massive stroke she suffered on November 12th. As many of you know, Betty was my Aunt and the inspiration for my career in the Air Force. She was a friend, a confidant, a "sister", a peer and a patriot. But most of all, she was family to us all. Her contributions to the WASPS, the community, civic organizations, educational institutions, the U.S. Military and to her Nation will be remembered and sorely missed.

Please join with me, my wife Cheryl and my family in saying a prayer for Aunt Betty and wishing her Godspeed as she flies her P-40 over St. Peter's gates. I wish to thank many of you who have expressed your sympathies and prayers for Aunt Betty since she was stricken ill. They were deeply appreciated and you have our heartfelt thanks.

If I have inadvertantly left anyone off this e-mail, I sincerly apologize. Trying to keep up with all the e-mails has been a chore. If I have missed someone, please pass this message along. Thank you so very much. Information regarding arrangements will be forthcoming as soon as possible.

Scott F. Fenwick, SMSgt, USAF, Ret

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A MEMORIAL SERVICE for B.J. WILLIAMS will be held on JANUARY 24, 2009, 2pm, at the Garden Chapel in Canoga Park, CA.

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Since no one could ever tell her story better, here is Betty's entry, "in her own words'', from pages 432 and 433 of Betty Turner's "Out of the Blue and Into History."

BETTY JANE WILLIAMS
WOODLAND HILLS, CALIFORNIA

Born and raised in Kingston, Pennsylvania with an older brother and younger sister, I had two loving parents who supported my adventurous activities. As an honor student, avidly pursing an art career, but anxious to learn to fly, I competed with 50 males in the non-college Civilian Pilot Training Program, win a flight scholarship and my pilot's license in June 1941.

The attack on Pearl Harbor prompted the government to stop all general aviation flying on both coasts. So to stay in aviation, I applied to Colonial Airlines as a stewardess. (They were the only airline that did not require you to be a registered nurse at that time.) I was hired, trained and began flying in DC-3's between Montreal, Canada and new York. When the Air Transport Command approached the airlines to establish instrument flight training schools, I was selected to attend Northeast Airlines Pilot Training at the University of Vermont and became a licensed Link trainer instructor, under contract with Wartime Training Service, teaching Navy pilots, airline and commercial pilots instrument flight techniques. A year later when my contract renewal come up, I opted to enter WASP training at Sweetwater, Texas.

Upon graduation, I was assigned as an engineering test pilot, flying single and multi-engine training planes (AT-6, AT-7, AT-10, 10-11, UC-78) as well as the P-40 at Randolph Field, San antonio, Texas.

After WASP deactivation, I became a commercial pilot, flight instructor and head of instrument ground school for North American Airport Corporation, Westchester County Airport, White Plains, New York, and other airports in the area, 1945-48. During this period, I created, emceed and produced the first aviation network TV show over CBS and NBC, New York.

Subsequently, I moved to California and worked four years for North American Aviation, (now Rockwell-Boeing), as a technical writer, producing the Flight Operations Manual on the B-45, 4-engine jet bomber and Maintenance Manuals on various military aircraft. Wrote and directed a series of films on the F-89 jet fighter, used during the Korean War.

I received a direct commission in Air Force Reserves 1949, and in 1952, during the Korean War, I was called to active duty as a TV writer-producer with the USAF first TV Squadron, pioneering the use of TV for military purposes. I was also the unit's Public Information Officer. Served 28 years in Air Force Reserves with Sec'y of Air Force, Office of Public Affairs on the West Coast and two years with the Marines in the same speciality. Worked with press, radio, TV and motion picture studios, retiring in 1979 as Lt. Colonel. My final assignment was to produce a TV film re: women now (1977-78) being trained as Air Force Pilots. This gave me an opportunity to inform the public that the WASP were the "first" women military pilots!

For 20 years, I was a motion picture-TV writer, director, producer for Lockheed Sales Promotion Department; subjects covered missiles, F-104, P-3 Orion, L-1011, propjet Electra, many research programs, weapon systems and other tactical aircraft. Films were distributed worldwide in several languages. I produced over 100 films, winning 12 national film awards.

Professional affiliations: one of founding members (1957) Information Film Producers of America. I held several national offices including National President; Los Angeles Advertising Women-President (1965-66); WASP WWII, National President 1948-1949, Editor WASP News 1947, Public Relations Director, 1973-80, Western Regional Director 1988-90; and President, Southern California WASP 1998-99.

Named: "Women of Achievement" by Business and Professional Women 1966; nominated "Outstanding Mobilization Augmentee in Air Force Reserves," 1974 by the Secretary of the Air Force, Office of Information, Los Angeles, featured in 1976 edition The world's Who's Who of Women, Cambridge, England. Selected as "Pioneer Woman of the Year" 1993 by Los Angeles City Council. Inducted into "CINDY Hall of Fame" 1996, one of two people so honored by International Film/TV Producers Association. Inducted into "International Forest of Friendship," June 1996 for exceptional contributions to aviation.

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There is more.  Since writing these words in 1996,  B.J. continued to charge head-first into life-- serving the WASP organization as Region I Director with many, many other projects on her list.  Her last public event was on Veterans Day, 2008.   She was the featured speaker at a ceremony/celebration of WASP Gertrude Tompkins Silver, one of 38 WASP who died serving her country.   

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From the first time I met her, I considered BJ Williams "a force of nature," because she was curious--about everything, and she challenged everything. She wanted to know what was happening, who was in charge, why it was taking so long and what could be done about it. I was fortunate, because I always managed to come up with an answer that pleased her, which was not an easy thing to do. However, I believe that, because my answers were always from the heart, she could read that.

Being around BJ made me feel like I needed to double-check the spelling on everything. She appreciated those who had done their homework. She could also spot BS from a great distance, as exemplified by the story of the 'Hollywood wanna be interviewer' who had called me to volunteer to record WASP Interviews--using his students and the studio at a local college in LA. I was skeptical, but called BJ to do the 'test interview.' She agreed. She sent me a copy of the video of her interview. I was completely 'under-whelmed', as she was, when I saw the result--many close ups on HIS face, HIS beautiful tan and HIS perfectly bleached teeth. No students to be seen--they were all behind the cameras recording their TEACHER--with a few 'shots' of the WASP. It became all about HIM--how he phrased his questions and how he looked so sincerely into the camera--and not a whole lot about the WASP. However, BJ politely turned his questions around--and challenged him. What resulted was a whole lot of pauses--while he thumbed thru his index cards. I think she actually had a good time.

My last phone conversation with BJ was the week before her stroke. She called to ask about the Fly Girls exhibit--did we get a response from Fed Ex about the shipping--and how was it going? She always asked about our project and our plans, and she always answered my postings with a 'thank you' email, which I truly appreciated.

I'll miss that. And I'll miss those challenging questions, 'What are you up to, why isn't it going faster and what can be done about it!'

submitted by Nancy Parrish, Dec. 8, 2008

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Links:

• WOMEN IN AVIATION
  
• LA TIMES  Jan 8, 2008
  
• KPCC, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RADIO, Nov. 12, 2008