WASP MARGARET ANN HAMILTON TUNNER, 43-2

WASP Margaret Ann Hamilton Tunner passed away Tuesday evening, October 13, 2009. This gentle lady from Oklahoma was a pilot through and through and a lady in every sense of the word. She loved making things grow, wasn't afraid to dig in the dirt, and she knew how to sparkle from the inside out.

Born on September 3, 1917, in Enid, Oklahoma, Ann's first ride was in a bi-wing plane on what she described as a 'dusty strip named Woodward,' in Enid, Oklahoma. After paying three dollars for a ride, and experiencing the thrill of spins and stalls, Ann didn't think she would ever want to fly again.

After attending Oklahoma College for Women and Oklahoma University, she really fell in love with flying and finally soloed in Tulsa, Oklahoma as part of the CPT program (Civilian Pilot Training) at Tulsa, University. Spins and stalls were no longer a problem for the newly licensed private pilot.

For the next 2 years, Ann flew her J-3 Cub all over Oklahoma and Texas, before aerial charts were available, using road maps. In 1942, she read an article about Jacqueline Cochran and the newly formed Women's Flying Training program. Ann was interviewed and accepted into the second class, graduating in May of 1943.

After graduation, Ann was stationed at Romulus, Michigan, AFB, as a part of the 3rd Ferrying Group, In the early days of her assignment, the only ferrying was limited to liaison type aircraft, much like her J-3 Cub, but, eventually, Ann was sent to ATC's pursuit school, and was able to begin ferrying higher performance fighters including the P-51 Mustang, P-40 Warhawk, P-47 Thunderbolt, P-39 Aircobra and P064 Kingcobra. While at Romulus, she also served as squadron officer and as co-pilot in the B-17 and B-24.

After the WASP were deactivated, Ann returned to Oklahoma University, working for a brief time for the Alumni Association before moving to New York City, were she ferried WWII planes from the 'boneyards' to new owners. For a time, she worked as a private secretary to the famous aircraft designer, Alexander P. deSeversky. She also worked as an admissions counselor at Columbia University and a professional model.

In 1948, Ann moved to Japan, worked for the Army Occupational Forces, then returned to the states to marry Lt. General William H. Tunner in 1951. Their daughter, Hamilton Suzanne Tunner, was born in 1952.

In 1977, along with Senator Barry Goldwater, her husband, and a few others, Ann testified before Congress in request of recognizing for the WASP as having performed militarily during WWII. The effort was successful, and the WASP were given the military status they had well earned in WWII.

After serving as Commanding General of the United States Air Forces in Europe, and Chief of Staff, after successully moving the Air Transport Command Headquarters from Andrews AFB (VA) to Scott Air Force Base (IL), in 1960, General Tunner retired as Commander in Chief of Air Transportation, USAF. The Tunners retired to a beautiful farm in Ware Neck, Virginia in 1960. In 1983, General Tunner passed away.

Ann remained on "Hockley Farm" for many years, tending her garden and nurturing her family. Still in love with aviation until her last few years, Ann flew an ultralight aircraft.

Although her passing is a sad day, those who loved her most know that she was an active 92-year old until she suffered a major stroke on Oct. 11, 2009.

"A good life, well lived, and we will miss her greatly," said Nancy L. Miller.

There will be a memorial service at Ware Church in Gloucester, Virginia, on Saturday, October 24, at 2 pm, and Ann will be buried sometime later at Arlington National Cemetery, next to her husband, General William Tunner.

Posted with great respect,

and prayers for her family and all the lives she touched,

Nancy Parrish

(based on Ann's own words from WASP Betty Turner's "Out of the Blue Into History")

Virginia's Historic Marker Honoring the WASP and Margaret Tunner 

WASP Gayle Snell, 44-9

"So I went to my father and said, "Dad, I want to learn to fly and then join the Women Airforce Service Pilots to fly military planes and help the war effort. My dad, being sure I was too young to do this feat said, "Yes dear, now why don't you got out and ride your horse. I'm sure he could use some exercise". So instead, like a obedient daughter, I went out to the airport to find out about learning to fly."

Gayle Snell, WASP

ONE-OF-A-KIND WASP Gayle Snell passed away on August 26, 2009. She had been struggling with cancer, several surgeries, and had endured many invasive drug therapies. Even though Gayle lost her final battle, her life is an enduring testament to determination and patriotism, to a love of flying, a love of her friends, and a little bit of fly fishing.

Gayle M. Snell was born on December 16, 1923, in Pasadena, California to Loretta Graham Snell and husband, Frank. Gayle grew up spending her summers in Manitou Springs, Colorado, where her father owned the Cliff House Hotel and ran a limousine touring company.

Shortly after her mother died of a heart attack, Gayle's father discovered Gayle was taking flying lessons. With his support, she continued until she soloed at 17.

After being accepted into the University of California's aeronautics program, she quit school to enter WASP training in April, 1944. As Gayle writes in Betty Turner's 1997 "44-9 Classbook": "Never having been away from home, except for girl scout camp, living with five other women in a "bay" was certainly a new experience. It seems we all had to fight everything at Avenger, except each other. There were windstorms, dust storms, eternal heat, snakes (yikes!), trying to live through our instructor's swearing and yelling, food that was never worth the march to the mess hall (except when VIPS were on the field) and other classes screaming, "You'll be sorry". ...My baymates were, and still are the best people in the world. I believe we gave each other all the emotional support that it took to get us through the program and finally receive our Silver Wings."

Her time during training was marked by adjustments and her unstoppable determination to fly: "...how I loved those wonderful ships! I seemed to have had an affinity for low level flight and invariably landed with quite a bit of sagebruch in my undercarriage. Lordy, nobody ever told me you could get washed for that. Oh well, at least they never caught me looping telephone wires!"

Gayle and her class graduated and earned their silver WASP wings on November 8, 1944. Gayle's Army orders sent her to Independence Army Air Field, Independence, Kansas, where she flew as an engineering test pilot, flying BT-15's. After the WASP were disbanded, she ferried war surplus planes and eventually started an aerial photography business. After closing her photography business, she worked crop dusting, sold automotive parts, drove a taxi and played on a women's semi-pro baseball team. Finally, Gayle decided she wanted to get back to electronics. She worked for Bendix as a assembler then Lockheed Missiles in research and development. Gayle completed her engineering degree by taking classes at night and worked her way up from draftsman to Electrical Electronic Engineer, at Lockheed Missile, Lockheed Aircraft and Douglas, where she worked for 21 years.

After branching out into court reporting school--Galye became paralyzed and was told she had five crushed discs in her back. She spent the next seven years in traction and back braces before finding a doctor who was able to put her back on her feet.

In 1980, Gayle moved from Granada Hills, California to Colorado Springs, very near where she had spent her summers as a child. "Trout Haven" was where Gayle spent the last great years of her life, surrounded by trout lakes, pines and aspen trees. As she wrote in the W-9 book, " The quiet, the blue skies, the fluffy clouds, the gentle breezes, the birds, the squirrels, the chipmunks all convince me that this is the closest to heaven I've ever been."

Gayle is survived by her cousins Georgetta Cravuiota of Santa Barbara, CA, Sandy Goldberg of Loveland, CO and Joe Graham of Spokane, WA. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, September 1 at 2:15 at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver. A reception follows at 5:00pm, 1110 Garlock Lane in Colorado Springs. Contributions to the WASP are appreciated in lieu of flowers.

+++++++++++

WINGS ACROSS AMERICA

In September, 2000, we arrived for an interview in Gayle Snell's home in Colorado Springs, Co. Although I had spoken to Gayle several times by phone, nothing prepared us for our face to face meeting.

I wish I had had a camera rolling as we got out of the car, climbed the steps and first knocked on Gayle's door. When she cracked open the door, she saw my 'blue bag' and her eyes got very big. "What is that?" 

"Well," I said, "this is the bag with the video lights..." "VIDEO? VIDEO!!!! NO, I DON'T WANT TO BE ON VIDEO!!!"

Looking UP at Gayle, who seemed to be 10 feet tall thru the screen, "Well, I said gently, "you don't actually have to look at the camera, you're just going to have a conversation with mom." Mom stood there, looking very kind and smiling...."Oh, hell," said Gayle, "I guess I told you I would do an interview-, so come on in."

We did. Those first few moments were a little tense. In fact, we found out later that Gayle's roommate, Dell, had talked her into the interview. She thought it was important. Dell helped calm Gayle's blood pressure, and mom's first questions began to earn her trust. And then, sometime during those first moments, Gayle laughed. She threw her head back and just laughed. When she did that, it changed everything. I still remember. From that moment on, there was an instant friendship and an instant trust.

After the interview was over, she invited us up to TROUT HAVEN.

We drove up the mountain the next day, postpoining our trip home. I'm glad we did. I still have the photo of Gayle holding her "WASP BANNER" that WASP Shutsy Reynolds made for her. Gayle kept it in her trailer during the winter, but, when spring arrived, she traveled up the mountain and proudly unfurled her one-of-a-kind WASP Banner. It flew for many summers, marking the spot where the expert WASP fly fisherman was parked. Many summers.

In 2002, on the last day of the Tucson WASP Reunion, Gayle invited us out to the airport to see her take off

for Colorado Springs. Again, we postponed our trip home, and drove out to the airport. Again, I'm glad we did. The photos of Gayle, climbing in to the restored Stearman--putting on her helment and goggles, and her 'thumbs up' as they were ready to taxi, were worth the trip. You talk about sparkling from the inside out? Gayle Snell in that Stearman lit up the world that day.

Left, Pilot Alan Hoover and WASP Gayle Snell -- ready for takeoff in Alan's suped up (Gayle's words) Stearman!

She worked hard -- she achieved much -- she was a pioneer in many things and she was a loyal friend. As a part of our interviews, mom always asks each WASP, if they could say something to the next generation that might inspire them to do something they had only dreamed of-- Gayle answered. Listen. These words are for all of us:

"Anything you want to do, you can do it. Don't let people tell you you're not good enough. BE GOOD ENOUGH!"

Respectfully submitted by Nancy Parrish

August 31, 2009

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

WASP M. Winifred Wood, 43-W-7 Aug. 6, 2009

WASP M. Winfred Wood, 43-W-7 passed away in the early morning hours of Aug. 6, 2009. Although my heart is heavy with this news, when I remember Winnie, I smile. She was one of those iconic WASP--a WASP's WASP if you will--who inspired us, educated us and challenged us all to do a little bit better--to be a little bit better. And, judging from those lives she touched, she left behind that wonderful legacy in the lives of her family, her students and those of us lucky enough to have met her and call her 'friend'.

Winnie was born in Macon, Georgia but spent her early years in Coral Gables, Florida. She majored in English History at the University of Miami, was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority and spent a year in law school. Her career before the WASP also included her position as a German translator at the Censorship Bureau and as a Link instructor at Embry Riddle University.

Winnie learned to fly because all her friends were flying. She took lessons at a seaplane base in Miami from Nancy Batson, who was later hired by the Air Transport Command as one of the first female ferry pilots in the Air Transport Command’s Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. Winnie was accepted into the WASP training program in Class 43-7. After graduation, she was stationed at Mather Field, California, completing B-25 school. She was then transferred to Biggs Field, El Paso, Texas, to fly B-25's as a tow target pilot.

Even before the WASP were disbanded in December of 1944, Winnie began writing a book, "WE WERE WASPS," completing it in 1945. The book, featuring the drawings of her great friend, WASP Dot Lewis, is now in its fifth printing.

During her life after the WASP, Winnie worked in New York in personnel for B. Altman. She then returned to Coral Gables where she earned a Master's Degree from the University of Miami. She spent time teaching in California and then taught in Europe for the USAF.

Returning to the states, she worked as a school teacher at the Idyllwild Elementary School for a number of years. (She had a large group of former students who kept in touch with her and visited with her over the last few years.) She also taught school in San Marcos, California, where she lived for a number of years before moving back to Idyllwild to live with her friend, WASP Dot Swain Lewis, for almost 20 years.

Winnie fought a valiant battle against macular degeneration, finally moving into ‘The Village’ in Hemet, Ca where she continued to work on a novel about the residents of a fictional facility-- much like the one she lived in. Dot Swain's drawing is a tribute to Winnie's great effort to keep in touch with her classmates--taking on the responsibility of Class Secretary. Her greatest delights, said Chig Lewis, "was the ascension of her niece, Janet Reno, and all that involved."

Winnie was a ‘larger-than-life’ woman who never left you wondering how she felt or what she thought. Winnie called it like she saw it--and, thankfully, she decided to capture exactly how she felt about being a WASP. Her 1945 book, "WE WERE WASPS," is a delightful recollection of her experiences--and in her typical ‘ no holds barred’ fashion, she told it just like she remembered it and left it for America to enjoy

It would be difficult to put into words the ‘last flight’ of Winnie Wood. However, she did not leave that for any of us to do. She did it herself sixty-four years ago, and it is just as relevant today as it was on the occasion of her ‘last flight’ for the Army Air Force-- in 1944, as she records it on p. 191 of her book, "WE WERE WASPS". In her own words……

“The ground station gave us directions as though this were just another mission. Our time up, we swung around the area for one more look at White Sands, Alomagardo , the firing ranges, all the landmarks that had grown so familiar to us. Then we went in.

It would be nice to say that I greased that last landing in, but it wasn't so. With the usual bounce and hop, I got the ship down and taxied to the ramp.

‘Form One’ took a long time. So did gathering our gear and checking to be sure the ship was in order. Finally, we could delay no longer and had to climb out. Kaddy patted the wing as we walked toward the nose of the ship.

“Goodbye baby, you're a good ole girl,” she said.

We stood off and took one last look at the ‘Baby’. We certainly had spent a lot of time flying with her. It was like saying goodbye to someone we loved.

"All the flight equipment that we had used had to be turned in. The A 2 jackets, with our squadron insignia of a flying duck towing a target, were placed in the duffle bags with a sigh. Helmets, goggles, fur lined boots, that we had so needed on the high altitude missions, followed. The lockers had an empty forlorn look....

...Leaning back in the day coach, I began to see it all so clearly that it will last me for always, in color and with music. The California snow and the Texas canyons, the music of the B25s and the ‘git fiddle’, all the planes, and all the people that were slipping right out of my life. They took away my silver wings, but they left me with something brighter, something that won't tarnish until I am old and feeble and can no longer even remember fun.”

_________

In 1994, Winnie wrote an epilogue for "We Were WASP". In those final pages, she talks about America's new-found interest in the WASP. Her friend, Kaddy Steele, who had taken that last flight with Winnie in the B-25, joked that they were becoming "Living Legends".

"Living Legends!" wrote Winnie, "I cannot believe that any of us, as we marched to flight line, worried about check rides or wrestled with our zoot suits, thought we would ever deserve such a label. Still, it has a nice ring to it."

_________________

It does indeed.

Winnie Wood, Living Legend.

God bless Winnie, her wonderful family, and all whose lives she touched with her giant spirit, her hearty, infectious laugh, and her talent for telling a great story.

She has climbed to the peaks above storm and cloud

She has found the light of the sun and of God,

I cannot say, I will not say

That she is dead. She is merely flown away.

James Whitcomb Riley

Respectfully submitted by Nancy Parrish

August 6, 2009

WASP Marcia Ellen Courtney Bellassai, 43-3 July 21, 2009

Marcia Ellen Courtney Bellassai passed away on Tuesday, July 21, 2009, having led a full and rich life. She was a hard working mother of five children who will miss her as long as the wind blows and the rain falls.

Born in Hartford, Wis., the second of three sisters, she attended the St. Kilian School and was pleased to have had one of her father’s prize chickens named after her. She graduated from UW Madison in 1941, and began flying with the CPTP, even occasionally barnstorming in aircraft of the period.

At the beginning of World War II she worked for two years for Piper Aircraft Corp., and then was admitted into the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), earning her WASP wings and graduating in class 43-W-3.

She flew a wide variety of missions, including towing targets (for live AAC practice), ferrying aircraft to airfields around the country, and instructing.

Only a few weeks ago on July 2, 2009, a bill passed by Congress was signed by the president awarding her and all the WASP a congressional gold medal.

After the war, she worked for the Joint Attache Office at the American Legation in Bucharest, Romania, where she met her future husband, the late Maj. Anthony Bellassai. They lived at a variety of duty stations in Europe, California and Fort Huachuca, Ariz., eventually settling in Maryland for many years.

She earned a master of library science degree from the University of Maryland, and did a number of library and literacy studies (some still available online), before finally retiring with her husband to Sierra Vista. Marcia loved history, ancient cultures, genealogy, languages, and gardening, and her passion for reading — especially mysteries and novels of the Regency period — was unmatched.

She is survived by five children, Elissa Strati of Baltimore, Md., Gina Bellassai of Kea’au, Hawaii, Cara Welsh of Chattanooga, Tenn., Anthony C. Bellassai of Slippery Rock, Pa., and Marc C. Bellassai of Sierra Vista; as well as four grandchildren, Brian Bellassai, Joseph Lynch, Graham Louis Bellassai and Kara Cherelaine Welsh. Donations to the Friends of the Sierra Vista Public Library in Marcia’s name will give support to a new generation of readers.

Reposted from the Sierra Vista Herald

Final Resting:

Southern Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetery

1550 Buffalo Soldier Trail

Sierra Vista, AZ 85635

WASP Marjory Foster Munn, 44-W-5 July 25, 2009

Marjory passed away Saturday, July 25, 2009 after a three year battle with cancer. In her own words, from Betty Turner's "Out of the Blue and Into History" -- what a wonderful life.

_______________

MARJORY FOSTER MUNN, 44-W-5

I was born March 17, 1921, in Huntington, West Virginia. Our family moved to Miami, Florida, when I was three. I graduated from Miami Senior High School in 1939, and became a beautician. I also entered flight training at Embry Riddle School. I obtained my private license with a seaplane rating. I was a member of the Women Flyer's of America, CAP.

I joined the WASP class 44-5. I was assigned to Basic Training school, testing aircraft the flew administrative missions. I applied for and completed Officer Training at Orlando FL, and Advanced Instrument course at Sweetwater, Texas, then was assigned to the Air Proving Ground Command, Eglin Field, Florida. There I ferried AT-6's to and from gunnery schools and maintenance field. I also qualified in the P-39 and B-25.

After deactivation, I applied for CAA Aircraft Communications, was assigned to New York and Boston for training, with operational assignment to Norfolk, Virginia as aircraft radio communicator. Later, I transfered to the War Department, as aircraft dispatcher at Washington National Airport. Following the 1946 reduction-in-force, I returned home to Miami, and was accepted as a Pan American World Airways stewardess. I began flying in 1948, out of New York to Puerto Rico and Bermuda.

In 1949 I transferred to Miami and flew trips to Central, South America and the Caribbean. I flew the inaugural flight ("El Presidente") from New York to Buenos Aires in the new Boeing Stratocruiser.

In 1949, I accepted a direct commission in USAF Reserves as a 2nd Lt. I was called to active duty in 1951. I reported to a troop carrier wing in Miami as Administrative Officer. A year later, I was transferred to Okinawa, and assigned to Hdqtrs. 20th AF, serving as Personnel Officer with duties for personal records and Casualty Officer. When eligible, I was promoted to a 1st Lt. For my service I was awarded the Bronze Start decoration.

I met my husband, Captain James Munn, on Okinawa in 1952, while he was assigned as Intelligence and Briefing Officer to Hdqtrs. 20th AF. Jim had been a B-17 pilot (in WWII) with the 8th Air Force. He had been shot down over Germany and spent time as a POW, was discharged at the end of WWII, and recalled to active duty in 1951.

We were married on Okinawa in April 1953. On our return to the states in 1954, we were assigned to 9th AF at England Air Force Base, Alexandria, LA where I was promoted to Captain. After two years seeing the draw down of the Air Force, we decided to return to civilian life.

We traveled the US and Canada before moving to Spokane, WA, where Jim worked for Kaiser Aluminum. We both attended Gonzaga University, he at night law school, and I during the day. In 1960, we adopted our first son.

In 1962, we settled in Seattle, WA, where Jim worked with the King County Prosecuting Attorney, later into private practice. We both remained active in the Air Force Reserve program. We adopted two more sons, two years apart. In 1965, I graduated from the University of WA with a BA degree.

In 1983, I was selected by the Sec. of Defense, for a three-year appointment to the Defense Advisory Committee On Women in the Services (DACOWITS). This appointment carried the protocol grade of Lt. General when visiting bases for inspections and gathering information regarding treatment and utilization of female personnel. I remain active in my Pan Am Flight attendant group (World Wings), my garden club and look forward to WASP reunions.

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Marjory was another one-of-a-kind extraordinary WASP.

God bless her and her family--and ever life she ever touched.

Will post more as information becomes available.