Veterans Day, 2012

I wrote this earlier as my facebook status today, Veteran's Day; felt that I wanted be duplicate it here...

On this day of honoring veterans, I want to specifically remember a special group of women that I heard little of growing up, and still to this day, know only a small bit.

It is the women of WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII).

On a recent trip to HighGround, near Neillsville, WI (which if you've never been is DEFINITELY worth the trip!), there was a monument to WASP. I found the information there inspiring and heartbreaking....

These were women that were trained to fly "The Army WAY." They completed the same primary, basic and advanced training of any male cadet in the Army Air Force, then specialized trainings (B-26, B-17). They willingly flew non-combat service flights in the US during WWII, but were not recognized as members of the armed services. They paid, on their own, for training and eventually their travel home when disbanded in 1944. 38 died in service, without recognition or honors...in fact collections were taken up from family and friends for burial. For 35 years, these women were denied their status as veterans.

So, TODAY, let us not forget them; though once they were classified "secret," ignored in history and forgotten by Congress...these brave, hardworking women of WASP.

WASP Facts