Peoria woman to be honored as WWII pilot

[NNN0LHI]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IL_PEORIA_WOMAN_PILOT_HONORED_ILOL-?SITE=ILKAN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Feb 12, 5:01 AM EST

ILLINOIS SPOTLIGHT: Peoria woman to be honored as WWII pilot

By SCOTT HILYARD
(Peoria) Journal Star

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) -- Mildred "Duke" Caldwell hasn't changed her mind. She won't be going to Washington, D.C., next month to receive the bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal she earned as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II.

Her nephew will attend on her behalf. Caldwell, it turns out, doesn't much stand on ceremony.

"That sort of thing is out of my style, out of my realm," said Caldwell, 91, a retired physical education instructor and professor emeritus at Bradley University. "I don't want to travel. I prefer to stay at home."

Caldwell was among about 1,100 WASP who flew military aircraft in the U.S. from 1942 until the program was abruptly, and without much explanation, halted 18 months later. They flew planes domestically so that male pilots would be free to fly combat missions in the war, and are considered the first women in American history to fly military aircraft. The significance of their service was promptly ignored by the military for the next several decades until 1977, when Congress passed a law giving WASP flyers veteran status.

[Soylent Brice]

1. K&R

i remember reading about this earlier this month.
in the thread here there was a lot of good info about other women squadrons. apparently germany had one too.

cool story.

[Obamanaut]

2. I checked out a documentary on WASPs a few weeks ago from

the library. They flew every type aircraft in the inventory, from fighters to bombers.

[joeybee12]

3. This lady sounds like a hoot...kinda crusty...congrats to her!

:toast:

[xchrom]

4. Yay! What lovely news. Nt

[asjr]

5. My sister's best friend's mother

and father were in the Air Force in WW2 and her mother flew planes to England on a daily basis.