WASP, Friends Attend WAI in Dallas
Just back from Women in Aviation (WAI) in Dallas, March 8-10, and what a gathering! A record crowd of 3,350 men and women - aviation enthusiasts all!
Seven WASP attended: Lucile Wise 43-7; Shirley Kruse 44-6; Bee Haydu 44-7; Pearl Judd 44-8; and Marty Wyall, Jean McCreery and Millie Young all 44-10. They hung out at the WMA booth- which was right next to the TWU booth. They also spent time at the WASP Sweetwater Museum booth. TWU stands for Texas Woman's University, the home of the official WASP Archives, which is part of the Woman's Collection held in TWU's Blagg-Huey Library.
The WASP along with their attending family members, military escorts, and many accompanying friends, were present at the banquet Saturday night to cheer WASP Bee Haydu as she was inducted into the WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame. Bee, dressed in her WASP uniform and glowing, was accompanied by her son-in-law Jeff Potter who has been her companion and escort at the numerous events she has attended the last couple of years.
Each of the WASP had two military escorts - young women from the various branches of the service - recruited and led by Col. Sandy Opeka (USAF reserve) and Rod Hage (USAF retired), both welcome fixtures at WAI and other functions attended by the WASP.
Also attending in support roles were Sherilyn Bird and Kimberly Johnson from TWU (director of libraries and coordinator of the Woman's Collection and WASP archives respectively) and Sharron Davis, executive director, WASP WWII Museum in Sweetwater, and her volunteers. Yours truly helped staff the TWU booth and did a stint at the Author's Corner. Bee had her book at the Author's Corner as well.
Yours truly also had the pleasure of presenting "So Who Are the WASP Anyway?" to a packed house Saturday afternoon. We seated the seven WASP on the stage facing the crowd and when the PowerPoint presentation was finished, the ladies took turns introducing themselves and answering questions from the audience. Colonel Sandy and TWU's Kate Landdeck fielded questions and "womaned" the portable microphone for the enthusiastic audience.
A rousing good time was had by all!
A friend and fellow author, Trenton Michigan native Dan Mason, has written the story of Detroit Metro Airport, published by Arcadia Publishing, and the book is doing well.
One chapter is devoted to the Romulus Army Airfield where the 3rd Ferrying Group was stationed. Some 100 WASP ferry pilots served there 1943-44. He pays them homage.
For more information email him at masonjet@aol.com or go to www.facebook.com Daniel W. Mason.
Looking forward to attending the Ninety-Nines North Central Section Spring Meeting, right here in Dayton! April 27-29, at the Dayton Marriott.
This will be my first as a full-fledged member of the Ninety-Nines, and I am their luncheon speaker.
Yippee!
Seven WASP attended: Lucile Wise 43-7; Shirley Kruse 44-6; Bee Haydu 44-7; Pearl Judd 44-8; and Marty Wyall, Jean McCreery and Millie Young all 44-10. They hung out at the WMA booth- which was right next to the TWU booth. They also spent time at the WASP Sweetwater Museum booth. TWU stands for Texas Woman's University, the home of the official WASP Archives, which is part of the Woman's Collection held in TWU's Blagg-Huey Library.
The WASP along with their attending family members, military escorts, and many accompanying friends, were present at the banquet Saturday night to cheer WASP Bee Haydu as she was inducted into the WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame. Bee, dressed in her WASP uniform and glowing, was accompanied by her son-in-law Jeff Potter who has been her companion and escort at the numerous events she has attended the last couple of years.
Each of the WASP had two military escorts - young women from the various branches of the service - recruited and led by Col. Sandy Opeka (USAF reserve) and Rod Hage (USAF retired), both welcome fixtures at WAI and other functions attended by the WASP.
Also attending in support roles were Sherilyn Bird and Kimberly Johnson from TWU (director of libraries and coordinator of the Woman's Collection and WASP archives respectively) and Sharron Davis, executive director, WASP WWII Museum in Sweetwater, and her volunteers. Yours truly helped staff the TWU booth and did a stint at the Author's Corner. Bee had her book at the Author's Corner as well.
Yours truly also had the pleasure of presenting "So Who Are the WASP Anyway?" to a packed house Saturday afternoon. We seated the seven WASP on the stage facing the crowd and when the PowerPoint presentation was finished, the ladies took turns introducing themselves and answering questions from the audience. Colonel Sandy and TWU's Kate Landdeck fielded questions and "womaned" the portable microphone for the enthusiastic audience.
A rousing good time was had by all!
Check Out Detroit Metro Airport by Dan Mason
A friend and fellow author, Trenton Michigan native Dan Mason, has written the story of Detroit Metro Airport, published by Arcadia Publishing, and the book is doing well.
One chapter is devoted to the Romulus Army Airfield where the 3rd Ferrying Group was stationed. Some 100 WASP ferry pilots served there 1943-44. He pays them homage.
For more information email him at masonjet@aol.com or go to www.facebook.com Daniel W. Mason.
99s North Central Section Meeting April 27-29
Looking forward to attending the Ninety-Nines North Central Section Spring Meeting, right here in Dayton! April 27-29, at the Dayton Marriott.
This will be my first as a full-fledged member of the Ninety-Nines, and I am their luncheon speaker.
Yippee!