WJlSP

NEWSLEITER
Vol. VIII

Editor - Lola Perkins Ricci

December 1972

A TIME OF JOY AND MEMORY

To list all the names of those who participated in making the WASP 30th anniversary such a success in Sweetwater, Texas
would take a special edition of the Newsletter.
We would like to extend our grateful
appreciation to the citizens of Sweetwater.
Then the professional, civic and service
organizations as well .as the individuals
and companies who participated in displaying their hospitality and enthusuasm in
welcoming the WASPs "home".
We are also grateful to the Texas State
Historical Survey Committee for their
participation and cooperation with the
WASP Memorial Marker and the Avenger Field
Highway Marker.
Over 180 Certificates of Appreciation
have been mailed to those who contributed
to this spectacular occasion, which will
live forever in the memory of those who
attended the reunion.
Something of this scope does not just
"happen". Initial plans were started in
1968 when a preference of locations for
the next reunion were asked for via the
Newsletter. Sweetwater was picked by unanimous choice, so then meetings were set
up with the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce,
local officials and dignitaries and a
WASP committee.
Mr. Rigdon Edwards, former Avenger Field
instructor and resident of Sweetwater, was
the spearhead of the reunion, with Mr.
Kenneth Dickson acting as chairman of the
event. Mrs. "Dedie" Deaton contacted Mr.
Al Harting, one-time information officer
at Avenger Field and now senior vice-president of Southwest Airmotive Co in Dallas,
also a former director of ahe Air Force
Association. Mr. Harting put the forces
into action and got the immediate support
of the Air Force, even to having the 1972
WASP reunion designated as an official
event of the Air Force's 25th Anniversary
Year. He also arranged for the air show
with Bob Hoover and Charlie Hillard Jr.,
two top acrobatic pilots and Douglas Cameron, official Olympic airshow commentator
to participate. He was also instrumental

in getting Robert Cummings, actor. pilot,

Air Force Colonel to be Master of Ceremonies and George Haddaway, editor of
"Flight" magazine to be speaker for the
Saturday night banquet.
Chief of Staff of the Air Force,General
John D. Ryan designated Major General
Robert L. Petit. Commander of Sheppard
Technical Training at Wichita Falls, to
represent him at the reunion and to deliver a tribute to the WASP from the Air
Force. Colonel Bruce Arnold, son of General "Hap" Arnold, was also on the list
of dignitaries who attended and he read
his father's speech to the last class,
44-W-lO, on the occasion of their graduation on December 7, 1944 from Avenger
Field, Sweetwater, Texas.
Sheppard's "Band of the 0 i1be 1t" performed during the airshow and parade and
memorial marker dedication ceremonies.
Sheppard's "Blue Nights", crack drill
team were also in the parade. Webb Air
Force Base at Big Springs provided the
fly-over of jets before the airshow and
during the parade. Jets from Bergstrom
Air Force Base in Austin flew the famous
"Missing Man" formation in honor of the
WASPs killed in service. A highlight of
the Saturday night banquet was the appearance of the famed Air Force Singing Sergeants from the nation's capitol.
The Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce was
the official sponsor. They paid half the
cost of the markers ($2006.00), arranged
for their installation, sent out the 3
mailings, supplied tickets and arranged
for the programs. They also took care of
the costs of the Coliseum annex for the
luncheon and banquet, set up the reviewing stand, bedecked the streets with welcoming signs, street banners and flags,
and supplied signs for the VIP cars in
the parade.
Those who attended t~~ thirtieth anniversary weekend are most appreciative to
those who contributed so much to make it
one to be remembered for years.

COCHRAN-ODLUM RANCH
Indio, Calif.
I am so pleased that I could be with all
of you, but the most important thing was
to see how healthy, well, and handsome
all of you looked. I can assure you "I
was angry with every woman who could wear
their uniform of thirty years past." To
me, it was amazing that anyone could.
I have tremendous pride in the outstanding flying job all of you performed, but
more important to me, even than your.abilities in this direction, was the fact,
that so far as I know, there never has
been a scandal or any derogatory statements about any of you on a public level.
I think this was truly remarkable when
you consider that there were 3,500 of you
involved.
I haven't been too well in the'past weeks,
and would like to take this opportunity
through the WASP Newsletter to thank
everyone who has written me such marvelous letters. I have had so many, that it
has been literally impossible to give an
individual answer. All of the letters
had one thing in character, "the WASP Program was the high spot of my life."
Again, I want to say how very proud I was
to be with all of you during the reunion,
and also wh~t a privilege it was to be
your leader during World War II.
Kind personal regard,
/s/ JACQUELINE COCHRAN

A NOTE FROM THE REUNION SPARKPLUG

Dear "Fifis"
Since it has not yet been possible for me
to acknowledge them,I have asked our ed.
for space to express my appreciation for
the dozens of wonderful ,enthusiastic and
complimentary letters you have written
about the reunion. I shall treasure them
always and reread them whenever I need a
lift: I hope to reply to all of them.
The only thanks the committee and I really
needed was your obvious enjoyment of the
reunion. I'll never forget that Mary Lee
Leatherbee said."I've never seen so many
happy women in my life-and I'm the happiest:" I am so thankful that we gave her
that last joy.

JACKIE and DEDIE at the Sat banquet

I want to thank all of you who offered to

help during the reunion,who volunteered,
and DID,march in the parade and who sent
uniforms, insignia, and momentos for the
museum. If anyone has failed to receive
items that were loaned please let me know
so we can check on them.
Brooks AFB at San Antonio and Ft.Sam Houston both want to complete the WASP display
in their military museums. If you have a
momento,uniform or anything,please list
them for me. Ft. Sam needs a tropical belt
beret,beret insignia,and Training Command
shoulder insignia now. Both museums have
asked that I come down, bringing photos &
other things I have-I will be going down
soon to work with Ann Holaday on displays.
We of the committee are very grateful for
the way you accepted the crowding and, in
many cases,the less-than perfect quarters.
That was our greatest worry and could have
ruined the whole reunion if you had not
been such good sports.
You were wonderful ,not only about the room
and the necessary"bedfellows" but the top
spirit in which you entered so whole-heart
edly in the occasion. I was-as I have always been-so very proud of you! I have
said many, many times that there never was
and never would be such a wonderful group
of young women as the WASPs - and after
thirty years the term "young" still applies to you: I only wish that all of you
could have been at Sweetwater.
Thank you again for your letters before &
after the reunion. Believe it or not,I am
still involved in post-reunion affairs.
Dottie Young and I go to Ft.Worth tomorrow to finalize the layout on the souvenir
booklet. It will be out soon and we hope
it will be something you will treasure.
With fondest regards,
DEDIE
I AM SO PROUD OF MY "FIFI" STATUETTE AND
IT'S INSCRIPTION I COULD BURST ::

JACEQUELINE COCHRAN and Col. BRUCE ARNOLD

unveil the official Texas Historical Marker in honor of the WASP on the Courthouse lawn, Sweetwater, Texas during the
30th Anniversary ceremonies. 24 June 1972.

W.A.S.P.
(WOMEN'S AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS)
TRAINING BASE:
AVENGER FIELD
SITE OF WORLD WAR II DRAMA.
HERE GIRLS, LIKE MALE CADETS,
LEARNED TO FLY UNITED STATES
ARMY AIR FORCES PLANES. WASPs
HAD CIVIL SERVICE STATUS RATHER
THAN MILITARY. OF THE 25,000
APPLICANTS, 1,830 WERE ACCEPTED;
1,074 WON WINGS AND FLEW 60
MILLION MILES FOR THE U.S.
ARMY AIR FORCES, RECEIVING HIGH
PRAISE FOR THEIR RECORD.
AT THE REQUEST OF THE AIR
FORCES' COMMANDING GENERAL
H.H.("HAP")ARNOLD,JACQUELINE
COCHRAN BECAME DIRECTOR OF
WOMEN PILOTS. ON NOV.17,1942,
WHEN THE FIRST 28 TRAINEES
ENTERED THE WOMEN'S FLYING
TRAINING 'DETACHMENT AT HOUSTON
MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, THE PROGRAM
BEGAN. ON FEB.21 1943,IT WAS
RELOCATED AT AVENGER FIELD,3
MILES WEST OF SWEETWATER.
THE LAST CLASS OF WASPs
GRADUATED ON DEC.7,1944.
(CONTINUED ON OTHER SIDE)

(Back of marker)
BRITISH ROYAL AIR FORCE CADETS TRAINED
AT AVENGER FIELD JUNE 22-AUG.l,1942.
U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES CADETS REPLACED THEM
REMAINING THROUGH APRIL OF 1943.ARRIVAL '
OF, WASP TRAINEES 'MADE AVENGER THE ONLY
MILITARY COEDUCATIONAL FLYING FIELD IN
UNITED STATES HISTORY.
WASPs CAME FROM VARIED BACKGROUNDS.
MANY WERE WIVES, SISTERS,OR SWEETHEARTS
OF SERVICEMEN,HOPING TO HASTEN WAR'S END.
WOMEN STAFF ADVISORS SUPERVISED THE
NONFLYING ACTIVITIES OF WASP TRAINEES
WHO LIVED UNDER MILITARY DISIPLINE IN'
ARMY BARRACKS. TRAINEES FLEW IN"ZOOT SUITS"
(ILL-FITTING GI COVERALLS) ,AND HAD TAN
SLACKS AND SHIRTS FOR DRESS WEAR. AFTER
THE SANTIAGO BLUE UNIFORM WAS OFFICIALLY
ADOPTED,IT WAS WORN BY GRADUATES.
ORIGINALLY,THE SEVEN MONTHS COURSE
INCLUDED 180 HOURS OF GROUND SCHOOL, 115
HOURS OF FLIGHT TRAINING. FROM LIGHT
PLANES,WASPs ADVANCED TO FLY EVERY AIR
CORPS CRAFT IN USE AT THE TIME.
WASPs FERRIED PLANES; TOWED TARGETS;
FLEW TRACKING,SMOKE-LAYING,SEARCHLIGHT,
STRAFING,AND SIMULATED BOMBING MISSIONS'
DID RADIO CONTROL FLYING;TESTED AIRCRAFT;
GAVE INSTRUMENT .INSTRUCTION; PERFORMED
MANY OTHER DUTIES. THIRTY-SEVEN WASPs
GAVE THEIR LIVES SERVING THEIR COUNTRY.
ETHEL A.SHEEHY WAS WASP STAFF FIELD
EXECUTIVE;NANCY ~ARKNESS LOVE,WASP STAFF
EXECUTIVE-FERRYING DIVISION;LEOTI CLARK
DEATON, WASP STAFF EXECUTIVE.-TRAINING BASES.
WASP WINGS, WITH DIAMOND LOZENGE,SIGNIFY
WOMEN'S PIONEERING WARTIME FLIGHT
ACHIEVEMENTS.
(1972)

WAFS-Secretary: FLORENE MILLER WATSON

1602 Primrose, Borger,Texas 79007
NANCY HARKNESS LOVE thinks' that sailing
compares favorably with flying as a
fun thing to do. Nancy and her family
have always done a great deal of sailing and are now looking forward to the
time they finish constructing their
dream fiberglass boat. Altho Nancy and
Bob have owned private planes in the
~ast,she has temporarily given up flyIng for the love of sailing. Husband
Bob,past president of Allegheny Airlines
is now serving as Chairman of the Board
Daughter Hannah,an animal lover, is
doing post graduate work at Cornell Vet
School-she is also a licensed pilot.
Margaret recently graduated from Colo.
College in Colo. Springs while Allie is
a senior at Pitzer in Claremont,Calif.
Altho Allie has soloed,she does not do
much flying and Margaret still holds
out as the non-flying type. With her
girls all taking so much'college work,
Nancy has gone back to school to take
some courses in anthropology (her original degree was in history). Nancy and
her family still have $ residence in
Mass,but they consider'~heir perm~nent
address to be Sarasota,Fla.
NANCY BATSON CREWS --Great news here: The
new WAFS President of Fifinella-whom we
saw in Sweetwater this summer-our Nancy
is now a certified Airline Transport
Pilot: She received this beautiful certificate(used to be ATR)Sept 15. In addition to this, she has in the'recent
past taught some flying and is currently
flying her Super Cub towplane when she
is not fliting around in a glider: Husband Paul,who retired as a Col. from
the AF recently received a 15-yr service
pin from the Northrup Corp. Their son,
Randolph, is a Sgt in the AF and is being sent to Vietnam for duty. Lovely
daughter Janey is enjoying being a
freshman in high school. How about that
ATP certificate as an accomplishment
for Nancy:
BETTY GILLIES like a number of the WAFS,
missed the Sweetwater Reunion but guess
where she was-on a 1,500mile "fly-yourself" safari in East Africa: Last year
she went on a similar safari in South
Africa and flew a Cessna 182-this year
she and companion Barbara Jayne flew a
Minerva. The safari had seven aircraft
participating-occupants mostly girls.
Wouldn't you think that Betty should
know what most of Africe looks like by
now? On this trip they flew from Nairobi south into Tanzania,up to Mt. Kilimanjaro, then over to Uganda(Lakes Victoria,George,Edward-the headwaters of
the Nile)and back to Nairobi via Samburu
and Mt Kenya. She reports that the coun-

try was beautiful and the weather perfect and that she had a fabulous time.
Back at home she is with husband Bud &
tries to look in on her children and 8
grandchildren whenever she can.
THERESA JAMES was running around like mad
at the Sweetwater reunion doing "her
thing~ In case you are wondering what
she is up to-she is the primary driving
force behind the attempt to get favorable legislation enacted to give the
WASPs some belated veteran ben8fits.
Elsewhere in this Newsletter there will
be a current report on progress. Regardless of the outcome of the efforts of
Theresa and many others,we all owe them
our gratitude for getting the ball rolling in our behalf. Theresa has put in
many months of effort and even some of
her income to further ~his cause; and
at this pOint,is not through yet. Theresa'still owns and operates her James
Flower & Gift Shoppe in Wilkinsburg Pa.
and is always on hand to act as a professional wedding consultant. She was
scheduled recently to "do" a wedding in
Hobbs, New Mexico.
BARBARA ERICKSON LONDON is still in the
aviation business. She is a partner in
Barney Frazier Aircraft,Long Beach airport,Calif. an aircraft sales company.
She was with Aztec Aircraft for 6 years
and then went into business for herself
about 2 years ago. Barbara is also a
member of WACOA,Women's Advisory Committee on Aviation to the FAA which meets
with the FAA twice each year on general
aviation problems. Jack is still flying
recently received his glider rating and
spends weekends on the high desert in a
glider. Terry(daughter,aged 24) is now
a licensed pilot-Commercial ,multi-engine
instrument & Comm.helicopter. She is
presently at San Jose State U. majoring
in Aeronautics and working on her instructor rating. Daughter Kris,age 22,
is in Hawaii where she is boarding and
training horses and enjoying the surf.
DEL SCHARR came to the Sweetwater reunion
just as bright-eyed and energetic as
ever. It is amazing what she gets done
in a day's time. As department head she
teaches students in art ed. at Central
High School in St.Louis and usually has
about 130 students at a time. For several months husband Harold has been ill
and has been in and out of a hospital.
So Del has added nursing duties to her
other responsibilities as teacher,wife.
homemaker, and farm supervisor in charge
of some acreage she and Harold have.
What stamina and efficiency:
SIS (KATHERYN) BERNHEIM FINE has her major
interest centered around the activities
of her children and her job. Daughter
Dugie,23,is married and holds a graduate
degree in psychologh from Duke U. Son,
Robertis 20 and a ~raduate from New York

Military Academy and is now stationed at

the.Naval Training Center at Bainbridge
43-1 Secretary for '72 MARY LOU C. NEALE
Maryland. Son-in law Axel isin the Navy
Future: MARYLENE LAMPHERE NYMAN
and is e~pecting to take Dugie with him
780 Laurel Dr Apt D,Casa Grande,Ariz
when he is transferred to Athens,Greece.
85222
Sis already has reservations on American
to join them at Christmas. She wants to
GERTRUDE BROWN KINDIG turned up at reunion
see any of you gals who may be planning
happily putting an end to her missingon a Christmas vacation in Athens. At
person status. Brownie says she lived in
the present time Sis is the Asst Service
N.J. Calif. ,Ore,and Colo.where she reManager in a Chrysler-Plymouth agency.
married(lasted one year) and then went
She liked the last job she had-that of
into the Air Force for a number of yrs.
being the Action Editor of her local
Last year she packed up and left the
Jounal News-better'than the present one.
East Coast weather in disgust and ended
GERTRUDE MESSERVE TUBBS is currently doing
up as a legal secretary in Phoenix,which
no flying but has flown some during the
she loves. Great to have you back with
past years. She spends her sparetime 4
us, Brownie:
days a week doing volunteer work for the
Red Cross-which is located near her home. EVELYN GREENBLATT HOWREN and ANN JOHNSON
were also at the reunion withqf course
She does office work,bookeeping,and driDOTTIE YOUNG who maintains that most of
ving and considers the time she spends
her year was spent on reunion plans with
there rewarding and enjoyable. Her husDedie. Judging from reports it was time
band Charlie,has earned the title of the
will spent. Dottie wishes that there had
neighborhood "fix it" man while her
been more time to meet and visit with
grown sons are away from.home doingtheir
the gals(and fellows)attending, which
own things.Charles-a police officer in
proves how busy she was. She is still
West Caldwell,N.J; David-a traveling
active as a Safety Counselor in the FA As
accountant with PAA spending a great
Accident Prevention Program and flies
.deal of time out of the country; Paulenough to keep current.
an electrical engineer working at the
CLAIRE CALLAGHAN retired from the FAA and
Philadelphia Navy Base. Gertrude and her
has moved to Florida.
husband recently changed their permanent
MAGDA TACKE is too energetic a Yankee to
address from N.J. to 2710 4th Ave West,
settle down to the slow pace of Carolina
Bradenton,Fla.--more sunshine ther~!
living so she and George intersperse
FLORENE MILLER WATSON-shortly after Florene
golfing with farming for a hobby,growing
attended the Sweetwater Reunion,she acthEir own vegetables and flowers. Life
companied her husband,daughter,and sonis pleasant but with family and old
in-law on a Carribean cruise,spending
friends up north, the heart belongs
some time in Fla on her return. The
above the Mason-Dixon line.
prior summer they went on a similar trip
MARION MACKEY DeGREGARIO and Felix managed
in the Carribean but took a different
to get,away from the Greenwich Village
ship and stopped at different ports. The
restaurant for a vacation, cruising on
daughter who went with them was Gail,26,
the Leonardo Da Vinci inthe West Indies.
who is now beginning her fourth year of
ELEANOR BOYSEN MORGAN left in September
teaching at the Louisville branch of the
for Paris where she will live while her
U. of kentucky. Gail's husband,Ron, will
younger
son Win is attending the Amerigraduate from the U.of Louisville Dental
can School. Mile returned to Conn. ColSchool this year. Daughter Jean,24,and
lege and will join them for Christmas
her husband,Scott,are both college gradAs future domicile is uncertain(Why not
uates now living in Amarillo,just 50 mi.
make it Calif again,Eleanor?) address
from Florene and Chris,and expecting
is: c/oBank of America, 28 Place Vendome
their second child. Florene is still
Paris, France.
teaching business and secretarial subTEDDY DE BERNARD sent her news too late
jects in college-her 16th year-and still
for last year's notes. After deactivaenthuiastic about it. Duri~g the semestion,Teddy bought a farm in Pa. and ran
ter break last Jan.Florene & Ch~i~,with
it for nine years. She dug for artifacts
3 Borger couples,took a Bible-teaching
in Santa Fe and spent a great dealoftime
tour of Israel accompanying students &
in showing dogs and travel.
professors from Dallas Theological SemVEGA JOHNSON SOGG' and husband are again
inary. It was a great trip. Chris and
Florene seem to be continually taking
living in Newport Beach,Calif. Their son
some kind of Bible course,either on or
now a student at UC Riverside just recently soloed.
off the college campus. Chris is still
with Phillips Petroleum Co. and is in
GERRY NYMAN and Van are deeply involved in
charge of many professional engineers
politics. Gerry is Pres. South County
and personnel in the Exploration and
Women (Republican). Their four sons and
Production Dept. Chris and Florene are
families are widely scattered-Ken at
now looking forward to snow skiing this
Harvard Law, Cliff teaching at Annapolis
winter in New Mexico and Colorado.
after returning from Saigon, Paul in Spo-

kane and Bruce at the U. of Idaho. Gerry

had to abandon her plans for attending
reunion at Sweetwater as all descended
on fond parents this summer. Gerry keeps
active with tennis and golf-and now she
has a new pastime to fill the leisure
hours. She has graciously consented to
be our new 43-1 Secretary. So please
send her your news:
MARY LOU COLBERT NEALE can now stop heckling you reluctant ones for news and
maybe there will be more time for tennis
and swimming and getting that glider lice~se altho things are still hectic here
with the four chicks at home. Steve and
Denise are connuting to college and Jim
and Shelley are in high school. Ray is
in charge of the flight training for
Lockheed's new S3-A. M.L. had a meeting
with Jane Straughan when she flew back
to Virginia with Steve's swim team for
the college finals. Seems nearly unanimous that 43-1 would like a reunion of
its own. The agonies of launching this
WASP training program forged great
friendships for us, the eccentric, independent "guinea pigs".
JANE STRAUGHAN works for the Veter'an s
Administration wheel, of which she is a
very important cog. Friends in Washington tell me that if they urgently need
information or action they try to get
through to Janie. AI, disliking the inactivity of retirement,turned to deluxe
courier work for a construction company
which has errands to places like the
Virgin Islands. Sons Bill and Jack are
married to lovely intelligent girls and
living nearby. Janie still dotes on
sailing and Bethany Beach.
ELIZABETH McKINLEY MATRAY was found and
then lost again. She married Ernst, an
accomplished and well-known ballet,choreographer a few years ago. Theylived in
Beverly Hills but were in a serious auto
accident three years ago and hospitalizd
for over a year. Mutual friends have
been unabl~ to locate them,altho we have
been diligently trying.
MARION FLORSHEIM in addition to achieving
world reknown for exhibiting and judging
pure bred animals has won recognition in
the Interior Decorating field. She was a
member o( the National Society of Interior Designers who did the International
Reception Room at the White House for
President & Mrs. Eisenhower, and later
refurbished it for President & Mrs. Kennedy. She and her husband personally donated the '18th Century fireplace equipment. She is now associated with Marymount Manhattan College which has 600 or
more day students, with many programs
for the underprivileged. For the next
four months her address will be: c/o Mrs
Elie Marguie 28 Rue Pierre Curie,06 Cagnes Sur Mer. France.
I

SIDNEY MILLER although too busy for reunions or even vacations with her successful Sidney's Plastics was somehow
cajoled into working for the local newspaper about a year ago. Sidney did such
an excellent job that she is not only
indispensable now but writes her own
ticket, so it is fun for her and remunerative as well. One problem--it is so
time consuming that the business end of
Sidney's has to be done on weekends.
BETTY TACKABERRY BLAKE's questionaire was
returned "Address Unknown" but a Scottsdale friend located her. New phone # is
(602) 264-4567. Hope for news as soon as
I can make contact.
RUTH HELLMAN-we were stunned by the sudden
death of our talented and gracious class
mate. This quiet lady achieved more in
her lifetime than most-always with charm
a~d dignity. She was an accomplished
pianist and her interest in music led to
her leadership in the San Francisco
Opera Guild,the S.F. Conservatory of
Music, and the Symphony Association. She
loved and excelled in sports-being an
expert equestrienne,skier,and swimmer.
She was a sharitable person in all respects so it follows that her charity
work was unending, privately as well as
for organizations, especially the Children's Hospital. Death came while she was
scuba diving off Yucatan last February.
One consolation for our tragic loss is
knowing that Ruth would have preferred
to go that way-adventurous and active
right up to the end.

43-2 Secretary: MARION S. BETZLER

1306 Stone Ridge Dr. Apt. D
Columbus, Ohio 43213
RUTH DAILEY HELM divides her time between
Tucson and Texas as she and her husband
have businesses in both places. She
used to fly her own plane back and forth,
however hasn't flown in almost 18 years.
Her daughter is a Junior at Baylor U. and
son is a freshman in high school. Outside
of staying busy in business, most of her
volunteer work is with church youth
groups. She went back to school a few
years ago and received her Master of Accounting degree from the U. of Arizona.
TEDDY DeBERNARD has taken up ceramics while
sunning at Lauderdale By The Sea. She has
seen Eleanor Boysen (43-1) ,who is now in
Paris; and Evelyn Greenblatt Howren(43-1)
who is now in Japan.
BETTY EAMES JOINER is back in Orinda,Calif:
She and her husband are leaving shortly
for a vacation in Spain,then on to other
European countries. Betty was pleased to
have Kay Chaffey spend the weekend with
her. Together they saw Marcella Fatjo
(43-3) for a few hours.

ever Cappy has resigned herself to ridJANE EMERSON CARTER went back to Fla State
ing the airlines. She went back to colUniv. in 1969 and earned a Masters in
lege and received a Masters in Political
Social Work and is now a casework superScience.
visor for all the protective service
MARION SCHORR BETZLER has been named chief
units for children in eitht counties unflight instructor for E.C. Aviation at
der the division of family services.
Port Columbus International Airport. She
Daughter Melissa is a senior at FSU.
took her ATP-Multi engine,Part 135 check
Husband Fred a retired pilot,has started
and Chief CFI (Private thru ATP) all in
a marine hardware store and is making
one day and says, "It was hard work:"
sails. "There is a definite similarity
RUTH FRANKLING REYNOLDS lives in a small
between sailing and flying," says Jane.
(175 residents) ,rural,mountainous(heart
"ActuallY,we are both working harder than
of the Catskills)town. Had a dairy farm
ever. I'm getting the middle age spread
until 3 years ago when th~y sold the
and hating it. Sorry to have missed the
cows however retained all the 170 acres.
Reunion at Sweetwater."
Ward
is with the Sheriff's Office. Ruth
KAY GOTT CHAFFEY has taught Physical Educahas been working as a clerk in the Cattion,mainly dance,at the Cal State U. of
skill Conservation Dept for 2 years. The
Humboldt for 21 years. Last year she was
four children, 2 girls and 2 boys, are
promoted to Professor. She and husband
busy in school or at their jobs. As Ruth
Keith attended the Olympic Games in Musays,"All acquainted with farm work and
nich. Betty has been compiling a History
good kids. We do a lot of snowmobiling
of the WASP and needs information, photos,
in the snow months, the tips of our mOUh"Letters to Mother". She will copy and
tains hold snow into the middle of April.
return all material. She especially wants
Have not flown since '49 when I gave up
the story on the 38 girls killed in serinstructing for the family and we sold
vice-Dates, Type accident, etc.
the
two Piper trainers."
MARY TROTMAN O'BRIEN and airline captain
PAT CHADWICK ERICKSON is working at the
husband John are world travelers. For 3
Naval Training Center in Winter Park,Fla
years they spent several months in Spain
The Training Center is the old Air Base
and Portugal-doing what they enjoy mostwhere some of the WASPs took their OCS
golfiing. For the past 2 years they have
training. In fact, the site of the old
spent their winters in Tequesta,Fla,where
barracks where the WASP stayed is across
they own a condominium on the ocean. Mary
the road from Pat's office. The Base CO
writes that her golf game has been going
is even willing to open up one of the
downhill since a serious operation in '69
barracks for a WASP Reunion to the WALT
We are wishing the best for her.
Disney World Exhibition sometime in the
MARTHA WAGENSEIL DAVIS RUPLEY visited Maine
future. If anyone is traveling in the
and Cape Cod in Sept. She was married last
area please call Pat either at home or
Christmas to Forrest Rupley,who was best
the office (305) 646-5723 office
man at her wedding to Bill Davis at Long
647-7439 home
Beach in 1944. Bill was a Douglas test
pilot after the war and was killed in '55.
43-3 Secretary: Volunteer Needed
Martha is still an editor-spent most of
last year on a textbook for the modeling
of natural phenomena,working at home when Life Magazine featured posthumously an excellent tribute to one of their staff,
the spirit moves her. She and Forrest
MARY LOGAN LEATHERBEE. Mary was on an adspend time hunting fishing and playing
venurous trip in an outrigger canoe on
golf. They want to get a motor home and
the Campbell River in British Columbia,
tour Canada, the USA, and Mexico; and say
Canada. She and her two companions were
hello to some old friends. On the trip
drowned when their canoe capsized in the
back east, Martha stopped in the Catskill
whirlpool tides of the river. Prior to
Mts. to see Ruth Reynolds. "It was fun
joining the WASP, Mary and her husband
feasting on steamed clams and corn from
Charles
were active in the theatre. She
the garden," says Martha. Her 2 'daughters
had studied at the Royal Academy of Draare married and like Mother are much inmatic Art in London and had been part of
volved in higher educationand extended
the University Players, which was originstays in Europe. Son Erick, 19. is beginated by her husband and her older brother
ning his third year at the Air Force AJosh Logan. After two years of marriage
cadaoy in Colorado Springs.
Mary was widowed and she joined the WASP
RUTH TREES has been widowed for 7 years,
a short time later. In 1945 Mary started
has two married children. and 3 grandworking for LIFE Magazine as theater rechildren. She works for Seaman's Bank,
porter;movie editor in 1952; and Travel
Time-Life Bldg, New York City and loves
editor in 1964--this, a dream come true.
it. She would like to see you on your
She had traveled to many exotic and exnext visit to NYC. _
citing
places which someone of less enCAPPY VAIL BRIDGE and husband are in the
thusiasm and energy would have preferred
citrus business in Alta Lorna, Calif. Art
the "armchair" travelogues. She used her
flies with the Air National Guard, how-

talents to infect other people with joy

an~ ~est for living. Before her trip to
Br~t~sh Columbia, Mary was preparing for
a lecture tour. One of the topics she
was considering was "Flying Under the
Oakland Bay Bridge in a Bomber By Mistake"
Do you suppose she DID that ...?
SHIRLEY INGALLS THACKARA left for Europe
the 22nd of June by ship with her family.
Her husband was brought up there. For the
first three y~ars of their marriage when
their children, John and Lucy, were very
young, they lived in Europe.
MALVA ~OYLE GRAY was making tentative preparat~ons to attend the Reunion but she is
confined to a wheelchair and difficulty
of traveling on her own was her main concern. However, May 20th Malva was rushed
to the hospital with a pulmonary embolism
5 broken ribs and a banged up right eye. '
Malva is now home, but must be extremely
careful not to overexert herself.
GRETCHEN GORMAN GRABA has turned farmer
outside of Bottineau, N.D. after spending 10 years running a bowling lane &
restaurant. She and her husband have no
children and call themselves the Turtle
Mountain Hillbillys. Anyone in the neigh
borhood of the International Peace Gardens(which is near the Manitoba border)
please look for Gretchen, she will be
working there. She said to look for a
gal with long grey hair and hot pants:
LAURETTA BEATY FOY is so busy juggling her
job as helicopter pilot/examiner;keeping
house for youngest son; and traveling to
Washington as a member of the Presidential Aviation Advisory Committee, she
wasn't able to attend the Reunion.
43-4

Secretary: FAITH BUCKNER RICHARDS

903B Spring Valley Plaza
Richardson, Texas 75080

Bob Cummings had nothing on us. In fact

nearly had a complete psycological break
up when I realized that JUANITA BOLISH
COOKE marched around town in the parade
at 104 degrees and was a healthy as she
was in Sweetwater ..and she's only 62.
She looks 20 years younger without the
benefit of make up or magic pills.
MADGE RUTHERFOR MINTON took over the televiewing world with her appreciation of
the beat of the singing sargents at the
banquet.
RUTH UNDERWOOD FLOREY is the one who made
the banner and the flag for the Reunionit was nice to see FIFI flying again:
NATALIE ELLIS FAHY moved to Arlington, Va.
in summer of '71 Her husband Bert has
launched a third career. He is working
for the Boy Scouts of America in the D.C.
Md. and Va. area. Their daughter Liz was
married in 1971 after they moved.
JENNIE HRESTU REIMANN was unable to attend
the Reunion because her husband Herbert
suffered a slight heart attack in March.
He has made a remarkable recovery.
VIRGINIA HARRIS WATRY was attending Soroptomist Convt. in Chicago as Pres of her
local area. She is still in Civil Service for the Army at Ft Dix as a Management Analyst and received a "Superior
Sustained Award" and bonus from the Army
for her last six months work.
MARY LOUISE BOWDEN sent regrets through her
sister, Emily Connelly. that she will be
in India for at least two more years as
a medical missionary. She left the USA
last Dec for ano ther 3 year term.
MARGERY MOORE HOLBEN had just moved from
Calif to Cherry Point, N.C. anJ then
suddenly was transferred again to Japan
with her Marine husband Donald. They
sailed from Long Beach May 26 for a 3yr
tour at Yokosuka.

RUTH GAMBER spent December of 1971 in New

The first class to enter Sweetwater was
Zealand and Australia.
delighted to be back ...We showed up as
MARY WILSON McCONKEY moved to Clifton,Ohio
the class with the mostest ..35 in all,
(east of Dayton) and can see the entranthat is all we had reservations paid for
ce to Clifton State Park from her window.
Some seemed to slip in un-announced.
Her husband Wayne died last Dec. and so
Here's the list any others there say so
Mary didn't feel up to attending the re(may cost ya: :):
union this year.
EDNA BISHOP, JENNIE BURBECK, PEG CALHOUN
We had a little meeting just to cuss and
VIRGINIA CLAIR, JEANNE CHRISTIAN, BERT
discuss barracks #1. Still could not
COLLINS, JUANITA COOKE, MARY ENGLE, NATseem to get all things said and done in
ALIE FAHY, GRACE FENDER, JANE FLEESHACH,
such a short time. We missed all of you
RUTH FLOREY, CONSTANCE HOWERTON, ISABEL
who couldn't be there cause we really
KARKAU, LYDIA KEEFE, WILLIE KELLY, LYDIA
had a ball.
KENNY, EILEEN KESTI, BARBARA LAZARSKY,
Not only were we the largest class, but we
MARY LEWIS, VIOLA MASON, BETTY MARTIN,
were the most notorious. Our members inROSALEA MEEK, RUBY MENSCHING, MADGE MINcluded the two major stories at the banTON, FAITH RICHARDS, HENRIETTA RICHMOND,
quet ...the missing shirt story and the
lost Navy flier both belong to 43-W-4.
JEANNE ROBERTSON, FRANCES SARGENT, HELEN
SCHAEFFER, HELEN SNAPP, A.J. STARR, KATH~ In all seriousness, it was well worth all
the months of struggle since everyone
ERINE STREHLE, MARY TILTON, ELEANOR WORTZ
seemed to be having the time of their
Really must say we retained our looks and
lives ..(due to your efforts,Faith:: ed)
figures. if not the same, a bit more
abundantly.

43-5

Secretary: Volunteer Needed

SYLVIA DAHMES CLAYTON was found by Marion

Betzler(43-2). Sylvia and her family
have lived in Tucson since August 1961.
Her husband started a research and design engineering firm 4 years ago and
Sylvia has been working there ever since.
Their son graduated from the U. of N.M.
in 1968 as a mechanical engineer. Their
daughter graduated from the U. of Ariz
in Production Management and is working
for Horizon Lands.
ROBERTA MUNDT is deputy treasurer for Box
Butte County in Alliance, Nebraska.
43-6

Secretary: CAPPY WHITAKER JOHNSON

4175 Kenneth,Fair Oaks,Calif 95628

BLESSINGS on all who answered my request

for news on such short notice.
THE REUNION-Wasn't it just the greatest:
Many tall tales were told and many brave
deeds recounted, but the most amazing
story to me was that over 300 women
could get together for a 30-year reunion
looking just the same, with maybe just a
silver thread or two or a whisper of a
wrinkle added. And weren't the Sweetwater people just wonderful? The following members of our class were present:
FLORENCE MARSTON, GRACE JONES, LOLA
RICCI, EVELYN TRAMMELL, DOROTHY HENESY,
FRAN-TANASSY, ADDIE ELLISON, NANCY
THORNE, ELIZABETH SULLIVAN, CAPPY JOHNSON, MARTHA BULLOCK, IRMA STORY, MARIAN
TIBBETTS, MAURINE WILSON, RITA WEBSTER,
MAXINE SMITH, VELMA SAUNDERS,CAROL COOK.
ELIZABETH CARSEY CLARK breeds and shows
Gordon setters, Irish wolfhounds. miniature schnauzers and beagles, not to
mention mute swans and India blue peafowl. Her entries have been winning some
impressive awards, including the #2 spot
in the USA for Gordon Setters, her main
breed.
EVELYN STEWART JACKSON lives NE of Mesa,
Ariz. in the White Mts from June to Oct.
Her husband Frank manages-ranches for a
cattle company and Evelyn rides with him
sometimes. She writes that she is at
peace within and so is ~o be much envied.
MARGARET WENDELIN HATFIELD became a grandmother last year. She works for a builders hardware corp,dealing in hardware to
contractors. Her oldest daughter is married, son Rick graduated as a physics
major at Villanova U. and the youngest
daughter has finished high school.
ANNA FLYNN MONKIEWIEZ has been Medical Record Librarian at the Gen Hosp at The
Dalles, Ore. for almost 5 years. Her husband has been transferred to Juneau,Alas
ka and the whole family should be up
there now. Anna went up early to scout
the possibilities of a job for a "slight
ly used" medical record librabian. Will

be anxious to hear more on that and to

get a new address from her.
FRAN BUFORD PULLEN has been busy taking
care of her family and doing volunteer
work at school and church. Her oldest
daughter has graduated from Stanford, a
sonis a senior this year at the U. of
Calif. Berkeley and a boy and girl are
still at home.
MAURINE BRUNSVOLD WILSON looked beautiful
(and certainly no older) as she once
again marched in her WASP uniform in the
parade thru beautiful downtown Sweetwater
She got to fly her brother's twin-engine
Beech Travelair this past Aug-the only
flying she gets to do. Her brother retired from Am Airlines as Senior Capt.
and Maurine was asked to attend the retirement dinner in San Francisco to present him with a picture she had of a
glider he had built at 17. She also gave
the background of their flying careers,
starting with their first "airplanes"
made of broomsticks with blocks of wood
for rudder pedals. Reminds me of some of
the planes I FLEW.
IRMA "BABE" STORY is a contract coordinator with an engineering firm, and it
sounds like she travels as much as a
ferry pilot. When last heard from she
was leaving for Ogden, Utah and then on
to Colorado Springs and El Paso. Their
construction sites are all military and
she finds it very interesting.
FRAN SNYDER TANASSY had a trip to Idaho &
Sun Valley after the Reunion and several
fun golf tournaments in Cheyenne and Colo
Springs. They are moving out of their
present condominium to one on a (where
else?) golf course.
RITA DAVOLY WEBSTER has the best story to
come out of the Reunion. When she arrived
at Sweetwater she called an old friend,
Gray Webster. in McAllen, Texas and he
came up for the reunion. Afterwards she
went back to McAllen with him to meet his
relatives and they were married June 30,
just one week after the reunion. She says
it wasn't as much of a whirlwind romance
as it sounds since they had known each
other when he lived in Seattle, and they
had been writing since. She says that reunion really was the greatest.(which one?)
FLORENCE NIEMIC MARSTON agrees. Says she wa
was able to swap the tallest tales of her
daring deeds with the very best. It was a
pleasure to meet her husband Bud. Flo is
majoring in painting at the Corcoran
School of Art this coming year and will
get her diploma in the spring. At the
banquet she noticed an old couple sitting
off to themselves and went over to find
out who they were. He said he had worked
on the planes the girls flew and did she
remember the fellow who put oil and gas
in the planes? They said they would never
forget those days or the girls, and would

nat have missed the banquet far anything

because they were part af the autfit.
This is typical af whp.t we faund in aur
return to. Sweetwater.
MILDRED McCLELLAND
CHRISTIANSEN
and her
husband had planned to. vacatian an Lake
Superiar
in Aug where they planned to.
rackhaund
and attend the Mich.Assa.
af
Airpart Executives.
Hawever Mildred ended
up in Chicago. taking care af her newbarn
grandsan.
She has warked in the Airpart
Mgr's affice since 1951, is Publicity
Chairman
far the Altrusans,
a waman's
service club, Secretary
af the Muskegan
Rack and Mineral Saciety,
daes church
wark and sametimes
helps publish a manth
ly publicatian."The
Praspectar",
an award
winner. What do. yau do. in yaur spare time?
NANCY JOHNSON THORNE had to. hurry hame fram
the reunian to. help wiih a harse shaw. It
was a 64 class shaw with abaut 300 entrys.
Nancy helps make up the pragram af events
puts tagether ~he advertising
baak and
sends the winners
far state and American
awards. She said teaching
is very different fram what it used to. be but she is
staying with it because "sameane
inthat
7th grade English class may make this a
better warld." Hang in there, Nancy.
MARGARET CASTLE McANALLY
is also. teachingshe has the 4th grade at Baran, Calif.
Edwards
AFB is nearby and the Racket
prapulsian
Lab is an their skyline. She
has two. children
in callege and ane still
in High Schaal and says she wauld like to.
take up pawered sail-planing
same day.
MILDRED "DUKE" CALDWELL
is anather busy
teacher.
She is a Dept chairman
at Brad.
ley U. and sayi her wark cansists af
teaching
and the usual cammittee
assignments that befall University
peaple. She
enjays traveling,
bath in this cauntry
and Eurape.
and has resumed her study
af music.
LUCY WALKER McGINNIS
and her husband are
retiring
in Laurel,Miss,
where they had
lived 15 years ago. and fell in lave with
the peaple and the climate. They have a
daughter
in art schaal and a san who. is a
histary majar, planning
to. go. to. law
schaal later.
RITA CASON STUMP has been a last WASP.
Material
abaut the Reunian was sent to.
her hametawn.
Her brather still lives
there and farwarded
it an to. her. Welcame
back, Rita. ~he is married
to. an elec.
tranics engineer
and has a san who. is a
high schaal seniar. Says she has traded
flying far baating an the Ohio..
ANN CRISWELL
MADDEN has anly seven af her
ten children
at home now. She's farming
a new club called "Matherhaad
is averrated" where all the adults smake pat and
the teenagers
will face reality. The line
farms at the right:: In her "spare" time
she takes argan lessans, studies art histary, and gives art histary lectu~es t~
variaus wamen's clubs. In cannectlan
WIth

her interest in art she had a trip to

Spain last spring and two. weeks in Paris
in September.
ELEANOR FEELEY LAWRY and her husband hape
to. make a permanent
hame in the Nartheast
after their retirement
fram the AF, 14
manths fram naw. Her yaungest.
a daughter,
is in callege.
She learned to. fly, as did
her brathers,
but prefers the ski slapes.
Eleanar and her husbandexpect
a grandchild
in Navember.
JOANN GARRETT
is spending
a lat af time establishing
a yard far her new hame. In
between putting in trees and shrubs she
takes aff an camping in her trailer.
MAJ.(RET)
MARIAN TIBBETTS
has settled
in
Bryan, Texas and says retirement
is the
best jab she ever had. She reminds us that
Bryan was ane af aur X/C's.
MARJORIE LOGAN ROLLE and her husband spent
a busy summer traveling
and fishing. They
went sight-seeing
in Washingtan,D.C.,
attended the Airpart Executive's
canvt.
in Atlantic City and the Internatianal
Aviatian Caunsel
in Partland,Ore.
While
there they went o.cean fishing far salman
and even tho. she admits the baat was every
way but straigrt up due to. raugh seas,she
wauld like to. do. it again.
PEG WISSLER ROBERTS wrate a lang interesting
letter an the 13 manth trip she and her
husband taak araund the warld. They gat
hame just a little tao. late to. make the
Reunian. Peg plans to. wark as a substitute
teacher this year and during Christmas
vacatian
they are gaing to. hike into. Havasu Canyan, an affshaat af Grand Canyan.
PEG HELBURN KOCHER has a degree in linguistics and this past year has been teaching
"Black English far the Classraam
Teacher"
both at Adelphi U.and at Queens Callege.
She is also. active in NYC League af Wamen
vaters. Three af their faur children
are
thraugh schaal and an their awn naw.
VIRGINIA
YATES is still with the Jaint
Chief af Staff.but
says her agency is
getting zapped and she wan't knaw until
Feb. what carnes next. She had a vivid
telecan accaunt af the reunian fram a
class mate.
MAXINE STEWARD SMITH was a timer far the
Pacific Air Race, 99 spansared,
at San
Jase in Oct. Daes a bit af flying herself.
CAROL WEBB COOK almast missed the flight
fram Guam, but she made it in time far
Saturday's
cacktails.
EVELYN TRAMMELL
and husband Mark ran their
411 as a deluxe private airline fram Atlanta to. Sweetwater-with
Evelyn and Katy
Strehle(43-4)
making better time than
their husbands driving the "ladies leg"
CAPPY WHITTAKER
JOHNSON and her husband had
several gaad backpacking
trips in the
Sierras during the summer and a 2 week
cam::>ing-hiking trip thru Ore. & Wash.
LOLA PERKINS RICCI is reparting
that her
husband Ed sprung far a Travelair
and
delayed her editarial
chares by luring
her to. Acapulco. far a few days in Oct.

MARTHA SMITH BULLOCK's

courage was an inspiration
to everyone who talked to her
at the Reunion.
We are sad to report
she lost her fight with cancer Sept 5.
DOROTHY
WEBB was in Germany on her overseas tour of duty for the Air Force in
June, but returned
in Oct for retirement
While on tour in Europe Dorothy drove
thru Switzerland
and Germany and had an
opportunity
to meet wonderful
families.
RUTH WESTHEIMER
NEYMARK has had a busy
life since WASP days. She is now City
Clerk for Boyne City. Mich and still is
and has been for 10 years the City Treas
urer. Even tho her job is interesting
and is time consuming,
Ruth has time to
play bridge and attend ceramic & art
classes weekly. Her 4 ch.ildren
are all
university
students
at the present time:
Mike.25,
is a graduate
student at the U.
of Mich working on his Doctorate
in Biocheuistry;
Julie.23,
is working on her
Doctorate
at the U. of Mich thru her interest in handicapped
children;
Lorie,21,
is a dramatics
major at Mich State; Millard.19,
is a chemistry
major. at U.of M.
Ruth has started flying again sice she
has access to a Cherokee
180, but Boyne
City is in the heart of the ski country
and flying is always bad on winter weekends-crowded
skys?
MOYA MITCHELL(ESSLINGER)
is now MOYA ANONSON and living in Tequesta.Fla.
She was
"found" by Esther Ammerman
(43-8).
43-7

Secretary:
MARY HELEN BURKE
1250 Afton,#51,
Houston,Tex
77055

SAMMY CHAPIN HASSAN says she is down to

only one airplane
now-a Cessna 414. gorgeous with all the goodies on it. Husband and two boys,9 & 11, are all well.
ELEANORE
BRYANT FOLK is now living in
Houston,
Tex and almost impossible
to
catch at home since her duties as buyer
for one of tl.e citys better "goodie"
stores keeps her traveling
about.
EMERAL DRUMMOND
has spent her annual pilgrimmage,
so she calls it, to Hawaii.
This summer .she spent the entire time on
the beach at Kiehei. Even took her 10
speed bike with her. so must know the
entire island by heart. She is still the
Comptroller
for the Los Angeles Fire Department-all
60,000 men:
MARY HELEN BURKE is now with a newly formed
Corporation
that dismantles
and demolishs
buildings.
bridges.
plants, houses etc.
Mary Helen is the Sec-Treas
and says she
enjoys the work.
SYLVIA BARTER underwent
major surgery in
May and couldn't
attend the Reunion.
She
is now completely
recovered
and eagerly
awaiting
the next gathering.
BETTY CLARK and PAT SEARES SULI.IVAN are
still doing Ag work in Rifle, but took
a couple months off last winter to tour
the South Pacific.
Betty also located

ano ther instructor-Richard

Schliep,
in
Grand Lake, Colo.
A letter from the sister-in-law
of DOROTHY
FOWLER informs us the long overdue news
of Dorothy's
plane crash June 20, 1946.
Dottie was the pilot for an insurance
.man and his family, along with a family
friend on their fateful trip from Oakland
Calif. Engine trouble forced them to return to Oakland
for repairs. On their
second attempt, the plane exploded
just
after takeoff. All five were lost.
43-8

Secretary:
MARY
P.O.Box 633, New

ESTILL FEAREY
Braunfels.
Texas

LOIS DOBBIN AUCHTERLONIE

writes "What a
marvelous
time in Texas-it
sure was good
to get back and hear the 'drawl' and
good 01' hospitality.
Those wide open
spaces looked good to me. Had a nice
flight to Midland and back with JEAN
PARKER ROSE in her Aero Commander-been
so long since I had seen that many gauges, I felt like a student again." Lois
attended the Ninety-Nine
convention
in
Toronto
in July, going by commercial
air
"since the weather was so lousy." Her
husband Carl is making a good recovery
from a sudden serious heart attack on
July 24th and Lois is learning to cook
low-fat, low-cholestrol
only. After her
exposure
to heart problems ..Lois adds,
"my hat is off to Jackis Cochran
for attempting
to attend the reunion just out
of the hospital:
Whee-shat
guts."
PAT PRATT STARK has logged over 3000 hours
and is still adding the hours to her log
book-how
'bout that! Upon leaving Texas
she continued
on-to get all the ratings
except instrument,
and instructed
for
some time after being married.
"My great
pride and joy was being able to fly a
B-52 Simulator
in 1970 at Lackborne
AFB
Columbus,
Ohio." The latest is a Piper
Aztec and Pat intends to continue
flying
as long as possible.
JANA CRAWFORD
EBERLY reports
that flooding
in the wake of Hurricane
Agnes in Va. on
June 21 brought 8 feet of water into the
Eberly home-swept
away stone walls. porch,
furniture,
books, pictures,
sheds,boats,
trailers and an old bridge which had
stood for 200 years, to mention just a
little of the damage. After three weeks
of hard work and with the help of many
friends, the Eberlys were able to save a
lot of valued items. They hope to be
squared away and reconditioned
by Jan.
Jana's letter concludes:
"So we survive,
poorer in material
things, but richer in
friends, pulling together as a family."
MARY ESTILL FEAREY. New Braunfels,
Tex was
hit by a 35-foot wall of water on May 11,
taking seventeen
lives and countless
homes. Two huge storage tanks of liquid
asphalt burst under the water pressure
in
our section of the city. coating every-

thing the water touched, including people

with a horrid, globby black mess. We had
four feet of water and two snakes in our
house. All appliances and furnishings
were ruined. Ever hear of "distressed
furniture"? We have it:~ But-like Janawe feel so fortunate to have a house left
to clean and are grateful for so many
helpful friends. Our house will be remodeled and - hopefully - completed in a yr.
Attending the marvelous Sweetwater reunion was such fun and a welcome break in
our clean-up operations.
JEANNETTE GAGNON GOODRUM and ELEANOR OLSEN
WEEMS reported their efforts to obtain
military credit for service for members
of the WASPs. The letter from the Dept.
of the Air Force forwarded to Jeannette
from her Senator was not at all encouraging.(check REport elsewhere-Editor)
ELEANOR O. WEEMS, you may remember, started with 43-8 and for a period in late
1943 taught in the ground school. She
has just returned from a month of business-travel in Spain, Greece, & Turkey.
The latter part of August she was a
guest of the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. She writes that there is interest in Long Beach, Calif in holding
a reunion there. Her welcome mat is out
to WASPs traveling her way.
IRENE EYSTER ENGLUND has moved from Pleasantville, N.Y. New address is: R.F.D.
Box 55, Ossipee, N.H. 03864. Husband
Carl commutes in an Apache to Boston but
doesn't share Irene's enthusiam of flyin'
HELEN TRIGG LUTS. Hidden talents of Helen
and Jack have emerged in the firmof "DoIt-Yourself'' building their own home on
their 20 acres in the Sierras. Jack is
the carpenter, electrician, plumber,
roofer masonry-man in spare time from
his teaching job. Helen sanded and varnished each board for the cedar cathedral ceiling in their cabin. This spring
Helen got a small orchard planted and
next spring plans to have a bio-dynamic
garden and experiment with symbiosis.
(Look it up, I did) Before the year is
over, there will be a greenhouse on the
horizon. (wonder what they do in their
spare tiDe?~) The Luts thoughtfully plan
to put in a pad and hookup for a camper
or trailer so traveling friends can stop
over for a visit. (All you camper and
trailer owners, take note:)
LOIS MONK MacKENZIE thinks the WASP's '72
reunion was "the greatest ever". She
adds: "What a great bunch of fun-loving
gals the WASPs were ...and still are. I
really had the BEST time:" She writes
that she spent most of the summer in the
kitchen, cooking for her college-age son
and "from one to three of his friends
living tere all the time," adding that
it was great fun. Now that they are all
back in college, she is doing HER thing

again, President of her garden club,

bo~ling, and working in other clubs.
44-1 Secretary: JEANETTE JENKINS
340 Third St.N.W.
New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663
First news and for the record are the gals
who attended the WASP Reunion in June.
As you can see Flight 2 was very well
represented: ADELE BEYER,DORIS GEE,MARGE
WATSON,ANN WHITE,JEANETTE JENKINS,EILEEN
WORDEN,HARRIETT CALL,MARY McCABE,DOROTHY
EBY,ROSINA TODD,DELORES REED,MARIE CLARK
CATHERINE LORTZ ,ANN NOGGLE,GENE FITZPATRICK,BETTY ROBERTS.
GWEN CROSBY BATHELMESS reports that she
and husband Bud toured the west coast
this summer.
ADELE BEYER is still a business manager at
a hospital in California.
BETTY BECHTOLD BRICKFORD missed the WASP
Reunion because she was attending her
daughter's wedding in Ohio.
IDA CARTER & RUTH JONES spent the summer
in Eurpoe. Seems they changed their itin
erary so often that few letters ever
caught up with them, they are now back
in Oklahoma City for another year of
teaching school.
MARIE MOUNTAIN CLARK will be living in Ger
many this coming year. However her mailing address will still be in Ann Arbor.
She says her husband John is a professor
at the U. of Mich in Ann Arbor and is
Chairman of the Dept.of Mechanical Engineering. He is on a year's sabbatical
in Munich and Berlin. Son David is a var
sity swimmer and a senior in the U.ofM.
Engineering College and daughter Eloise
is a violinist and a sophomore in music
at Mich State in East Lansing. David and
Eloise will visit their parents in Germany for a bit of skiing at Christmas
time. ROSIE LEWIS TODD's son Gerry, and
Marie's son David entered Mich U.together as freshmen. Marie still plays the
flute in the Ann Arbor Symphony.
DORIS GEE is a real estate broker in one
of those beautiful California valleys.
MARDO CRANE received the National Aero
Club Safety Award for her skill in making a perfect forced landing in Ord,Neb
while participating in the Powder Puff
Derby. Mardo founded the PPD in 1947
and has raced many times. She said this
was her first real forced landing and
she credits her WASP experience for enabling her to make it a safe one. She
is still raising and showing Cairn Terriers and writing novels while taking
on the additional duty as Editor of the
Ninety-Nine News. She still has a few
autographed copies of the PPD novel,
"Ladies: Rev up Your Engines!" available at $3.25 each.
DOT KRASOVEC EBY recently renewed her pilot's license without her children or

husband(he's a pilot for Pan Am)knowing

about it 'til the deed was done.
GENE SHAFFER FITZPATRICK & DOLORES MEURER
REED report they plan to fly the Palms
to Pines Air Race of over 800 miles up
the West Coast. This year Gene didn't
fly in the PPD tut stayed home and waved
everyone off in the Race including her
daughter Kay. Gene seems to be doing a
lot of flying and keeps in touch with
many of the WASP in Calif while acting
as a contributing editor for the Ninety
Nine News, too.
DOT HENRY reports that she has been working in the DOD Schools since early in
1960. She has had tours of duty in Germany.Japan,and now Korea. She is principal of the Middle Schools in Yosan
which have an enrollment of 537 this yr.
She loves the travel opportunities that
go along with thework. She keeps hoping
she will run across another WASP, but so
far it has never happened.
MADELON BURCHAN HILL missed the WASP Reunion because son Marty, in his third
year at the AF Academy and son Tim. in
his first year at Annapolis were both
home. Marty has his pilot's license
Glider Pilot's Instructor Rating, p~ratroop Wings, and is now taking up ballooning. Sure sounds great~
FRAN JOHNSON took five semesters of Italian
at the University just for fun. while
she was living and working in Italy
about ten years ago. Now she has met a
man who speaks almost no English, so her
Italian which has been dormant for so
long is now getting much use. She looks
forward to returning to Italy when she
retires.
MARJORIE ELL FELDT REES saw a News article
on the Reunion in the Kansas City Star
so renewed her membership in FIFI, even
tho she couldn't attend Sweetwater.
NADJA GADOWSKI KOSTUK known to us as Gadget reports that son Ken's operation was
a success and he will soon finish his
Bio Med Photo Course. Gadget says she
spends her spare time on the golf course
and looks forward to vacation time in
Florida this fall.
CATHERINE MURPHY LORTZ is still an efficient city treasurer.
ANN NOGGLE is a Professor of Photography
at the U.of New Mexico. You might find
some of her works in the Photo Magazines.
ALBERTA HUNT NICHOLSON missed the event in
Sweetwater because of illness. We hope
she is back on active flying status now.
MARY JERSHIN O'ROURKE - The O'Rourkes am
daughter Linda and her husband,Frank Morgan, plan to attend the Olympic Games in
Munich and travel in Europe this fall.
Jersh says that husband Gorden has retired from the Air Foree after 30 years.
BETTY WALL ROBERTS is now working for the
Am.Cancer Society out of the New York
Office on a research project. She does a

lot of traveling and seems to love every

minute of it.
ANN BARTHOLF RAWLINGS had her picture in
WASP uniform and a wonderful write-up in
the Albuquerque newspaper about the time
of the Sweetwater Reunion. Her husband,
Col. John Rawlings, is stationed at Kirkland AFB. Ann's son is learning to fly
and has just soloed. She also has a
daughter who is married.
MARGE HARPER WATSON and husband Elmer also
plan to be in Europe this fall. Seems
the WASP are very much on~the move. Keep
your eyes open all you Fifis and you
might see a WASP whom you know.
JANE ROBBINS is still lecturing for the
Christian Science Church and is planning
an extensive tour outside the USA for
the next 12 months. Her many committments
prevented her attending any of the reunions to date.
It was good to see IKE KEALY WORDEN,MARY
KOTH McCABE,ANN HOPKINS WHITE still looking so youthful and effervescent at the
reunion in Sweetwater. And now let us all
look forward to the next reunion. 197???
44-2

Secretary: MARY ELLEN KEIL

56 S. Chesterfield Road Columbus,
Ohio 43209 Phone: (614) 231-7367

That DELIGHTFUL REUNION AT SWEETWATER in

June was attended by eight from our class
KATE LEE ADAMS,MARGARET TWITO,MARY ELLEN
KEIL,NEMA MASONHALL,JEAN SOARD,FRANCES
TUCHBAND,JOANNE ORR, and RUTH WOODS.
Everyone noticed a number of this group
around the piano singing on Sat night.
MARGARET EHLERS TWITO felt her greatest
thrill at the Reunion was getting to see
her former flight instructor, Fred Bries.
Margaret has recently worked for Dale
Carnegie, after 26 years as a homemaker.
She also has been active in the League
of Women Voters. Margaret's husband, who
was also at the Reunion, flies for North
West Airlines and recently qualified as
a 747 pilot.
JOANNE WALLACE ORR practically "gave her
all" to get to the Reunion,having to
charter a plane from Dallas to get there
in time for the opening party. She was
rightfully happy to announce that her
husband had just won the primary election for Lieutenant-Governor of Indiana
and she has been very busy joining him
in the campaign.
KATE LEE HARRIS ADAMS is living in Houston
Texas these days so she commuted by air
to the Reunion each day.
JEAN MOORE SOARD is engulfed in the Disneyland expansion in Fla,but enjoying it.
FRANCIS SMITH TUCHBAND spends much of her
time on the golf course in the summer,
and even played 18 holes one day at
Sweetwater in the 100 degree heat~ So
you can tell she stays in great condition

NEMA MASONHALL said her greatest thrill at

the Reunion was seeing and being with all
the old WASP buddies. Her most recent,
achievement was flying a BT-13 again. and
riding in a PT-19.
RUTH WOODS is going to start flying again
as soon as she can get the work caught up
in the office, shc says. She wrote recently and spoke of how wonderful it was
to see her friends at the Reunion and
plans to remain more frequently in con~
tact with them.
MARY ELLEN KEIL flew to Sweetwater in her
Arror 200, accompanied by Marian Schorr
Betzler(43-2) also of Columbus,O. It was
a great experience to compare flying in
to Avenger Field in 1972 with flying
there in 1942! Much was different, but
many things remained the same. Mary
Ellen flew in the Angel Derby in May of
this year, from Ottawa,Canada to Ft.Lauderdale,Fla. She is teaching school,
boating on Lake Erie, and being active
in the Columbus Metropolitan Area Women's Political Caucus.
BETTY Le FEVRE wrote that she planned to
attend the Reunion in her mobile home as
part of an extended vacation, but her
16 year old daughter was selected as an
exchange student by Rotary to Japan for
a year, so Betty scrapped her plans for
a vacation. Betty has kept up with her
flyi~g through the years and still loves
it. She belongs to a flying club which
has an Aeronca Champ and a Cherokee 140.
She taught her 16 year old to fly-and
she soloed on her sixteenth birthday!
Betty has been in the real estate business for many years. Her new address
is: 37 Albin Road, Delmar N.Y. 12054
MARJE GILBERT STEWART is working as asst
librarian in an elementary school and
driving teenagers to volunteer groups.
Family plans conflicted with the Reunion.
MURIEL LINDSTROM SEGALL has been found!
She wrote that her address is: 3605 West
Lake Drive,Austin,Tex 78746. Maybe we'll
hear about those past 22 years she was
"lost" at a later date'?
MARY "SANDY" SAUNDERS WILLSON missed the
Reunion because she was in the process
of moving and changing jobs. She is now
with Stevens Aviation, Inc. in Greer,S.C.
Sandy mailed her A-2 dress jacket and
beret for the museum.
JEAN HASCALL COLE was in Africa at the time
of the Reunion. She has five off-spring,
and says she should receive her M.A. in
English this year. Jean is participating
in the Arizona Women's Political Caucus,
helping to maintain freedom in Ariz.
ANNELLE HENDERSON BULECHEK doesn't fly anymore but plays lots of golf and is always
"number one runner-up". she says. She
gave up her ad agency when she moved to
Shreveport and has recently changed her
street address: 242 Bruce Ave, Shreveport. La. 71105

MARY HECKMAN hasn't flown in 12 years, but

has learned to speak Portuguese to help
her communicate with the many immigrants
in Southeast Mass. Mary is a registered
blood bank technologist.
LEONA GOLBINEC ZIMMER missed the flight in
Dallas to take her to Sweetwater, but she
did do some flying in the interior of
Venezuela in a Cessna 310.
As of Sept 27,1972 MILDRED GROSSMAN PALMER
is a new one of the lost. Her card was
returned to me marked "moved". Ten other
members of our class are also "lost".
Will anyone who knows the correct address
of any WASP from 44-2 listed with an asterik (*) in front of her name, please
send the corrected address to me. It is
almost unbelievable we have lost touch
with 20% of our class! Let's get some addresses flying.
44-3

Secretary: ISABELLE G. McCRAE

P.O.Box 452,Lemon Grove,Calif 92045
Phone: (714) 466-0014

SPECIAL MESSAGE: All of you 44-3ers--If you

missed the Sweetwater reunion you really
missed out. It was about the most exciting thing since my training days at Avenger Field. When I landed my plane on an
Avenger runway I truly felt I was home
again. It is the same field, same wonderful Sweetwater hospitality and many of
our classmates present. But there were
far too few, and it is sad to know that
we have drifted so far apart that only
a handful can get together at anyone
time. But those of us who were there
lived it up for a few days and spent much
time hanger-flying and remembering our
happy, happy training days in Texas.
DOROTHY MOULTON ROOMEY of San Bernardino
flew with me as well as two other girls
from the San Diego area--Bonnie Shinski
(44-8) and Maxine Smith (43-6). We took
off late,late on Wed. afternoon and ran
into a line of Thunderstorms & Tornadoes
in eastern Ariz, so spent the night in
Gila Bend, arriving in Sweetwater about
noon the following day. The first person
I saw when I walked in the hotel was our
dear old Primary Instructor J.R. SMITH,
Smitty to us. Same old Smitty, smiling,
happy and the life of the crowd-a one-man
welcoming committee. Smitty and his wife
Nonie had arrived a week early in order
to be in fine trim to greet the WASPs-meaning daily golf. 4:30 a.m. swims etc.
Smitty said he was up at 9:00 a.m. Fri.
and went to bed on Sun at 3 a.m. Wonder
why he bothered to go to bed at all?
SMITTY is an avid golfer-the highlite in
his life was playing in the Palm Springs
Classic (now the Bob Hope). He and Nonie
are also interested in bowling, swimming
etc. The Smiths have 4 children and 10
grandchildren. The oldest,Richard, is a
Professor at Georgia State. Smitty is in

the printing business in Hot Springs,Ark.

following in the footsteps of his father.
Says his first experience in the shop was
from his baby carriage. Smitty would like
to know if anyone knows where Clarke Rowe
is and if so please notify him. "Click"
was also an instructor at Avenger Field.
SIS TUFFIN BERNHARDT came to Sweetwater
from St.Petersburg, Fla for the reunion.
She has written a lengthy letter about
herself and family, but I've misplaced
it, so shall have to list that next yr.
She did send an address for Kristin Lent
who had been lost for a long time.
KRIS SWAN LENT has been in Dobbs Ferry.N.Y.
for 13 years. A college friend found a
clipping in a Des Moines paper, telling
of the reunion, but due to a family reunion, Kris was unable to attend. She
and hubby Bob have 4 wonderful children,
the oldest.Mary, is 25. They have 3 grd
grandchildren. Kris says her home is
like Grand Central Station, but she loves
it and has thoroly enjoyed raising her
children, with the usual jobs of Den Mother, Scouting, Church, and foster parent to 27 rare lizards,8 imported birds,
cats,dogs,etc.(sounds like my house when
Mike was growing up). Now that the children are grown and finished college Kris
plans to get back into flying. Husband
Bob is #1 in her life and they enjoy
many sports together-tournament badminton, tennis, bowling etc. Their plans
for summer vacation were a week together
just relaxing,sail-planing, and fishing
in Elmira,N.Y. Kris sent a beautiful picture of herself and Bob, but I don't dare
send it in for print-it's the only one
she had. Sounds like a beautiful 30 yrs.
JIMMY PARKER REES. She couldn't make the
reunion because she was eKp~cting son
Jim home on leave from the Military. Her
daughter Molly is in a private school
and living at home. Home is a beautiful
big house on a hillside overlooking Monterrey Bay which Jim has been making over
for the pas~ year or so, altho they have
purchased a hundred acres at Hunter-Leggett Military Base with 6 cabins/guest
houses.
RITA MURPHY WISCHMEYER, lost for years,
turned up at Sweetwater. She and her husband Hank have been in Dallas since 1949.
Hank was field Vice-Prez for Hancock,but
left July 1st to start his own consulting
service. They have 8 children and I think
4 grandchildren-first 5 were girls,oldest
26 and youngest 9. Henry,Jr. is in the
Naval Academy Prep School, aiming for
Annapolis. The Wischmeyers owned a Bonan~a for 5 ~ears but Rita just went along
for the rIde. She's been happy raising
her family and in between bandaids and
bruises she enjoys reading,bridge,tennis.
HAZEL RICHTER has been living in Dallas
and working in insurance since WASP days.
She has her Solicitor's license and 8
diplomas from insurance courses. She

doesn't fly now but seems interested in

hearing about it. Her pride and joy-her
grandchildren.Christy Sue,3,and Clinton
Cory,17 months. Their mother,Susie, was
but 2and a half when Hazel was at Avenger Field in '43 & '44. Susie graduated
from college in '62 and now re~ides in
Tucson. Hazel toured Europe this summer
prior to the Reunion and plans Thanksgiving in Tucson.
NORINE "PAT" PATTERSON WELCH resides in
Tempe, Ariz. She flew to Dallas and drove
over to the meeting with Hazel. These 2
gals have kept in touch all these years.
They thought the Reunion great: And suggest a 44-3 gathering in Dall as.
VIVIAN GILCHRIST NEMHAUSER flew in from
NYC with a daughter. As mentioned in a
previous Newsletter, Vivian's husband
is a prncticing physician and they've
done lots of volunteer work in the deprived areas of the city. Two of their
nice children. a son and a daughter,are
In the San Francisco area-other daughter
is still in NYC.
SISSY (DELROSE) SEIBER from Okla City flew
in for our festivities and then on to
Calif to spend some time with her sister
Apparently she's enjoying retirement.
MAXINE MANOGUE HARVEY drove in from Wichita Falls. She's still as vivacious as
ever and excited about her children
4
in number. If I didn't know differe~t
I would think she was still about 30:'
JUNE BRAUN BENT and her husband John returned to Rochester from a trip to the
South Pacific in May and stopped for 2
days at Kauai to,visit
EUNICE BOARDMAN who has been living in the
Islands for a long time.
PAULA MacLEOD LOOMIS travels more than she
is home. This summer she and her husband
were in South Africa before summering in
Manchester, Mass. and returning home to
Middleburg, Va.
ANN RUSSELL DARR is quite successful in ber
chosen field-writing free verse. Her latest book is "St. Ann's Gut" and the main
theme is flying-planes,birds,skies,feathers,etc. Fifis are especially asked to
read "Hanger Nine" & "Flight Over The
Zuni Mountains" if interested in Ann's
talent. Presently Ann is scheduled to
give readings in this country-having been
on a program in England with Theodore
Weiss. Feb 28, 1973 Ann will be on the
program at the International Poetry Forun at the Carnegie Lecture Hall in
Pittsburgh, Pa. Ann expressed herself,
"I think that poetry has come to mean
to me what flying used to mean-sheer delIght when it's done well." Ann's youngest daughter Shannon,spent the summer at
Prescott College's Survival Course in
the Colorado mountains.
MARY HELEN CRANE,Flight 1, mentioned while
at Sweetwater that she hopes to get active in flying again to keep in touch
with more of the gals who fly regularly.

I put her in touch with a 99.who lives

in the Dickinson,Texas area and hope to
hear she's behind the controls again.
JULIET JENNER STTEGE of Sherman Oaks,Cal.
(I think she's still there?) enjoyed the
meeting and apparently has.made every
reunion so far:
MARY T.GILMORE WALLACE was extremely disappointed to learn the dates of the Reunion because she and her husband were
on a long-planned Safari in Kenya at
the time.
LOUISE PRINE has moved from Mount Olive,
Miss. to Hampton, Va.
Your HELP is needed. WE STILL NEED ADDRES
SES for: ELIZABETH CHAMBERS,BERYL OWENS
PASCHICH,MARY ABBY QUINLIN,STARLEY GRONA,
ALMA JACOMINI MACY,LOIS BRISTOL RICE.
.There are many others who have not answered my pleas for news but since the
letters have not returned to me I assume
they are too busy to write. Remember
your activities for the past 30 years
make interesting reading for those who
trained with you, love you, and want to
keep in touch::
44-4 Secretary: ALYCE S. ROHRER
3600 Landfair Rd, Pasadena,Ca 91107
FRANCES STANDIFER ACKER sent a wonderful
newspaper article about the Sweetwater
Reunion done by Kathy Garvey,the society
editor of the Vacaville Reporter. It is
complete with pictures and information
on everything from the Air Show to the
unveiling of the WASP marker and the ban
quet. It includes complete information
about the WASP from inception to completion of the program. Frances has a
son John who is now serving in the AF
at Vance AFB. He has a wife and small
son Derek. She also has three daughters
Teri,married to Lonn Sweeney of Beale
AFB with small daughter Heidi;Debbie,
20, a Solano College student; Barbara
16, a senior.at Vacaville High School.
Husband Don is an Air Force doctor who
retired in July of this year. The family is at home now in Vacaville.
MERIEM ROBY ANDERSON says she hasn't enjoyed herse~f in years as much as she
did at the reunion. She didn't stop
laughing and chattering from the time
she met a group of the.gals in Dallas
enroute,until they left to go home. She
sends a great big "THANK YOU" to Dedie,
"Rooney" ,"Bucky", the town of Sweetwater.
and everyon~ else who worked so hard to
make the reunion a success. THESE ARE
SENTIMENTS IN WHICH WE ALL JOIN:: She
attended the 99 convention in Toronto
but reports it wasn't half as much fun
as being once again with the old Sweet
water group.
MARGARET DIFFIN CHURCH missed the reunion
for a very tragic reason. Her son,Barry
Dallwig, was in an aircraft accident at

Nashville,Tenn. on June 10. He was flying mail for Sierra West Airlines of
Van Nuys in a Beech 18 on a run to check
but another pilot. According to Margaret
the new pilot had trouble landing and
retracted both flaps and gear prematurly
As the plane settled,the props hit the
runway and the tips flew off into the
nose fuel tank. There was instant fire
and tho both escaped thru an especially
built escape hatch the consequences
were terrible. Barry was burned over
46% of his body,has a broken back,broken femur, dislocated shoulder and some
cracked ribs. The other pilot died the
next day. Margaret spent the summer
near her injured son and is just now
back at her job as Museum Technician at
the.Naval Construction Battalion Center
in Port Hueneme. Barry has been medivaced to Long Beach Veterans Hospital,
5901 E.7thSt,Bldg 122,Ward C-l, Long
Beach,Calif. for paraplegic therapy(drop
a card) Margaret sends her apologies to
those who were scheduled to fly by
Sierra West to the reunion. She reports
that the first thing Barry said to her
in the hospital was "Now I've ruined
your reunion." His picture shows him to
be a handsome intelligent young man and
a son of whom any woman could be proud.
Our prayers and best wishes will be with
him in his long fight towards recovery,
health, and a place in the sky again.
JEAN McCART still runs the Beverly-Cross
Agency in West Los Angeles. She says she
has changed her address a couple of times
since the Roster was printed,so please
use her business address which never
changes: Beverly-Crqss Agency, 1281 West
wood Blvd. ,Los Angeles,Calif 90024.
BETTY WILLIAMSON SHIPLEY still teaches
school in San Antonio,Texas. Her husband
is retired from the regular AF but she
loves her third grade work and teaching.
She keeps in touch with Ina Petsch and
is responsible for having her back on
the Fifi roles.
HAZEL STAMPER HOHN agrees with others that
the WASP Reunion was a highlight of the
summer. She drove with her husband Werner and the two youngest children to
meet her G-6 baymates who were also in
attendance with their husbands. The only
baymate not there was ETHELYN SOWARDS
YOUNG, but Hazel and Werner visited her
in Chester,Calif later in the summer.
Hazel reports that Ethelyn felt unhappy
over missing the reunion but her son was
getting married at that time. During the
last week in August Hazel and her family
and Alyce and Jim Rohrer visited for a
weekend with Frances and Don Acker at
their beautiful new Frandon Acres. Swimming,horseback riding,chatting on the
patio and eating delightful food was the
order of the day. It was a wonderful
weekend and a last delightful visit be-

fore the beginning of school and winter

activities back home.
PEGGY PARKER ECCLES writes that it was a
result of Florine Scaife's excited phone
call half way across the U.S. that she
found herself once again in Sweetwater.
She has been married to an auto dealer
and living in Klamath Falls, Ore for the
past 23 years. She says it is a beautiful
area in the south central part of the
state. She has been involved in the multitudinous activities surrounding her two
boys and one girl~Scouts,P.T.A. pre~i~encies,Camp Fire Girls and church pos~t~ons.
She is now Pres. of the Board for Camp
Fire Girls and has enjoyed 4 yearson the
National Council. Peggy says she had been
flying regularly until 5 years ago. but
two toxic goiters have involved her eyesight to a point that it is no longer
feasible. Darn it: Why do we all have to
get older? Some of the rest of us hav~
had to give up flying because of eyes~ght
problems too. Best wishes to you and your
nice family,Peggy.
INA BARKLEY PETSCH resides in Phoenix,Ariz.
and has for many years at 5701 E. Indian
School Road, Phoenix,Ariz.85018 . Ina has
two grown children; Donna who has a seven
year old daughter and Buddy, in Europe
now and home to college in the fall. She
says her husband Roy practices law in
Scottsdale and now that the children are
grown she is looking around for something
to dO ..a problem we all get when looking
at four walls every day. Good luck, Ina,
and keep in touch.
ANABELL EARP RUSO was very unhappy to miss
the reunion but she didn't hear of it
until 2 days afterward with a phone call
from JO BAKER CLAIBORNE. She writes: "I
was just sick about missing the Reunion
for I would have been there. My children
are all growing up. I have been attending
the U. of Santa Clara; Lesley is in her
senior year majoring in accounting and
Rick is in his sophomore year, still undecided. Lindsey is in high school-a senior and varsity cheer leader; Nick is a
freshman and going to be quite an athelete
My husband and I did quite a.bit.of traveling about the country unt~l h~s death
5 years ago. Now I'm working for a firm
of attorneys(15 to be exact) and I find
it a challenge. I'm just hoping now that
it won't be another 25 years until the
next reunion. My congratulations to all
of you who have kept the Order of Fifinella alive.
CAROL KELLY GRANGER sent a nice article
about herself written in the Carlsbad
(Calif) Journal on Sept 14 containing
many interesting sidelights on the WASP
program. Carol's picture was used-~ne of
WW II vintage with her decked out ~n her
flight gear and ready to test the K-213
(the WHAT? .ed.) Carol now lives with.
her husband Sandy,a former Navy man. ~n

a sprawling, multi-windowed home high on

a hill overlooking North County where she
commands a view of the ocean and ski.
Sounds wonderful.
FAYE WOLF OLNEY is still teaching at OraLge.
Coast College and loves it. She has a
daughter in her second year at the same
school and her son is a senior in high
school. Because of a summer school
assignment, she could not attend the Reunion but would love to hear from friends
who did.
FRANCES ROULSTONE REEVES' career has taken
her a long way from the flying she loved
but it hasn't been dull. After leaving
the WASP she narried an ex-Army instructor and they had a flying school for one
year. When he was killed in a cropdusting accident she stopped flying herself
to become a buyer for Bullocks Pasadena
for 15 years. She then launched her own
business, designing dresses under her
own name of Frances Reeves of Calif.This
lasted 8 years until an unfortunate partnership necessitated closing the firm.
At this time she moved to Los Alamitos
and is back in the retail merchandise
business as manager of 33 stores in Cal
and Texas. She has one daughter,Barbara,
by her first marriage, now 26 and the
mother of a son Geoffrey,aged 7. Frances
has two other children at home, Nick,19,
and Rita,18. Frances would love to hear
from those who attended Sweetwater-her
complete street address in Los Alamitos
is: 12100-152 Montecito Road.
FLORA BELLE SMITH REECE still lives in
Glendale,Calif and would love to see any
WASP friends passing thru. She drove to
Sweetwater with her husband to visit her
G-6 baymates and many others. She is a
math teacher but plans to take it easy
this year and not do any teaching-those
of us who also teach may call her periodically to groan and envy her all that
lovely leisure time.
RUTH SHAFER FLEISHER says the highlight of
the year was the reunion because everyone
did so much to make it a success and
visiting with old buddies after such a
long time was a real thrill. She is still
doing some Air Force Reserve work at Ho~estead AFB in the Flight Facilities Sect~on
with the tower and GCA. She does some part
time instruction flight-wise at the local
airport and flies with the HAFB Aero Club.
She recently had a chance to fly the Pitts
Special and do a little aerobatics and
says it is a wonderful airplane. Her 99
activities have kept her busy the last 2
years as Chairman of the G~ldcoast C~apt.
attending Secational & Nat~onal meet~ngs.
She sends thanks to those who contributed
to the success of the reunion and hopes
for more opportunities to meet .and visit
with old friends.
DORIS B. TANNER has wonderful news to report. Gov. Dunn of Tenn. has just appoint-

ed her to the State Board of Education.

She believes she is the first woman to be
appointed to that position. Hurrah for
Women's Lib and all that stuff. Congratulations, Doris:! We are really proud of
you. Doris flew to Los Angeles in August
to visit with HALLY STIRES and take in
the Laguna Beach Art Festival. She loved
the Reunion--and didn't we all.
FLORINE MANCIB PHILLIPS SCAIFE writes that
she is happily married and since her husband retired last summer they are building a vacation home in Sea Pines Plantation on Hilton Head Island,S.C. where
they have had a golf villa for some yrs.
She says any WASP golfers are most welcome there. Her son Keith is a sophomore
at Northwestern U. and her daughter Laura
is a freshman at the U. of Colo.at Boulder. She has been a hospital volunteer
for 15 years and calls herself a registered adult Girl Scout. She is active in
the Daughters of the American Revolution
as Regent of Captain Hubbard Burrows
Chapter in Hinsdale, and Ill. State Chair
man of DAR schools. She says Hinsdale is
close to O'Hare Field and downtown Chicago and she would happily welcome a call
from anyone passing through the WindyCity.
NOTE TO 44-4 from the Secretary:
I have sent out letters of inquiry to all
listed as graduates of 44-4 ( notice I
left out the "W" ...it irritated me even
before the days of Women's Lib that we
always had to be designated Woman Pilots)
Anyway, these addresses in the Roster are
no longer current and I have verified it
at considerable time and expense: DELLA
GREMLIllG,LOUISE BRAND HYDE,JOANN PARRY,
DOROTHY HEATHNECK SWEENEY,JAN DUNBAR TEDESCHI,ANN M. UFER,ODEAN BISHOP PARRISH
If any of you know how to contact the
above listed girls, please write to me
and I'll do the follow up work.

flying their own plane about 5 years ago.

and seem to be much more relaxed. They
are grandparents and enjoying the socalled "middle years". Irene missed the
reunion because of a broken ankle-in a
cast most of June and July. OK now.
MARGARET PHELAN TAYLOR .has been relocated
at: 4038 Ben Lomar.d Dr. Palo Alto Calif.
LUCILLE CAREY JOHNSON has worked as a FIt.
Instructor for Johnson Flying Service and
now as manager of Greenville Aviation
Service,lnc. in S.C. She has over 10,000
hours and her duties include being Chief
Pilot there at Downtown Airport and an
FAA Examiner, when not supervising her
16 year old son.
JANE DYDE MILLER had the good fortune to
have someone in her home town follow thru
on mail tho she hadn't lived there in 20
years. Her husband Richard is an ecologist at Yale-they met in England 6uring
the War when he was with the 8th Army
and Jane was a "doughnut girl" with the
Red Cross. They have 2 boys-one at Hampshire College and one in high school.
Jane has been working for ZPG (Zero Pop
Growth) ,editing "Population Profile";
interested in a Drug-Line and the Human
Rights Council. She says she hasn't been
in a plane since her days in Ga. except
to get from A to B.
44-6 Secretary: GERRY TRIBBLE VICKERS
12436 Kenny Dr,Granada Hills,Ca.91344

44-W-6ers had a great time at the reunion.

Those attending were: BEV BEESEMEYER,
MARY BREIDENBACH,SUE BOOTH,EDITH CARLTON,
MILLIE COATS, SUE DELANO,AVA HAMM,NAN HAZELTINE,LAVINA LIPPINCOTT,FRANKIE LOVVORN
ROSE PALMER,MARIE PEDERSEN,MARY RETICK,
RODDY RODRIGUEZ,BETTY WILLIAMS,GERRY
TRIBBLE,JEAN HIXON,MARY GOSNELL.
MILDRED COATS MacCROBBIE and Paul have been
doing a lot of traveling the last several
44-5 Secretary: Need Volunteer
years. They are currently on a 5 week
tour of Europe,visiting Greece,ltaly,
MILDRED TAYLOR MARSHALL, wife of Maj.Gen.
France,Spain,Holland,and Germany. Their
Winton W. Marshall, is in Hawaii awaiting
20 year old daughter Ellen just returned
her spouse's return from his tour of duty
from Europe,herself,before entering prein Vietnam.
med school Their other child,Thomas, has
MARGOT HARVEY (Worthington) VEAL, wife of
finished his military service and is now
Maj.Gen. William W. Veal also was unable
attending Pierce Jr. College.
to attend the reunion, but June 27th has
NAN HAZELTINE FULLER and husband own a
special meaning for her-in 1944 on that
printing shop which keeps the whole famdate she received her wings-and it's alily busy. This was especially great when
so her birthday.
Nan attended the reunion and they were
GWEN CLINKSCALES LINDER is returning to
able to pinch-hit for her.
aviation again. Sept 1972 she initiated
MARY RETICK WELLS' husband has been teacha course at the Fairmont East High School
ing her to become an exercise enthusiast
in Kettering,Ohio in Aviation Educa~ion.
They are jogging-up to how many miles a
She is also continuing her classes 1n adday now? He was an expert cameraman at
vanced biology at the school.
the reunion and got many good shots.
CAROL BRINTON SELFRIDGE is now with new
BETTY WHITE DYBBRO has the lIfe. Lives at
name and new address: Ms Glenn Selfridge
water's edge on Vashon Island where she
Rt.2,Box 2700-21, New Castle,Calif.95658.
can scavenge for all kinds of delightful
IRENE RAVEN ROBERTSON is still snug 1n Wy.
things. Then she plays golf every day,
She and her husband Cyrus finally gave up
often joined by Phil.This summer both

took a raft trip down the rapids of the

Colorado River.
NANCY UPPER FORAN has been employed as a
computer programmer for the past few
years. Daughter Kathy is an airline stu
which allows Nancy to make tr1ps to various parts of Europe on "relative status"
GERRY TRIBBLE VICKERS enjoys her job as
Eligibility Supervisor for Los Angeles
County Welfare Dept. She flew wi~h other
Ninety-Nines to a sectional meet1ng 1n
Monterey in Sept and got the old bug to
start flying left seat again.
BARRY VINCENT SMITH made an around the
world trip in March with daughter Carolyn who is now a stewardess for Pan Am
and stationed in Los Angeles. Barry expects to be visiting Carolyn and WASP
friends in Calif in the fall.
LAVINA LIPPINCOTT GREEN is teaching school
in Louisiana (Texas?) and had a ball at
the reunion.
BETTY THOMPSON SHARR says everything went
awry on her plans to attend the Reunion.
She is still in Caliente,Calif. and is
"crushed" to have missed Sweetwater.
DOROTHY BANCROFT HAMMETT was in the throes
of moving from Okla City,since her husband retired from the FAA, and could not
attend,but"my thoughts hung heavily over
Sweetwater while I doggedly kept pack1ng
boxes:",is how she put it. They are now
ready to move into their newly built
home in Sun City, Ariz.
BETTY JANE WILLIAMS was the first woman
Reservist in any branch of the military
selected to attend the Armed Forces
Staff College. Norfolk,Va. for the Reserve Officers Orientation Course. She
graduated from that course 23 June and
then flew on to Sweetwater for the Reunion. In August she was on another 2
week tour at the Pentagon, working with
the Sec of the Air Force, Office of Information where she holds a Mobilization
Augumentee position.One weekend Betty
flew up to New York and was joined by
Clara Jo Marsh Stember(44-3) for a visit
at Noni Horton Anderson's(43-7) country
place in Dover Plains.
DORATHEA PURINTON SCATENA is a traffic
supervisor for the Pacific Telephone Co,
living at: 1727 Glenwood Dr. Bakersfield
Calif 93306. Her husband 110 is a hardware consultant and a Colonel in the Marine Corps. He is presently the CO of
the local VTO group. Dorathea has one
daughter,Sharon Elizabeth Schmidt, who
is also employed by the Pac Tele Co as
a line assigner; and one step-daughter
Valerie Marie Scatena who resides with
the Scatenas while graduating in only
3 years of high school, and now into
college.
44-7 Secretary: BETTY PETTITT NICHOLAS
125 W 82nd St. ,Indianapolis,Ind 46260

JEAN LANDA spent the month of June in Alaska and was unable to attend the reunion.
She and Carlos have 3 daughters(all now
married)and a son,Carlos,Jr. Carlos is
president of the Spokane Valley Savings
& Loan and Jean is Sec-Treas--a business
they started after Jean got out of the
WASP. Her husband is also Mexican consul
for Eastern Wash and Northern Idaho. Jean
has started flying again and does a bit
of X/C in a Cessna 182 while trying for
her instr"ment rating.
OPAL HICKS FAGAN lives in Honolulu and is
taking an instructor refresher course to
keep up with her 21-year-old daughter,
Judy,who is getting her Commercial and
plans on island hopping with the tourists.
DOROTHY SMITH LUCAS was delighted with the
reunion and to see girls she hadn't seen
in 28 years. Dorothy has 5 children-three
girls married,a son who is a high school
junior and an ll-year-old daughter in
~he si~th grade who already swims competitively. Dorothy is on the trail of MARY
QUIST EDWARDS, now living in Mexico, and
should come up with an address soon.
JANE HARRIS CUNNINGHAM couldn't quite believe she was in a museum until she saw
our class picture and book in the Sweetwater Museum.Her son Chris turned up #1
in the draft lottery this year, but she
hopes he can finish college first. Jane
located ELEANOR GUNDERSON at 6901 E 2nd,
Tucson,Ariz.
MURIEL RATH REYNOLDS has a change of addres
in Santa Rosa, Calif to 2061 Illinois Ave
Muriel missed the reunion on account of
the death of her father the week before.
S'.leteaches in junior high and enjoys her
charges. Her son Karl is taking a work
break after 2 years of college. Muriel's
not back to flying'yet, but you can tell
she hasn't lost the bug.
ALBERTA PASKVAN KINNEY admits nothing comes
up to the highlight of the summer-the Re
union. Number one son was graduated from
Western Michigan this spring. Berta extended her trip in Texas by taking two of
her other boys to visit NASA and the
Alamo, then took them for a train and a
bus ride(considers them the deprived
youth of the air-age).
BETTY PETTITT NICHOLAS still manager of a
Word Processing Center for a company
which just built 3 fabulous new buildings
called the "Pyramids", and sti 11 flying
her Cessna 150 when Indiana visibility
permits. What a Reunion:-And how wonderful to see everyone. Took a whole evening
to catch up on RUTH BAUER's doings.
18 of us made the Reunion-that's a crowd::
Besides RUTH REILLY BAUER(from Alaska),
VELTA BENN,PAT BONANSINGA,BETTY BROWN,
JANE CUNNINGHAM,EILEEN FERGUSON,MARGARET
GARLAND, SCOTTY GOUGH,BERNICE HAYDU,ALBERTA KINNEY,BETTY LOTOWYCZ,DOROTHY LUCAS
LILA MANN,NONA PICKERING,BETTY JO REED,

OLA(SEXY)REXROAT,MARY VANDEVENTER. Hope

I didn't miss anyone.
lOLA CLAY MAGRUDER is the trainee who wrote
a column at Avenger called "Tailspins"Remember? All these years she has been
lost in her own hometown of Rockville,Md.
She teaches 12 months a year as a regular
school year 5th grade teacher,and art
teacher in the summer. They have a farmette in the country with 3 gorgeous riding horses. Their only child, a daughter,
graduates from Frostburg College in Jan.
MARY ANN WALKER DREHER's husband retired
from the Air Force and they're living
in San Clemente,Calif.
EARLENE FLORY HAYES didn't make it to the
reunion because of illness in the fam
ily, but she did send a battle jacket
and blue coveralls.
JOAN ALLEN SMYTHE McKESSON was cruising
with her husband and 2 sons in their
sloop "Pegaso" during June. They left
San Diego April of 1971 and have traveled the Pacific and Gulf sides of
Baja Calif. and up and down the mainland coast of Mexico, returning just
too late to make the reunion. Joan has
done a little flying,too,and is getting
the urge to return to it. She has also
helped set up the WASP display in the
Aerospace Museum in San Diego. They are
still living aboard their boat at: P.O.
Box 6079,Pt Lorna Station, San Diego,
Calif. 92106.

She said she is like a kid at Christmas

waiting to hear from all the gang. Her
address: Route #2,Wister.Okla 74966
DIXIE KELLEY said "The Sweetwater Reunion
was just about the nicest thing that has
happened to me since my solo flight in
1943~ We all feel the same way,Dixie.
MARJORIE CHRISTIANSEN BECK also missed the
reunion but was brought up to date on all
exciting events by a surprise visit from
JACKIE HUGHES PETTY and her husband. She
writes that she married an Electronics
Engineer for IBM and has 4 lovely children-2 married, Brian a Deputy Sheriff for
Santa Clara County,Calif.father of three
children; Channa Lee works for a bank; 2
at home,Dagny and Rodney who will start
to college this fall. They do a lot of
water skiing in the various Calif lakes,
and when the two children at home "extend their wings", she and Frank intend
to do a lot of traveling.
BETTY TURNER, after that greatest of all
reunions, continued on to Calif to visit
with her sister-in-law. She also spent a
fun weekend in San Francisco with MAGGIE
GEE & "COOKIE" JACOBSON ONESI. Arriving
home july 10 she is already looking forward Lo the next one-whereever it may be.
MICKEY McLERNON BROWN says she had hoped by
now to have had some results for requests
for uniform part~, but no luck. We repeat
some info: Some years ago Mickey donated
her uniform to a museum in San Antonio.
It wasn't utilized there, but wound up at
Ft Sam Houston Military Museum-missing a
44-8 Secretary: Need Volunteer::
few items. Needed are: Beret(summer,Santiago Blue worsted) ;lapel insignia WASP;
MYRTLE "MICKEY" ALLEN died in Hawthorne,
shoulder insignia of Eastern FTC; belt;
New Jersey before March 1972. -Mickey
and wings;and purse. Also - if anyone is
was with the ATA(Air Transport Auxiliary)
interested:
in Great Britain during 1942-44.
Mickey reported she had written the Historical Research Div. at Maxwell AFB and
44-9 Secretary: BETTY STAGG TURNER
received from them a history of the WASP
6161 LeSourdsville-W.Chester Road
at Napier Field, ALa. ,where she had been
Hamilton, Ohio 45011.
stationed. Presumable there are other
"histories" compiled by other bases?
ELIZABETH BRISCO STONE heard about the reDoes anyone else have information along
union only 2 days before from an uncle
these lines? PLEASE NOTIFY 0 of F ...::
in Chicago. Because her husband Ross had
ANN GRIFFIN GLESZER is back teaching French
suffered ~ major heart attacks this last
in Newtown High School,Newtown,Conn. She
year, altho now doing wonderfully well,
lists the Reunion as "unforgetable". Husthe trip would have been too much for
band Ken took many pictures and would
him-so Betty didn't come. Betty and Ross
like to hear from the gals who wanted a
have 4 children-Ross,Jr.25 years old
copy made. Ann and Ken,inspite of poor
married with one daughter of 3 years;
weather conditions, manage to fly many
Mary age 21 a medical technologist; Liz
weekends in their Piper Cherokee to Marage 13 and eighth grader who loves ridtha's Vineyard, Nantuc~et, and Boston,as
ing and showing her horses; Les age 9 and
well as Canada-where they spent their
a fourth grader, who is his dad's conweek vacation on Prince Edward Island on
tribution to baseball. Betty worked as an
July 10th to see the total eclipse of
instructor in Frederick,Okla G.I.Flight
the sun, surrounded by scientific groups
school ,married Ross Sept 14 1946,moved to
from Natl Geographic,MIT,South American
Wister Okla in 1950 where they bought a
countries,and students. Their oldest son
ranch to raise their 4 children. It's
Douglas graduated from Norwalk State Tech
been 6 years since Betty quit flying due
nical College in June and is working as
to two long bouts with cancer. Two major
an electronics technician. Son Glenn is
surgeries and the whole route of cobalt
in his Junior year at Plymouth State Coltreatments put her out ahead the winner.

County Commissioner for the past 2 years

lege in N.H. Ann seconds the motion of
and New Years eve'd with MILLIE PETERSON
ELAINE HARMON that we all think about
YOUNG in Colorado Springs. Ran into an
establishing a vacation place for WASP::
old Sweetwater friend not long ago,Robert
MARY WYALL mentioned that in '71 the PPD
Krupansky, and learned he is a Federal
had a WASP Award to the FIFI with the
Judge in the Cleveland-Ohio area. Rebest score, donated by the Phoenix Chapmember him? He remembers many of you:
ter of the Ninety-Nines. WHO WON IT??
MARY JANE LIND SELLERS has moved,says hello
BETTY MARTIN RIDDLE, while attending with
MARY E. WILLIAMSON graduated from School of
her husband Howard, the Natl Bu sinessJournalism at U. Missouri in 1947, M.A.
man Aircraft Assn 25th Anni Convt in
at Columbia U. in 1950, spent 17 years in
Cincinnati, met with Betty Turner for
advertising, back to school in 1968, is
lunch, much reminiscing over pictures of
now an asst professor teaching broadcastWASP training days, Indio and Sweetwater
ing and related courses at the U.of Nebr.
Reunions. Also reported-daughter Sue,25,
Her dissertation is being typed and she
married with a 3 year old daughter, is
hopes to have her PH.D. within months.
working at St Anthony Hosp as Medical
Hobbies are golf, curling, and keeping
Librarian; son Steve, married with a one
young enjoying campus life. Thanks to
year old daughter, is recently returned
PAT SIMMONDS for keeping in touch.
from Vietnam and now stationed at Ft Riley
Kansas; son David,9-many will recall see- RUTH GLASER GUHSE is a secretary for a
construction company(perhaps th~ii justing him at Sweetwater-is the only one at
purchased Cessna 206 will st~r the flyhome. Good Friday eve Betty, Howard, and
ing bug?) Enjoys relaxin~ pools ide with
David were guests of Esther Cuddington
husband and poodles-her children. stepand her husband John-and an evening of
children, and 6 step-grandchildren have
memories. John, as many'will recall, was
left to do their own things. Ruth has
at Eagle Pass where he and Esther knew
located CHRISTINE GRAYSON BROWNING AND
many WASP.
NATALIE JONES VINSON. Good work: . '
JOAN OLMSTED,Lt Col USAF, is stationed in
KATHLEEN A. HILBRANDT is busy with Ninety. the Vietnam war zone at the PACAF hqtrs
Nines and fly-ins.
of the Seventh AF. Distance and time made
CAROLYN LUMPP GROWCOCK has been traveling:
it impossible for her to attend the Rethree weeks in Chicago and four in lovely
union at Sweetwater.
Monterey.
JUNE WOLFE LECKIE is a deacon in her church
44-10 Secretary: SARA P. HAYDEN
"June always has such nice things to say'.'
22 Stadium Rd, Methuen,Mass.01844
DOROTHY H. DAVIS has worked for the past
25 years in the Veterans Administration
ANN ATKEISON, our hard working convention
in San Francisco. She expressed the sengal, says she and her mother had a ball.
timents of many that WASPs should be
The Withers-Atkeison Studio creat~d the
granted veteran's status even at this
Order of Fifinella Award "Fifi" - that
late date. Texas Congressman, Olin E.
lovely individual bronze casting preTeague, is Chairman of the Committee on
sented to the deserving ones at the reVeteran's Affairs.- Maybe he could help?
union dinner. The studio is a hobby now
JOAN FRETER UHALT and her jusband in the
hopefully growing into a business. Ann
Air Force have been transferred to New
and Frances Withers enjoy creating art
Orleans.
objects and unusual jewelry for their
IN SWEETWATER: EMILY CHAPIN eating hamown pleasure and for anyone else who
burgers at 2 am at the 77 Truck Stop.
would like something created. We wish
MILLIE YOUNG,"I'm moving in with you"-them much success.
"No,no: The bed is full already'; FRANCHARLYNE CREGER left for a tour of Europe
CIE MEISNER PARK."But I sleep on the
in Sept, hoping to see Kay Kleinicke of
floor". VIRGINIA McPIKE COAKLEY "Now
44-9 in Rome. Charlyne was full of pep,
WHERE did I put all those plastic bags?~
money-making projects, and entertaining
JULIA LOUFEK KEMPORT,"I had to sleep in
outfits at reunion. Lost one favorite
the car." MARY CEYANES WAGNER,"Come for
yellow,green,and tangerine beach towelcocktails." Instructor L.F.ROBERTS,Jr.
if found, please return, postage guarreunioning with students Millie, Sara
anteed. (No questions asked ....ed?)
Hayden, and Betty Sloan(44-8). Dr. R.O.
"CAPPY" MORRISON reports a good recovery
FUQUA, dentist, taking time out from
after a stay in the hospital which made
transportation duties on Sunday for an
her miss the reunion. Sends many thanks
emergency filling. Inst. RIGDON EDWARDS
to all for the Snoopy get-well cardsreminiscing about how startled he was
Snoopy being such a favorite her car is
one day in th~ top of a slow roll to
named for him: She visited the "mainland"
see student Virginia McPike hanging by
in July and has since been enjoying some
her feet from a Stearman and holding
sight-seeing with friends and relatives
the bottom end of the seat belt where
in beautiful Hawaii and Kauai.
it had broken. She later said he wasn't
JACQUELYN RILEY ZERLOUT had planned to
about to get rid of her so easily-and
make DWT from Fla, but family sickness
there were rattlesnakes Gown there::
prevented that. She has been a Berrien
>

INSTRUCTORS
GIP D. OLDHAM,Jr gathered the followingshall quote it: AL YATES came in Wed.
nite,a mixup on dates. He flew
DAL,
TI to Lubbock and rented a car and
drove. He's United DC-lO Capt out of NY
soon to transfer to LA; DAVE LAMB, TI
DC-9 Capt,Dallas; TOMMY GIVENS, has been
flying pipeline patrol for 27 years out
of San Angelo; J. HUETT, Dallas real estate; J.C.PACE, supermarket King in Ft.
Worth area and is one of the top men on
the Regional Alp Board abuilding here;
HERMAN FUCHS, 21 years flying for Atom.
Energy Comm. in ABQ and still is; PAUL
BANKSON, FAA Traffic Control i~ Denver;
RALPH EMMERT, drove in from Ill.; RIG
EDWARDS, SW businessman who worked hard
on this whole deal since '69; McILYEA,
AA DC-lO Capt out of Dallas; PINKARD,SW
rancher; FRED BREISE, from Calif; RAY
BOOTH, another SW rancher; L.F.RoBERTS
flew in from the SE someplace; LES
JONES, talked to but can't remember what
he's doing; WELDEN GEORGE, LUTSZ, LAVENDER, PAUL HILL were also present. It
was a darn good turnout of instructors:
SMITTY was the first non-worker to arrive and HEBENSTREIT, the last-BILL had
canx his Fri reservation because he was
in Hawaii on biz, arrived home in KC Sat
nite and flew in Sun morn in his Bonanza
in time to visit with a half doz of his
students. Thanks, Gip.
CAREY BOWLES didn't hear in time-is with
Flying Tigers as a check pilot. lives in
Sparta, N.J.
GLENN MILLER talked to McElyea about all
the activities and was sorry to miss the
chance to reminisce with those who attended-heard too late to change his sche
duling as an AA Capt.
ALFRED FLEISHMAN who directed PT and drill
for the gals at Houston couldn't attend,
but his thoughts were there-he has a Pub
Relations & Opinion Research CO.in St Lo.
FRANK PERIGO couldn't attend because of his
duties as a Church of Christ minister in
Alabama.
DON ANDERSON read about the reunion, but
was already scheduled on FIt 79 as Branff
Capt to Miami
L.V.RUDOLPH is an airline Capt for Modern
Air Transport Inc. in Berlin,Germany
CLINTON L. HUBBARD was in from beginning to
end at Sweetwater-then switched to Capt
of the FAA's Boeing 707 used in high al
titude flight inspection program. Since
his retirement he's using his experience
in Texas Inernational's APT Dept.
DON SMITH is with Eastern Airlines.
JERRY BOXBERGER had a personal commitment
and couldn"t make Sweetwater, but he
tries to dip the wings of those TWA
707's as he passes by.

,0

BILL HARPER attended with his wife. They

own and operate Harper's Motel in the
heart of the Potomac Highland in Moorefield, W.Va. Mr. Harper'hasn't flown
aerobatics for years, but they have an
airplane and take short trips whenever
they can gee away.
ZIGGY HUNTER was recuperating from a broken leg in Dallas while the reunion was
progressing in Sweetwater.
Staff Members
DR.DOLTON JARRATT, dentist.at Avenger, was
back again with us. He is living and
practising at Big Spring,Texas.
LILLIAN WITTER (Witter the Fitter) of Nieman Marcus sent her regrets. She fitted
all the uniforms in Sweetwater for the
graduating classes.
JEAN FORSTER couldn't make it because of
her work schedule but was "present in
spirit."
ALVA LEE WEBB, looking sylflike in a photo
she sent, was busy managing a friend's
boutique in Austin.
HELEN SHAW, family illness kept her home.
KATHERINE DEL VAN DOOZER died in 1972. She
was an ATA pilot in England before returning to the USA in 1944 to aid in
the WASP Program.
COL L.E.McCONNELL wired his regrets and
sent a special hello to all the WASPs
with whom he served.

A TRIBUTE FROM NON-GRADS

Dear WASPs,
I feel that I have the unspoken permission of all the non-graduates,those of us
who didn't make it,to congratulate you on
your 30th anniversay and the success of
your reunion in June. Some of us were
there. May we tell you how very proud we
1re of each of you: It goes without saying
that we know you understand we were not
there to "hog your glory" ,nor be represented - except as Fifis,but to honor you,
to share your comaraderie and to say,"Well
Done~" We, of all people,know the pride of
your achievements and are proud to be
called Fifis. Congratulations and thanks
for your welcome to the reunion. WHAT A
GREAT BUNCH OF GALS::
JEWEL ESTES (44-10)

LOST & FOUND DEPARTMENT

Owner should contact the 43-W-8 Secretary
MARY ESTILL FEAREY for octagonal gold rim
sun glasses found in Sweetwater.

BONUe

!_
I

PHOTq

CREST photographics

. =~::.=-:.,,".,.,:.

,.,_".",1

JACKIE COCHRAN & JOAN OHE (44-2)

Top: Wishing at the Avenger Well.

Mid: Viewlng the Air Show Standing:
RUTH BROWN,MARGE DRESBACH,MARY FEAREY,
MAX FLOURNOY. Seated: MARGOT RECK,DEE
WILLIAMS, LOIS MacKENZIE,JACKIE CARMINE
All of 43-W-8
Bot: Also at the Show. Standing: HARRIET
CALL,GENE FITZPATRICK, DOLORES REED,
MARION HODGSON{43-5) ,KAY LORTZ,ADELE
BEYER. Kneeling: MARY McCABE,EILEEN
WORDEN,DOROTHY EBY.
HELEN TRIGG LUTS(43~8)
ELIZABETH McGEORGE SULLIVAN(43-6)
HELEN PORTER SHEFFER(43 5)

OofF

MEMBERS

REGISTERED

44-4
44-9
44-10
44-5
Inst
44-6
43-3
44-3
44-1
44-7
Inst
43-3
44-9
43-3
43-3
43-4
44-1
43-8
44-10
43-4
44-4
44-3
44-10
43-4
43 4
WAFS
44-7

Acker,F.
Aldous,M.
Atkeison,A.
Bain,L.
Bankson,Paul
Beesemeyer,B.
Berner,E.
Bernhardt,M.
Beyer,A.
Bonansinga,P.
Breise,Fred
Brick,K.
Brown,M.
Bristol,E.
Budde,B.
Burbeck,J.
Call,H.
Carmine,J.
Chapin,E.
Clair,V.
Clairborne,S.
Chapman,M.
Coakley,V.
Collins,B.
Cooke,J.
Crews,N.
Cunningham,J.

44-4
44-4
Staff
43 8
44-4
43-5
44-4
43-6
43-4
44-10
43-4
44-7
44-1
44-4
43-4
43-7
44-8
44-6
44-7
Inst
44-1
Inst
44-9
44-5
44-10

Dalrymple,M.
D'Arezzo,C.
Deaton,D.
Dresbach,M.
Dunlap,G.
Ebersbach,D.
Eccles P.
Ellison .A.
Engle.M.
Estes,J.
Fender,G.
Ferguson,E.
FitzPatrick,G.
Fleisher,R.
Florey,R.
Folk E.
Frost,J.
Fuller.N.
Garland,M.
Garrett,Tom
Gee,D.
George,Weldon
Glezer A.
Grasso H.
Growcock,C.

43-3
43-7
Inst
44-3
44-10
Disp
Inst
44-10
44-6
44-4
43-5
43-3

Hai ley,L.
Harding,L.
Harper,W.C.
Harvey,M.
Hayden,S.
Head,Alberta
Henry,Earl
Hilbrandt ,K.
Hixon,J.
Hohn,H.
Holland,H.
Howard.J.

AT SWEETWATER:

44-2
44-4
43-8
43-4
44-7
44-7
43-4
43-2
43-4
43-5
44-6
44-7
43-8
43-2
43-6
43-4
44-9
43-2
44-6
43-4
44-1
43-5
Staff
43-6
44-10
44-9

Adams,K.L.
Anderson,M.
Auchterloine,L.
Bane,E.
Bauer R.
Benn,V.
Beith E.
Betzler,M.
Bishop,E.
Boyd,B.
Bretherick,F.
Brown.B.
Brown R.
Buehner,B.
Bullock,M.
Calhoun,H.
Cannon,H.
Chaffey,K.
Chappell,M.
Christian,J.
Clark,M.
Cole,R.
Cochran, ,J .
Cook,C.
Creger,R.
Cuddington,E.

Daniel,D.
44-8
Davis,E.
43-5
DeGray,I.
43-5
Dula,A.
44-4
Durham,L.
43-7
44 -1 Eby,D.
Edwards,Rigg
Inst
Emmett,Ralph
Inst
Inst Erdmann,Henry
Fearey,M.
43-8
Ferguson,D.
44-9
Fernandes,B.
43-3
FitzSimons,R.
43-5
Fliesbach,J.
43-4
Flourney,M.
43-8
Folkins,C.
44-4
Fuchs,Herman
Inst
43-4
Gamber.R.
Garrett,P.
44-9
44-10 Gaunce,M.
Genaro,M.
43-2
Gladney,P.
44-8
Gough,S
44-7
Green,L.
44-6
44-10 Guhse,R.
44-6
44-9
Inst
44-10
44-7
43-6
43-4
43-5
43-5
43.-7
43-2
43-4

Hansen,M.
Harman,E.
Harting,Al
Hash,V.
Haydu,B.
Henesy,D.
Hicherson,G.
Hill,G.
Hodgson,M.
Holaday,A.
Hooks,H.
Howerton.r..

Howren,E.
James,T.
Johnson,A.
43-1
.Johnson ,R.
43-5
Jones,Les
Inst
Jordan,G.
43-5
Keefe,L.
43-4
Kelley L.
44-9
Kenny L.
43-4
44-10 Kimport,J.
Kingdom,G.
44-8
Lazarsky,B.
43-4
44-10 Leckis,J.
Lewis,M.
43-4
Lindner,I.
43-5
Lotowycz,G.
44-7
Lum,V.
44-9
McAdams,F.
44-9
McCann,M.
44-8
McClellan,S.
44-6
McCrae,I.
44-3
McElyea,L.K.
Inst
McSheehy,J.
44-5
MacRobbie,M.
44-8
44-7
Mann,L.
43-7
Martell.I.
43-4
Martin,B.
43-4
Mason.V.
Mayfield,G.
43-3
Meill, J.
44-8
44 -10 Miller,T.
Moore,A.T.
Inst
Moore,M.
44-4
Nagle,N.
44-9
Nemhauser,V.
44-3
Nispel,P.
44-5
Nuckols,P.
44-5
Oldham,Gip
Inst
Orr,J.
44-2
Palmer,R.
44-6
Parker,C.
44-9
Pateman,Y.
43-5
Petty,J.
44-9
Pickering,N.
44-7
Reece,F.
44-4
Reed,D.
44-1
Reynolds,C.
43-7
Richards,F.
43-4
Richey,M.
44-9
Richmond,H.
43-4
Roberts,E.
44-1
Robertson,J.
43-4
Ronstad,R.
43-6
Rose,J.
44-7

43-1
WAFS

43-4
44-4
43-5
43-5
43-5
444
44-3
43-6
44-2
43-7
43-4
Staff
43-4
43-6

Sargent.F.
Scaife,F.
Schaffer,E.
Sheffer,H.
Seymour,D.
Shipley,B.
Sieber,D.
Smith,M.
Soard, J .
Staples,A.
Starr,A.
Stires,H.
Strehle,K.
Sullivan,E.

Inst
44-1
43-6
43-6
44-9
43-4
44-2
43-4
43-4
43-1
44-7
43-3
44-5
44-5
44-1
44-7
43-8
44-1
44-9
43-5
CBS
44-6
43-8

Huett,John
Jenkins,J.
Johnson,C.
Jones,G.
Jones,M.
Karkau,I.
Keil ,M.
Kelly,W.
Kesti,E.
Kindig,B.
Kinney,A.
Leatherbee,M.
Lewis,D.
Linder,G.
Lortz,C.
Lucas,D.
Luts,H.
McCabe ,M.
McClung,R.
McCormack,J.
McElhatton,J.
McLean,V.
MacKenzie,L.

44-8
43-6
44-5
44-2
43-4
43-4
43-4
43-5
44.9
44-5
44-7
44-1
43-5
44-9
44-6
44-10
44-4
44-6
43-5
43-8
44-7
44-7
43-6
44-6
44-3
44-9
Inst
44-4
44-3
43-7

Marshall,A.
Marston,F.
Murie,K.
Masonhall,N.
Meek,R.
Mensching,R.
Minton,M.
Muller.R.
Murphy,E.
Nirmaier,M.
Nicholas,B.
Noggle,A.
Nutt,M.
Ones,M.
Parish,S.
Park,F.
Parrish ,0.
Pedersen,E.
Pfister,B.
Reck,M.
Reed,B.
Rexroat,O.
Ricci,L.
Richardson,A.
Richter,H.
Riddle,B.
Roberts,L.F.
Rohrer,A.
Rooney,D.
Ross,A.

43-6
43-4
WAFS
43-5
44-8
44-5
Inst
43-4
44-8
43-8
44-3
43-6
43-3

Saunders,V.
Schaefer,H.
Scharr,A.
Shields,A.
Shinski.B.
Shunn,C.
Smith,J.R.
Snapp.H.
Standish,M.
Stark,P.
Stege,J.
Story,I.
Strother,D.

43-6
43-5
44-3
43-6
43-4
43-6
44-9
44-9
44-2
44-6
44-7
Inst
43-8
44-1
43-5
44-6
43-5
44-8
44-6
43-6
43-7
43-5
43-4
44-9
43-7
44-10

Tanassy,F.
Teer,S.
Thatcher,R.
Thorne,N.
Tilton,M.
Tomlinson,E.
Trumbull,G.
Tucker,B.
Twito,M.
Vickers,J.
Wakely,G.
Ward,Roy P.
Warms,F.
Watson,M.
Weigel,I.
Wells,M.
Wheelis,J.
Wilkinson,B.
Williams,B.
Wilson,M.
Wise,L.
Wolf,H.
Wortz,E.
Wray,L.
Yonally,L.
Young.M.

44-4 Tanner,D.
44-10 Temme,M.
43-5 Thompson,M.
43-6 Tibbetts,M.
44-1 Todd,R.
43-6 Trammell,E.
44-2 Tuchbano,F.
44-9 Turner,B.
44-7 VandervetnerM
44-10 Wagner,M.
43-7 Walters,M.
43-3 Ware,E.
WAFS Watson,F.
44-3 Welch,N.
43-8 Weems,E.
44-5 Wethey,D.
44-1 White,A.
43-8 Williams,D.
43-5 .Williams ,V.
44-3 Wischmeyer,R.
44-8 Wise,V.
44-1 Worden,E.
44-2 Woods,R.
44-10 Wyall,M.
43-1 Young,D.
43-3 Ziler,L.

AIm MORE PICTURES

WAF TERESA JAMES,MARY FEAREY(43-8),

MAXINE FLOURNOY(43-8)

These are the 313 who paid and registered

It does not include husbands, friends, &
children; or those who "showed" but did
not pay the registration fee-we like to
think they "forgot" during the hustle of
the weekend ...?
SLIDES AVAILABLE!:
The 246 slides, collected and prepared
by Dora Strother (43-3} .and shown during
the Reunion, are availble on loan from:
Mr. Royal Frey, Chief
Research Division
Wright-Patterson AFB
Ohio, 45433

WASP MEMOR IAL MARKER

INFORMATION NEEDED:
How many gals suffered the indignity(?)
of being observed while sunning on long.
boring flights? We have vaguely heard of
several. May we have written reports ..?
PROJECT, ANyONE .....?
Dedie has 4 films which the Air Force
Museum. Smithsonian, and San Antonio Museum would like to have ....Do we give them
up? Could we keep this material togetter
for Our Own Museum? Possibly tied into a
WASP gathering area, or vacation spot7
May we have your ideas ...an9 not only idea
but suggestions on how to accomplish it:~
Write Prez NANCY CREWS.

ANN ATKEISON
44-10

&

43 -.6

WASP Members of WACOA since 1964:

MARGARET KERR BOYLAN, 43-2
KAY M. BRICK, 43-3
LORETTA FOY, 43-4
BETTY GILLIES, WAFS
VIRGINIA HASH, 44-10
GLORIA HEATH, 44-5
JEAN ROSS HOWARD, 43-3
LOUISE HYDE, 44-4
BARBARA LONDON, WAFS
RUBY MENSCHING, 43-4
DOROTHY J. MOORMAN, 43-4
LAURINE NIELSEN, 43-3 ~
ESTHER NOFFKE, 44-2
JEAN P.EARSON, 43-3
BETTY PFISTER, 43-5
DORA D. STROTHER, 43-3
DOTTIE YOUNG, 43-1
We Salute:

RUBY MULLINS MENSCHING (43-4)

This year's vice-chairman of the FAA's

Woman's Advisory Committee on Aviation
(WACOA) - Ruby has been flying since 1939,
currently operating a fixed base operation,
Mensching Aviation & Electronic Co at Akron
Municipal Airport, while husband James is
an engineer with Goodyear Aerospace Div.
The WACOA studies problems pertaining to
civil aviation and brings recommendations
to their twice yearly meetings - all have
been favorably received the past eight yrs.
by the FAA. This year the Committee is
stressing flying safety.
Ruby is no stranger to honors, her most
recent being named Woman of the Year of the
State of Ohio by the All-Ohio Ninety-Nines.
When the Menschings can separate themselves
from work and their two lovely grand daughters they head into Mexico or the Bahamas
they fly supplies and medicines to out-ofthe-way places, thus enjoying a "useful"
vacation.
In 1970 Ruby submitted to cancer surgery
and is now living, and working, proof 6f a
will to succeed. May she continue to gather
laurels in the years to come.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR OUT-GOING PRESIDENT

Sincere thanks to everyone who attended
and/or contributed to making our 30th
Memorial Reunion such a memorable one.
Your new officers are most capable and
enthusiastic and your continued support
of the organization will be the big factor
in planning the next reunion.
It has
serve as
nella; a
group of

been a privilege and an honor to

President of the Order of Fifitruly terrific and wonderful
people.
DOTTIE YOUNG

Incoming and Outgoing Prexies exchange

notes: NANCY CREWS, WAFS and DOTTIE
YOUNG, 43-1

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR IN-COMING PRESIDENT

Having started my career in the WASP as
a WAFS,being nominated for President was
a surprise - being elected was downright
astounding! Thank you. It is a great honor
and I appreciate it.
At the end of Summer in Sweetwater '72
the business of your Order of Fifinella
was handed over to the new Board by an
outstanding former Board and a hard act to
follow,but we're trying. Next July we will
meet in Minneapolis to set policy,discuss
new business,form committees and make plan
for holding the next convention in '76.
Therefore,we need to know where the majority of you want it. For instance plac~s
suggested so far are: Disneyland-Flor1da,
Guamerica-Guam,Reno-Nevada, and aboard the
Queen Mary-Long Beach.

The idea of our establishing a WASP permanent site for a future Retiement-MuseumConvention type place was informally discussed and reported to "Den Mother" Dedie
to contact the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce and see if interested - or any individual who would.want to donate real estate anywhere in the U.S. as a tax free
foundation.
Please let me know how you feel about
these things and anything else on your
minds. I'll be looking forward to hearing
from all of you - soon.
NANCY B. CREWS
MILITARY CREDIT FOR WASP RESERVISTS
A morning session was held Sunday June
25 during the Sweetwater reunion to review
the pending legistation regarding credit
for WASPs who accepted Air Force Reserve
commissions. There was little awareness on
the part of those present of the past efforts for and against militarization.
30
years have dimmed many facts which were
vivid to us at that time. The initial attempts(1943-44)to militarize the WASPs
suffered from many personal attacks on
Jacqueline Cochran, General "Hap" Arnold,
and the WASPs,themselves. A thorough review of these WW II efforts has been written by Dr.Dora Strother for an article she
hopes to get published. Those interested
in obtaining a copy might contact Dora.
The Costello Bill(H.R.3358)which was the
primary one introduced and its various revisions was defeated 21 June 1944, on the
eve of Congressional recess when General
Arnold was in the European Theater. We all
know the unforunate results.
The current proposed legistation(H.R.
15035)was introduced by Patsy Mink,Congresswoman from Hawaii. If approved, it
would credit wAsp Reservists for time served as WASPs(after graduation)thus enabling them to receive military.credit for
WW II service toward retirement, longevity
and other benefits.
Betty Jane Williams(44-6 & Lt.Col.AFRes)
checked on the status of the Bill during
her active duty tour in the Pentagon in
August. It was sent from the Armed Service
Committee to the Defense Dept, who directed it to the Army,since WASPs served with
the Army AF. The Army Legistative Liaison
Office,by August,had made a Position Paper and forwarded it to the Office of Management & Budget. As we went to press, it
didn't appear likely that Congress would
get to it before recessing. When they reconvene after the election,the Bill will
probably have to be re-introduced.

Betty further reported that both the AF

Association and Reserve Officers Association had adopted Resolutions at their annual conventions this year favoring the
legislation. She also had a favorable reaction from the Office of Air Force Reserve
at Haqt,Pentagon with the suggestion to
bring it before the Reserve Policy Board.
Before she left Washington she had meetings
to initiate this action and completed all
necessary paper work to get it placed on
the agenda. The Reserve Policy Board's
action is usually reviewed by the Chief of
Staff .
In addition,she requested that Reserve
personnel Records Center,Denver cross check
their files against a current WASP Roster
to determine who among the WASPs accepted
Reserve commissions.so we would know just
whom this legistation might affect. A current Roster was sent to Reserve Hdqts in
Washington to administer this. They said
they would be glad to cooperate.
Teresa James,who has spearheaded this
effort.is heading the Committee for Militarization and has asked that THOSE WHO
ACCEPTED A COMMISSION IN THE AIR FORCE RESERVES,please write to Betty Jane Williams
5935 McDonie Ave. ,Woodland Hills,Ca.9l364
and give the following data: date you accepted your commission,whether you served
on extended active duty, the number of yrs.
you remained in the Reserves,and your current status.
As the pending legistation is acted upon
we will report events to you.
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
Questionaire was f!lled in at Sweetwater, but many were not present. Could
we have your answers to the following:
1. Where did you obtain your flying
time to enter WASP?
2. How much flying time did you have
prior to WASP?
3. Were you interviewed to enter?
By whom? ..Where? .By mail? ...
OR, How DID you get in?
4 Where were you stationed? Doing what
5.
6
7.
8.
9.

What Command?
Is your flight physical current?
Is your occupation connected-flying?
Do you do any flying? How much?
Any work published or shown? Name &
nature of work and dates?
10. Occupation for the past 30 years?
Grab even a postal, number your reply
1-10 and mail to: KAY CHAFFEY
1834 Allard Ave., Eureka, Calif 95501.
Kay will have a compilation of reglies
for next Newsletter, so get included.

A BOUQUET FOR LAURETTA BEATY FOY (43-4)

Lauretta is the only woman member of
the Presidential Aviation Advisory Commission, being appointed in December of
1970. The PAAC is a 9-man commission to
determine the needs of aviation to the
year 2000. Their biggest project to this
time will be made public in 1973, and
may have far-reaching effects on many
general aviation areas. Watch for it.
MESSAGE FROM BETTY NICHOLAS:
Many thanks to those who voted me in as
Secretary-Treasurer. I regret that circumstances make it impossible for me to accept the job at present. My deep gratitude
to MARY REGALBUTO JONES for stepping in
and taking over the job.
NOTICE FOR EX-FIGHTER TYPES:
The P-47 Thunderbolt Pilots Association
has extended membership to all gals who
flew the "Jug". Yearly dues are only $10.
The next reunion will be in May 1973 at
the Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco,Ca.
For membership applications, contact:
KAY BRICK(43-3) 820 Blanch Ave. Norwood
New Jersey 07648

TOP: MARY ANNE RICHEY,DOROTHY FERGUSON,

MARY JONES. and VIRGINIA TRUMBULL,LILLIAN
KELLEY,LILLIAN WRAY

GIVE YOURSELF A MEMBERSHIP FOR 1973

Send .$5 donation for membership card:
Order of Fifinella
Mary Jones, Sec/Treas
395 Timberidge Trail
Gates Mills. Ohio 44040
SUGGESTIONS:
Nancy Crews,Pres
12529 Cedar AVE #A
Hawthorne,Ca 90250

Editorial Material
Lola Ricci,Editor
15341 Mulholland Dr
Los Angeles,Ca90024
top: ANN GLESZER, ?, LILLIAN WRAY,RUTH
McCLUNG,HELEN CANNON. and NADINE NAGLE,
ANN ATKIESON,ELAINE HARMON

party girls: DEDIE

& BETTY TURNER, 44-9

44-2s KATE LEE ADAMS, FRANCIS TUCHBAND,

MARY ELLEN KEIL,JEAN SOARD