National Wasp World War II Museum-- Part 1

In the last week, I received a letter asking for money for the National WASP World War II Museum, written by Mary Alice Putnam Vandeventer who served in the group.

She said she had gotten interested in flying in college and after 100 hours of flight training, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. She was accepted and graduated from the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.

"As a WASP, I piloted aircraft like the PT-13, PT-17, and PT-19. I also flew an AT-6 pulling 20' X 3' targets for aerial gunnery practice. This was dangerous work as shells would sometimes miss the targets and hit our planes." (Hey, the gunners were learning!)

She believes it was unfair that the 38 WASPs who died in World War II didn't receive death benefits. They would "pass the hat" to insure proper burial.

More to Come. --DaCoot