Don' forget our brave men and women

[justApilot]

As we get ready to enjoy the afternoon with friends, family and loved ones, let's not forget about those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our country and what it stands for. They died defending a way of life that they felt was worth dying for. They died for us. Never forget these brave young men and women. God bless you all.

 

[Long Time Gone]

And my brother is still over in Iraq for the 2nd time in his career. Wish he was home. I saw enough *hit the first time over there myself.

Don't forget our troops, regardless of your political views.

 

[Av8trxx]

For my often overlooked heroines:

As it is Memorial Day....

"Today, it's important to remember. Today, it's important...it should be important every day.

Just in case you didn't know, here are a few other things you might want to remember:

The Womens Airforce Service Pilots had to pay their own way to enter training and their own way back home during WWII.

Classmates of the 38 WASP killed took up collections to help ship their bodies home.

WASP killed received
No military honors
No American flag allowed to cover their coffins.
No gold star allowed in the familys window
No GI benefits

WASP never received the military commissions they were promised.

When they were disbanded there were:
No benefits
No honors
No parades

After deactivation, WASP military records were sealed, stamped classified, and filed away in the government archives for more than three decades.

The WASP history was left out of the historical accounts of WWII, including textbooks.

For 33 years Congress ignored the service of the WASP and refused to grant them the Veteran status they had earned.

The Veterans benefits the WASP received in 1979 did not include the financial and educational benefits other Veterans receive.

NO WASP were allowed to attend the signing of the WASP Veterans Bill into law by then Pres. Jimmy Carter.

There were no ceremonies held to present the WASP the medals and Veterans Certificate they had earned--they came in the mail.

A request to meet with the President during their 1994 Convention in Washington, DC was granted and later canceled. Reason: The President is too busy.

It took 58 years (2002) before WASP were allowed to be buried at Arlington; however, they may only be buried as enlisted-- not as officers.

1n 1984, Lackland AFB held a ceremony to dedicate a WWII A-26 to the WASP. Today, it has been repainted in the colors of the Korean War, and rededicated to a Korean War hero. A rusty sign commemorates the first dedication-but the plane now represents the Korean Conflict.

On December 7, 1944, the day of the last WASP graduation, Gen. Hap Arnold, Commanding General of the AAF, said, We of the Army Air Forces are proud of you. We will never forget our debt to you. In 1977, the AF Academy published a press release, Air Force Academy graduates the first 10 women in history to fly American military aircraft.

The Air Force did forget and so did America."

from

WASP on the Web