LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Katherine Kornblum as one of the World
War II WASP female pilots to receive the Congressional Gold Medal on
March 10, 2010

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to acknowledge
outstanding individuals whose professional lives, personal endeavors and
community service are an example and inspiration to their colleagues,
friends, and family; and
WHEREAS, Members and former members of the Armed Services from the
State of New York, who have served so valiantly and honorably in wars in
which this country's freedom was at stake, as well as in the preserva-
tion of peace in peace-time, deserve a special salute from this Legisla-
tive Body; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Katherine Kornblum as one of the World War II WASP female pilots to
receive the Congressional Gold Medal; this auspicious occasion was cele-
brated on Wednesday, March 10, 2010, at ceremonies held in Washington,
D.C.; and
WHEREAS, The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), and the predecessor
groups the Women's Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) and the Women's
Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) were pioneering organizations of
civilian female pilots employed to fly military aircraft under the
direction of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II; the
WFTD and WAFS were combined on August 5, 1943, to create the para-mili-
tary WASP organization; and
WHEREAS, The WASP female pilots each already had a pilot's license;
they were trained to fly "the Army way" by the U.S. Army Air Forces at
Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas; more than 25,000 women applied for
WASP service, and less than 1,900 were accepted; after completing four
months of military flight training, 1,078 of them earned their wings and
became the first women to fly American military aircraft; and
WHEREAS, After training, the WASPs were stationed at 120 air bases
across the United States, assuming numerous flight-related missions,
relieving male pilots for combat duty; they flew sixty million miles of
operational flights from aircraft factories to ports of embarkation and
military training bases, towing targets for live anti-aircraft artillery
practice and simulated strafing missions, and transporting cargo; almost
every type of aircraft flown by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World
War II was also flown at some point by women in these roles; and
WHEREAS, Over fifty percent of the ferrying of combat aircraft within
the United States during the war was carried out by WASP female pilots;
38 heroic WASP fliers lost their lives while serving during the war --
11 in training and 27 on active duty; and
WHEREAS, On July 1, 2009, President Barack Obama and the United States
Congress awarded WASP female pilots the Congressional Gold Medal; during
the ceremony President Obama said, "The Women Airforce Service Pilots
courageously answered their country's call in a time of need while blaz-
ing a trail for the brave women who have given and continue to give so
much in service to this nation since. Every American should be grateful
for their service, and I am honored to sign this bill to finally give
them some of the hard-earned recognition they deserve."; and
WHEREAS, On March 10, 2010, Katherine Kornblum, along with other
surviving WASPs, came to the U.S. Capitol to accept the Congressional
Gold Medal from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Congressional lead-
ers; and

WHEREAS, An Eastchester, New York, native who now resides in White
Plains, Katherine "Ruth" Kupferberg Kornblum, age 92, was one of the
original WASP pilots; she learned to fly in 1940 and 1941 in New Jersey;
by the time the WASPs disbanded in December 1944, Kornblum had flown
about 1,000 hours for her country; she never piloted a plane again; and
WHEREAS, Katherine Kornblum's husband of 48 years, Ira, an Army veter-
an who fought in the Pacific, died in 1995; she has been a volunteer at
the Sarah Neuman Center nursing home in Mamaroneck since 1992, and,
although she's slowed down a little, she still comes in a few days a
week to do clerical work, visit patients and help however she can; and
WHEREAS, Katherine Kornblum has stood constant in dignity, good grace
and humor, and has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues,
family and friends throughout the entire period of her professional and
community service, a period of constructive involvement; and
WHEREAS, Our Nation's veterans deserve to be recognized, commended and
thanked by the people of the State of New York for their service and for
their dedication to their communities, their State and their Nation;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Katherine Kornblum as one of the World War II WASP female pilots
to receive the Congressional Gold Medal on March 10, 2010; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Katherine Kornblum.