LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION paying tribute to the Women Airforce Service
Pilots (WASP) upon the occasion of receiving the Congressional Gold
Medal

WHEREAS, The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was established during
World War II with the primary mission of flying noncombat military
missions in the United States, thus freeing their male counterparts for
combat missions overseas; and
WHEREAS, The WASPs were the first women ever to fly American military
aircraft; and
WHEREAS, They flew almost every type of aircraft operated by the Army
Air Force during World War II, logging more than 60 million miles; and
WHEREAS, There were 25,000 applicants when the WASPs was created; only
1,900 were accepted and just 1,078 earned their wings; 38 of them were
killed during duty; and
WHEREAS, Disbanded in 1944, these women were released from duty and
returned home; many of the women had to pay their own bus fare home from
an airfield in Sweetwater, Texas; when some died on duty, it was their
fellow aviators who helped pay for the funeral expenses; and
WHEREAS, During their time in the WASP, they held civilian status and
were not members of the military; their contributions went largely
unrecognized and the women did not receive veteran status until 1977;
and
WHEREAS, The groundbreaking steps taken by the WASP paved the way for
today's generation of military female aircrew currently engaged in
conflicts around the world, including Iraq and Afghanistan; and
WHEREAS, The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest and most distin-
guished award Congress bestows upon a civilian; and
WHEREAS, Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Barbara Mikulski introduced
legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the members of the
WASP; it was signed into law by President Obama on July 1, 2009; and
WHEREAS, WASP who qualify for the medal are women who flew under oper-
ational flight orders for the Army Air Force during World War II and
were officially named WASP by order of General Hap Arnold, Commanding
General of the Army Air Force and trainees who were killed in training;
and
WHEREAS, The WASP Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony took place on
March 10, 2010, at the United States Capitol; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to pay
tribute to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II for
their courage, bravery and serving as role models to today's women mili-
tary pilots; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the National WASP World War II Museum, P.O. Box 456, Sweetwa-
ter, Texas 79556; and the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, 1100
Spaatz Street, Wright-Paterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433.