Senate Resolution No. 2944

BY: Senator TEDISCO

COMMENDING Lieutenant Colonel Virginia L. Sweet
posthumously upon the occasion of her designation as
recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor
bestowed upon an individual by the New York State
Senate

WHEREAS, 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 preservation of peace
in peacetime, deserve a special salute from this Legislative Body; and

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to commend Lieutenant
Colonel Virginia L. Sweet posthumously upon the occasion of her
designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest honor bestowed
upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and

WHEREAS, The New York State Senate Liberty Medal was established by
Resolution and is awarded to individuals who have merited special
commendation for exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts on behalf of
their fellow New Yorkers; and

WHEREAS, Virginia L. Sweet was born on February 12, 1921; at the age
of 12, she read a story about the flight of Amelia Earhart across the
Atlantic Ocean, and thus began her great love for the sky and flying;
and

WHEREAS, In the summer of 1940, Virginia L. Sweet learned to fly in
a Civil Pilot Training program at the Schenectady Airport; and

WHEREAS, After obtaining 200 flying hours, Virginia L. Sweet joined
the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), Class 43-W-4, in Houston,
Texas; she then went on to basic and advanced training at Avenger Field
in Sweetwater, Texas, where she graduated and was assigned to Romulus,
Michigan, in the Third Ferry group in A TC; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, this extraordinary woman attended instrument
school, officer training school, and pursuit operational training, where
she qualified in the P-39, P-40, P-51 Mustang, and P-63; and

WHEREAS, By the time she was relieved from active service, Virginia
L. Sweet had flown 52 different types of military aircrafts as
pilot-in-command, and qualified as co-pilot in the B-17, B-24, B-25, and
the PBY-5 Catalina flying boat; and

WHEREAS, For her courageous service during World War II, Virginia L.
Sweet was presented with the Amelia Earhart Scholarship by Major General
Robert M. Webster, Commanding General of the Eastern Defense Command of
the Continental Air Command, United States Air Force; and

WHEREAS, Upon the completion of the Second World War, Lieutenant
Colonel Virginia L. Sweet served as a reserve commission in 1949, and
spent five years on active duty during and after the Korean War; her
military service as a WASP was not recognized until 1977 when the

Department of Defense acknowledged the women's pilot organization as
members of the military; and

WHEREAS, Virginia L. Sweet retired from the United States Air Force
Reserve in September of 1979, as a Lieutenant Colonel after 30 years of
distinguished service; and

WHEREAS, Virginia L. Sweet went on to have an illustrious lifelong
aviation career, adding some 55 different civilian types of aircrafts to
her flight log, along with 14 sailplanes and gliders; she held a
commercial pilot certificate with ratings for single and multi-engine
land and seaplanes, gliders, and an instrument and instructor
certificate; and

WHEREAS, In addition, she was an advanced ground school instructor
and flight examiner at Lake Champlain, RPI, and at most of the airports
in the Capital District; and

WHEREAS, After a humble educational start in a one room school house
in Quaker Springs, New York, Virginia L. Sweet went on to earn degrees
in multiple languages from Duke University and the Sorbonne in France;
she taught French, Spanish, and Latin for many years; and

WHEREAS, Virginia L. Sweet died on July 12, 2009, at the age of 88;
she was buried with military honors at Vale Cemetery in Schenectady, New
York; and

WHEREAS, Having exhibited her patriotism both at home and abroad,
Virginia L. Sweet demonstrated her love for his country and merits
forevermore the highest respect of her State and Nation; 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
commend Lieutenant Colonel Virginia L. Sweet posthumously upon the
occasion of her designation as recipient of a Liberty Medal, the highest
honor bestowed upon an individual by the New York State Senate; and be
it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the family of Lieutenant Colonel Virginia L. Sweet.