Photo courtesy of the Dole Institute.


SOAR ONCE MORE VFW & LADIES AUXILIARY


PARTNER WITH DOLE INSTITUTE TO RECOGNIZE WOMEN PILOTS


hen Bernice “Bee” Falk Haydu fi nished high school, she was at a


crossroads. With no money for college and only clerical jobs on the horizon, she was staring down an uncertain future. That’s when she decided. “I told myself to stop feeling sorry for myself and do something about it.” And she did.


for the U.S. government. They took an oath of service, trained on military bases and lived the military life. But they were not considered military, not until 1977 when Haydu, her husband, a senator and a congresswoman fought for and won veteran status.


WASPs W


After applying and being accepted, she and 1,074 other young women became the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II, a specially trained group of women to test aircraft and fl y domestic missions


26 LADIES AUXILIARY VFW MAGAZINE


In early 2010, the remaining members of the WASPs were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C., at a special ceremony.


“The Gold Medal was so important,” said Dawn Rochow Balden Seymour. “It fi nished the circle.”


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