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| The GOSSPORT GAZETTE! | ||||||||||||||
| ISSUE #2 VETERAN'S DAY EDITION November 11, 1998 | ||||||||||||||
Inside this issue:
The Gossport Gazette is not for profit.. Our goal is to shine a light on the WASP If you are interested in writing an article for the newsletter, let me know!
Nancy Parrish, PASS IT ON!
all articles used with permission |
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Julia and her WASP 'hero' did go for a ride in a B-17. Below is an email I received from her two days later. (Click on pictures to see them larger.) 
"I can honestly say that this past Saturday was probably one
of the happiest, gratifying days of my life. I picked up Margaret (Peg) Kocher at her home
before the sun rose and when it did rise, it revealed one of the clearest, most gorgeous
blue skies I've ever seen over the Island (and fair winds, too).
On a scale of 1 to 10, the weather was a 20! We approached Republic Airport and Mrs. Kocher said "I don't know how you managed to arrange this weather!" I put my palms together, fingers pointing up, and replied "I did alot of this!" She had just returned from a trip to Alaska the weekend before and didn't know anything about the contest or essay until I asked her to join me the Monday before. She could not make it to the Friday morning flight (when most of the media was there) but I was delighted she could make it at all, on such short notice. She told me that she had been interviewed over the phone about the upcoming flight by a radio station, but since she is hard of hearing and getting over a cold, it was difficult. Anyhow, Peg put on her 50+ year old zoot suit, over her Santiago blue pantsuit and
while we "hurried up and waited", outside the terminal, we were interviewed by
the local paper. The PR coordinator for the "Flight of Aces Contest" was I introduced Peg Kocher to a "Rosie" acquaintance of mine that used to rivet
P-47's at Republic (she had flown the day before) and that was kind of a nice moment. When
it was time to have some photos taken, a vintage After several photos, we finally boarded the plane and buckled up while sitting against
some cushions on the floor of the fuselage. Once we were Having Margaret Kocher there was what made it for me."
********** If you would like to read Julia's winning essay, please CLICK HERE! If you would like to contact the
author VETERAN'S
DAY A few weeks ago I was invited to write a reflection on my thouhts of Veterans Day. When I was growing up on a farm in Minnesota, we had a friend who had been a soldier in the Great War. He got out his uniform and joined a few men and went to put flags and wreaths in the cemetery. It was Armistice Day; the day Peace was declared between Germany and the Allied Forces. Following WWII November 11 was recognized in the United States as a day of tribute to Veterans and the dead resulting form conflict. 1954 after the Korean War, the day was officially designated Veterans Day. But I keep going back to "In 1919 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as Armistice Day to remind Americans of the tradgeies of war". Everyone is victim in some way of the tradegies of war. Everyone who participated in the war effort in some way is a veteran. The WASP took part as civil Service employees and it did not change what we did when received Veteran's Status by an act of Congress 35 years after the fact. SO LET US ALL CELEBRATE PEACE ON THIS ARMISTICE/VETERANS DAY!!!
Dear Nancy Parrish, My name is Bill Boushelle and I am the Public Affairs person
for the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing ( http://www.4453cctw.org/
). It is with great enthusiasm that we announce that your site is being awarded our Freedom
Award. We have enjoyed viewing " WASP on the Web " and have learned much from it. We owe a tremendous debt to the women who came to the aid of our country! Their devotion to country, freedom, esprit de corps, bravery, and sacrifices are incredible. We would be pleased if you would accept the Freedom Award from the members of the 4453rd Combat Crew Training Wing web site and also link to our site. Most importantly, we want to say THANK YOU to all of the women who served as WASP's and to you for creating such an informative web site to educate us all. Best Wishes ! Tom Pirtle, Buck Seibert, Bill Boushelle
WASPs
Set New High According to the New York Herald-Tribune, the WASPs have set
a new high in air safety records, -- even in an Air force famed for the safest flying
record in the world. In over 3,000,000 miles of flying , says the Tribune, the WASPs have proved careful, diligent pilots, and their accident curve continues to turn downward. The U.S. Air Force,. as a whole, has had fewer accidents during the last year in proportion of the total amount of flying than at any previous time in its history. |
I am not one to toot any kind of horn...but I do want to shout about the
WASP and about the tremendous response the WASP on the WEB site has been
receiving. Since going online at our original web address in June of 1996 (with Requests by elementary teachers and students, college students, and
scholars across the United States continue to crowd our mailbox. The WASP who have
consented to let their emails be a part of our 'contacts' page have been emailed questions
and thank yous from teachers and students alike.
Update...this month we are still hearing from the WASP and the PBS stations. Responses have been enthusiastic and encouraging. We're looking forward to beginning the interviews after the first of the year. STILL LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD SPONSORS! On this Veteran's Day, if you know of a company that believes in supporting a project that will preserve the WASP contribution to the allied victory in WWII, please, let us know! If you'd like to know more about Wings Across America, check out the website!
...a few thoughts by Steve Mintz Last night after work I went to see "Saving Private Ryan." I was completely numb and moved at the end and found myself thinking more of the movie, the history, bloodshed, tears, and victory it symbolizes rather than my work today. I figured you would be the best person to write or talk to since obviously you have a soft spot for WWII history as I do. As I have been thinking of the movie, I have found a new sense of appreciation for what was done in WWII. Perhaps more importantly why we have Veterans Day. Seems like my generation, who is very removed from the past it seems, dismiss the past frequently, with the excuse of it happened a long time ago and lets move on and forget about. Nothing wrong with moving on but how could one forget it? I find it very troublesome that many people my age have little idea of what went on. Not just over the sacrifices made in WWII but in all the wars. I am sure a lot of people would turn over in their graves and the others would be infuriated by this attitude. I guess being in Europe has also given me a different perspective as well. I found Saving Private Ryan to be a very honest film that did not glorify war but
rather showed it for the ugly monster it is and what it can do to people. I was moved by
it more than any other movie—even Schindler’s List. I now have a greater
appreciation for what was done and an understanding as well. Just wanted to share my thoughts and feelings with you on the matter as I have been thinking about it all day. (Steve has been been working in Europe.)
Reprinted from FROM The Avenger May 11, 1943 Field Has First All-Women
Military Flying School in World As the only school in the world completely
devoted to the training of women pilots in advanced military flying, the 318th
A.A.F.F.T.D. at Avenger Field is under constant surveillance of the high official of the
U.S. Army Air Forces. Recently Major General Barton K. Yount, head of the Flying
Training Command, and Major General Ralph P. Cousins, commanding the West Coast Training
Center visited the field.
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very few pages) we
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