Tonight’s Cold Case was pretty interesting. It was the story of a WASP (Women’s Airforce Service Pilot) in 1944 whose plane and remains were found when a pond was being emptied. The Cold Case crew discovered that she had been murdered. The rest is history, or so I thought. At the end of the show, mention was made of the fact that on July 1, 2009, President Obama and Congress presented 1,073 WASPs with the Congressional Gold Metal.
Like most things dealing with honoring WWII vets, this award was a long time coming. If you recall, the WWII Memorial was only dedicated a little more than five years ago. These women were highly resented as women in uniform. The fact that they could fly only added insult to injury. Their service was seen as doing men’s work back in those days. They only flew non-combatant flights yet 38 were killed in the line of duty.
This service branch started in 1942 and between 1942 and the end of the war more than 1000 women joined up. Today, only about 300 are still alive. Still, they must have been thrilled to finally have their efforts formally acknowledged.
According to the U.S. Airforce website:
Women’s Airforce Service Pilots Elaine Danforth Harmon, Bernice Falk Haydu and Lorraine H. Rodgers were joined by five female current Air Force pilots in the White House Oval Office to witness the president sign into law a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the WASP.
“The Women Airforce Service Pilots courageously answered their country’s call in a time of need while blazing a trail for the brave women who have given and continue to give so much in service to this nation since,” President Obama said. “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.”
The 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. They were the first women ever to fly American military aircraft and they flew almost every type of aircraft operated by the Army Air Force during World War II, logging more than 60 million miles.
Being in the Oval Office while the president signed the bill awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to the WASP was exciting and “an honor,” Ms. Harmon said. “It’s really nice that all these women will be honored for their service.”
“We didn’t join the WASP looking for recognition, but were just doing what was needed during the war,” she said. “Most everyone else in the country worked hard too and did their part to contribute to the war effort.”
When young female pilots thank Ms. Harmon or call her a pioneer, she admited to feeling slightly embarrassed and thoroughly impressed with today’s military women aviators.
Congratulations and thank you to these fly ladies. You all were real pioneers and sky trail blazers.
World War II was probably the least controversial of all of the American Wars, yet those men and women, both combatant and civilian have been the last recognized. I know my father who was a veteran of WWII never lived to see the WWII Memorial, and he lived to be 80. What was it about that war that took long to honor so many of those who sacrified? Was it that those people expected nothing? How was this war different from all others?
I’m sure to make some friends with this, but I think awarding all of them the Congressional Gold Medal to the WASPs is inappropriate.
From Wikipedia:
A Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress and is, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. The decoration is awarded to an individual who performs an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity, and national interest of the United States.
So all 1,073 of the WASPs deserve the highest civilian award the country can offer? Every single one of them? There wasn’t a single bad apple in the bunch?
That’s unrealistic, and to award all of them the CGM cheapens the award. If you want to create a specific service decoration for the WASPs, great. Built a monument to them and their service at Arlington or on the National Mall. Honor some of the WASPs who had particularly heroic service with the CGM as well, but giving the CGM to all of them is just political correctness run amuck. “When everybody’s super, no one is”
What about the WACs and the WAVEs? They were also trailblazers. Do they get the highest civilian award as well? If not, aren’t you dishonoring their service by saying the WASPs were somehow more important to the war effort?
World War II was a victory that was shared by the entire nation. White and black, man and woman, everyone played a part in the Allied victory from the factory worker to the soldier in combat. People who served particularly heroically should be honored, but to elevate one particular group en masse is a mistake.
(Wow, I sure woke up on the cranky side of the bed this morning.)
Quick update. It does appear that the WAPSs were not the first group to get the CGM en masse. The first was the surviving Civil War Veterans (awarded in 1956). The Navajo Code Talkers and Tuskegee Airmen also got awards.
I’ll need to look into this a little more. If it was a single award to the WASP as an organization, I’ll withdraw my comments. But if it was over a thousand individual awards, I will stand by my initial statement.
In some respects I agree with FA. The fact that a certain group of people can be identified under a unit name seems to be the criteria for such awards. The women served their country in time of war, but never faced any enemy. Many more in the armed services have died while serving their country in time of war without ever having been in combat, but because they are scattered throughout the various branches, and not in one single group they never get the attention or similar awards. It tends to water down the honor, and is somewhat disrespectful of all those who performed a similar function, but without notice. The same is occurring for the term ‘Hero’. We need to reserve some terms to honor those who have committed ‘exceptional’ acts on behalf of their fellow men and women. Joining the armed services, and even serving in combat doesn’t automatically make you a hero. Falling on a grenade to protect others around you certainly does!
Well, I have sure learned a lot. I also feel like I have been on a roller coaster. Formerly, until I looked at the list of recipients I was ready to say, ‘hmmm, I never looked at it like that.’ I looked at the list. Nelson Mandela? Mother Teresa? Queen Beatrix? I am wondering what these people did for Americans?
I was pleased to see that Navajo Code Talkers received this award. Now there is a group who until recently received no special recognition. They did they job and returned to reservation. One of them even led some sort of insurrection against the tribe, but I digress….
I don’t know. Both SA and Formerly make good points. SA, I particularly agree with you about the term ‘hero.’ I am glad someone finally said this. I feel a new thread coming on on that one.
Recipients List
http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/goldMedal.html
Formerly, you might be even grouchier once you see that list.
I looked over the list, and there are plenty of people who I’d cross off the list, probably starting with Charles Schultz. Don’t get me wrong, Peanuts is great, but he got honored before the Apollo 11 astronauts?!?
Perhaps we just write off the CGM as a serious honor since it appears to be very heavily influenced by politics (it is approved by Congress after all) and not take it too seriously.
Either that or perhaps Congress needs to quietly start rescinding some of the awards, like the military started doing with the Congressional Medal of Honor back in the 80s. (They very quietly revoked several thousand dubious recipients. Probably the worst case was a soldier in the Civil War who received the CMH as a reenlistment bonus.)
In any case, I certainly don’t have a problem in honoring the WASPs for their service in World War II.
Lastly, add me to the list on ‘heroes’.
When I went to the WWII event at Brentsville Courthouse Historic Center, there were some ladies there re-enacting serving women of WWII. They said WWII was the first time women were sent en-masse overseas–and were killed. These women were amazing and yes…heros or heroines, no matter how you say it.
I am glad I put up this post. I thought perhaps it was silly when I considered doing it. I mean TV shows inspiring a post? However, I learned a lot as a result. I don’t necessarily like what I learned. I would probably scratch off Arnold Palmer or John Wayne.
I still don’t know if there were individual awards or if it was one big group award.
@Moon-howler
Well, you always seem inspired by Fox. Isn’t that just one big TV show? 🙂
Fox-opinu-tainment ? Yup. Thought I would give CBS a chance.
“Since the American Revolution, Congress has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.”
This doesn’t appear to address anything to do with benefitting America or American citizens. it is to recognize “distinguished achievements and contributions.” In that light, although I don’t reccognize many of the names, I don’t have a problem with any of the recipients.
Arnold Palmer, John Wayne and Charles Shultz all had distinguished achievements and had an impact on our culture. This is not the Congressional Medal of Honor, so I think people need to lighten up a little? Heroes have been recognized but it is not a requirement.
Ah rez, we are just chatting. I thought it was neat that the WASP got it and I was sorry I didn’t know it at the time. I was surprised at some of those recognized. I mean it started off with George Washington and Charles Schultz ends up in the mix? That does cause discussion.
I would hope that it would be limited to those who make contributions to America. If we want global recognition, then start a new award. I would also hope that America would benefit. Let’s not have it become like the Time person of the year where an ax murderer can be award the dubious distinction.
Not upset, wolfie. Just mentioning that people are making this award out to be more than it is and saying it is for heroes. There are awards for bravery and heroism but this isn’t one of them.
Perhaps the WASP and the code talkers should have gotten a different award that was based on heroism.
By the way, I think it is great that women in aviation have been recognized for their service and sacrifice. More than a few died while ferrying war aircraft to the war zones. They may not have “participated in combat” but when one is shot down it is hard to say they weren’t in combat. I realize that many of these women were Americans who went to help the British and may not have been technically WASP members but I don’t see a real difference. Aviation in those days was a dangerous occupation as it was.
Whenever I get ticked about the Time Person of the Year I have to remind myself that the award is not for one who is great and wonderful but who has the most impact on the world (for good or bad) that year. I guess it is keeping the award in perspective and recognizing its purpose.
I agree, Rez, hard to say they weren’t in combat when they are being shot at.
And I think you hit the nail on the head: keep the award in perspective. I have to do that with Time Person of the Year.
Starting off with George Washington sets the stage and somehow that isn’t how it ends up. And to reflect on what Formerly said, there are probably individuals in those groups who really didn’t deserve it. I would hope that it was a group award. I h ave come full circle since last night. That happens around these parts. Everyone who has commented here has brought up a different perspective.
My mother is a W.A.S.P. She is now 89 years young. Some women died in training or in flight before reaching their destination. The women had worst conditions then the enlisted men. The barracks had one bathroom for all the women. Sweetwater,TX is a dust bowl now as it was then. This is now a small museum honoring them. And the fountain is still there. She served her country without taking an oath, and without a uniform provided.
I have been a Girl Scout for ten years and an adult Girl Scout volunteer for 30 years. I get awarded a longevity pin every five years and a volunteer pin also. I earned the Gold Award, the Girl Scout’s highest earned award as a teen scout. My mother was never awarded even a certificate for serving her country.
My mother is a W.A.S.P.member. She is now 89 years young. Some women died in training or in flight before reaching their destination. The women had worst conditions then the enlisted men. The barracks had one bathroom for all the women. Sweetwater,TX is a dust bowl now as it was then. There is now a small museum honoring them. And the fountain is still there. She served her country without taking an oath, and without a uniform provided.
I have been a Girl Scout for ten years and an adult Girl Scout volunteer for 30 years. I get awarded a longevity pin every five years and a volunteer pin also. I earned the Gold Award, the Girl Scout’s highest earned award as a teen scout. My mother was never awarded even a certificate for serving her country. I hope she receives her medal before she died. One woman fought Arlington Cemetry to have her mother who was a W.A.S.P. member buried there and Congress agreed. My mother will join my father there because of his more than twenty years of service in the Army when he retired as a Colonel. He died in 1988 at the age of 74. My mother has been a widow now longer then he served. He was six years older.
Anita, thank you for posting and welcome to anti-bvbl. Please give your mother our best and thank her for her service. I hope she gets her medal also. I would have assumed they were sent out last July. I guess not.
Moon-Howler