Thursday, January 24, 2008

WASP Evelyn Pinkert "Pinky" Brier, 44-W-9

Aviation pioneer Evelyn Pinkert 'Pinky' Brier

Evelyn Pinckert "Pinky’" Brier, a San Bernardino aviation pioneer who owned Tri-City Airport for more than 40 years, died Sunday at Redlands Community Hospital.

Brier, who was 98, died of pneumonia, according to officials at Montecito Memorial Park, which is handling her funeral.

PHOTO: Evelyn 'Pinky' Brier gets kissed by the mayor in 1938. Pinky flew the first air mail letter from Redlands. (A.K. Smiley Public Library)

Brier was the first American woman licensed as a flight and aerobatics instructor and was invited to join the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASPS) during World War II. She holds the record for the most take-offs and landings at Los Angeles International Airport.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday in the Valley View Chapel, Montecito Memorial Park, 3520 E. Washington St., Colton. Interment will follow in the park.

(PLEASE CLICK FOR MORE COMPLETE STORY OF PINKY AND HER FLYING CAREER)

additional link to PINKY BRIER--OBITUARY ONLINE --San Bernadino Sun
additional link to PINKY BRIER--OBITUARY--SAN BERNADINO Press Enterprise

Monday, January 21, 2008

FLYGIRLS OF WWII -- An Exciting Way to Learn About the WASP

Waco, Texas. The Mayborn Museum Complex has extended Wings Across America's "Flygirls of WWII" exhibit until April 1, 2008.

This exciting exhibit, now on display in the Baylor area of the museum, has been an overwhelming success!

Since opening on September 15, 2007, "FLYGIRLS OF WWII" has been a resounding success, sharing the history of the Women Airforce Service Pilots with visitors from all over the world!

Here are just some of the locations from whence they came, as indicated in the Flygirls guest book:


Pine Hill, NJ
Rochester, NY
Beijing, China
Bradfield, Essex, Great Britain
Ft. Myers, FL
Denver, CO
Phoenix, AZ
Hyeres, France
Tucson, AZ
Louisville, KY
Indianapolis, IN
White Plains, NY
Overland Park, KS
Sioux Falls, SD
Perris, CA
Robertsville, MO
Athens, Oh
Canteusight, OK
Waialua, Hawaii
Havelock, NC
Australia
Broken Arrow, OK
Fairfax, VA
Fairbanks, AK
Silver City, NM
Navarre, FL
Countain, CO
Albany, NY
Dixon, CA
Twin Lake, MI
Santa Rosa, CA
Bailey, CO
Bagdad, KY
Ft. Myers, FL
Ripley, TN
Lake Charles, LA
Michoacán, Mexico
Park City, UT
Kuala Lemur, Malaysia
Wellington, New Zealand
Los Angeles, CA
Forest Lake, MN
Tilden, IL
Ina, IL
Brentwood, TN
Antioch, IL
Jonesboro, GA.

Of course, this doesn't include WASP visitors—from Marietta, Ohio; Rancho Cucamonga, CA; Denver, CO, Methuen, MA; South Lake, TX; Weatherford, TX; Ft. Wayne, IN; and Wichita Falls, TX. It also doesn't include visitors from more than 60 Texas cities. Of course, the numbers, the cities, the countries and the comments increase daily as this museum receives more than 100,000 visitors each year.

The guestbook at the exhibit has been filled with such encouraging words that are not only about the exhibit, they are about the WASP and their INSPIRATIONAL HISTORY:

"An inspiration to pilots everywhere" Betty Williamson

"I admire all the work you've done to educate people about the WASP. Thank you for sharing!" Maggie Ellor

"Another reason to be proud I was in the USAF!" Cathy Bohme

"Awesome. Their history should be taught in all schools!" Lillian & Joseph Ozun

"A very impressive display. You surpassed the WASP display at the Smithsonian." Megan Lotzenhiser

"A special thanks to the women who paved the path that all women pilots now walk" Lt. Col. Jill Long, USAF

"This exhibit rocks. The WASP were amazing!" Liz Price & Amanda Riordau,

"Thank you people who saved us" Bailey Stiff

"Magnifique" Evelyne Guinn, Hyeres, France

"Wonderful exhibit" Alice Dollahan, Retired USAF MSGT.

"In a world full of bad examples set for girls, these ladies are true heroines & icons!" Sonya Maness

"Invaluable for daughter's honors history project." Hinton family

"Way to go. I'm honored to visit this site" Catherine Moore

(Plus: These words appear MANY TIMES throughout the comments) "Awesome, great, amazing, sweet, impressive, outstanding, inspirational, informative, marvelous, wonderful, fascinating, superb, cool, Kool, wow, wowee!"


The Mayborn Museum Complex is open daily. MAKE PLANS to visit the exhibit before its too late!