MEET the Women Airforce Service Pilots and experience their captivating history. Waco, Texas, November 11, 2008: Wings Across America announces the opening of the ’Fly Girls of WWII” traveling WASP exhibit at the Women in Military Service to America Memorial, November 14, 2008, 11 am. at the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery.
THIS JUST IN-Featuring guest speakers: Nichole Malachowski, first female Thunderbird pilot and Cokie Roberts and Former Ambassador Lindy Boggs--who co-sponsored the bill giving the WASP Veteran status in 1977.
HISTORY: During World War II, this select group of young women pilots became pio-neers. They were the FIRST women in history to fly America’s military aircraft. The Army Air Force used them during WWII to take over military flying jobs here in the US so that the male pilots could go overseas and fly combat missions. In less than 2 years, they flew over 60 million miles--in every type of aircraft and on every type of mission in the Army Air Force except combat. Wings Across America’s “Fly Girls of WWII” shines a well-deserved spotlight on these overlooked, unsung heroes who paved the way for every female military pilot who is serving our country today.
MEET ORIGINAL WASP: Picture ‘A League Of Their Own’ with goggles and para-chutes, as Women Airforce Service Pilots dressed in their 'santiago blues', all well into their 80’s, walk though “Fly Girls,” sharing the memories, the pride, the courage that it took to do what they did during wartime when they were in their early 20s!
CREATED by Wings Across America’s mother-daughter* team “Fly Girls of WWII” is a colorful, comprehensive and captivating history of the WASP, which includes the “WASP Film Strip”, an “Above & Beyond” tribute, a 26 foot WASP Timeline, 7 foot tall WASP standups, scale replica WWII airplanes, uniformed mannequins, hundreds of photos, a tribute to the 38 WASP who were killed flying for their country, WASP memorabilia, a celebration of their final battle for recognition, and the ‘Tribute,’ a unique mosaic featuring every face of the 1,102 Women Airforce Service Pilots in one amazing photo.
The Fly Girls exhibit and the WASP -- an unbeatable combination for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
*Director, Nancy Parrish, and WASP Deanie Parrish, 44-w-4
For online press kit http://www.wingsacrossamerica.org/PR f you would like more information about the exhibit please call Nancy Parrish at 254-366-1436 or e-mail nancy@wingsacrossamerica.org
For more information on the event, call Marilla Cushman at WIMSA1-800-222-2294 or email pr@womensmemorial.org
BACKGROUND QUTOES:
“These women should be the role models for all of us. Their service, courage, determination, integrity, honor, patriotism and faith are contagious, and we hope Fly Girls will educate and inspire visitors with these larger-than-life heroes of World War II.” Nancy Parrish, Director, Wings Across America
“I am enormously proud to help bring the first major exhibit about the WASP to the Women’s Memorial.” Brig General Wilma L. Vaught, USAF Retired and President of WIMSA
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