CAF RISE ABOVE® Inspiring young people to RISE ABOVE adversity using the lessons and stories of the and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).

I think all of us are happy to see 2020 in the rear-view mirror and we have high hopes that 2021 will bring us back to whatever the new normal in our lives will be. But no New Year celebration is complete without some look back at the last.

By any measure, 2020 tough. Nearly everyone has lost a friend or acquaintance to this terrible virus. But like and the WASP, it is adversity that makes us stronger and we at the RISE ABOVE Squadron took that same approach.

It was our hope that 2020 would be the full-scale launch of the addition of the WASP Photo courtesy Max Haynes program to our traveling exhibit, but just as our tour was starting, it ended. That doesn’t In This Issue - January 2021 mean that we have been idle. • Leaders View With the pandemic interrupting normal school and business operations, several • Tour schedule at a glance organizations came together to create and offer an inspirational back-to-school toolkit • Greetings from the Ambassador for educators with accompanying health and wellness resources. It is called the “® RISE ABOVE® Back-to-School Campaign”. It is a fantastic team collection of resources that provide educators with resources that use the examples of • Our mission in action the Tuskegee Airmen and WASP stories to help children deal with the stresses caused by • Shop with a purpose & Join the isolation and the insecurity of the current environment. Top Flight Club • Educational resources Sadly, many children have not been able to return to a normal school setting, but these programs were created in a way to be used in remote learning as well. Response has • Tuskegee Airmen: Did you know been great and we look forward to continuing with this exciting program long after this • Blue Skies Theodore Lumpkin, Jr. crisis has passed. • Tuskegee Airman: quote of the month Also, we are proud to announce that we have teamed up with Carol Cain, former • Tuskegee Airmen Profiles: Ivan Associate Director of the WASP museum in Sweetwater, Texas, to develop stories and other content for the WASP online content that matches the Tuskegee Airmen resources. McRae • And then there where women! These online resources have and will continue to be the “go to” resources for young The Many Faces of Rosie the people who want to learn more about the Tuskegee Airmen and now the WASP. Riveter We also need to take a moment to recognize some of our volunteers who work quietly • Tuskegee Airmen: Virtual behind the scenes to build these valuable resources: Elaine Webb, Education officer of Museum artifact spotlight the CAF DFW Wing and CAF WASP Squadron Historian, Dr. Daniel Haulman, retired • Tuskegee Airmen: Archive photos Chief of the USAF Organization History at the USAF Historical Research Agency, Craig • WASP Profile: Ola Mildred Huntly, Tuskegee Airmen Subject Matter Expert, and finally Deidre McGee who edits Rexoat this newsletter. • WASP: quote of the month None of this would be possible without the support of many of you who, in this time of • WASP: Did you know adversity. Without that we would not be able to continue this rewarding work. • WASP: Archive photos • Thank you supporters Whatever 2021 holds for the RISE ABOVE Squadron you can know that the volunteers • For more information and staff of our organization will work tirelessly to keep these stories relevant and in the forefront of young people all across America in the year ahead. Tail Winds,

Doug Rozendaal CAF RISE ABOVE Leader

RISE ABOVE tour schedule at a glance

We have numerous events that are still in the planning stages, closely monitoring local Covid cases and restrictions to finalize details, so please check our event calendar often for updates.

To book RISE ABOVE for your event contact Kristi Younkin, Logistics Coordinator, at [email protected] or call (479) 228-4520

DATE EVENT LOCATION February 2-6 Rise Above Tallahassee Tallahassee, FL RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and P-51C Mustang April 7-18 National Multicultural Heritage Museum Forth Worth, TX RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit June 5-6 Chennault International Airshow Lake Charles, LA RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit June 19 1940’s WWII Era Ball Boulder, CO RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and P-51C Mustang July 26-August 1 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, WI RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit August 6-8 and Wheels Spectacular Owls Head, ME RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and P-51C Mustang September 15-19 Prairie State College Community Outreach Event Heights, IL RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit November 13-14 Stuart Airshow Stuart, FL RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit and P-51C Mustang GREETINGS FROM THE AMBASSADOR TEAM!

Happy New Year! As we embark on 2021, filled with hope and longing for new beginnings, we are ready to start a new chapter.

We anticipate the latter half of the year to be very busy with events and hope you can join us on the journey. For those of you interested in volunteering with the Traveling Exhibit, we will continue to follow our COVID-protocols to ensure everyone’s safety. To eliminate any unnecessary risk, we will not be hosting an Ambassador Ground School this year, and we look forward to resuming the annual training in 2022.

We have plenty of opportunities to volunteer within the squadron. Whether you can spare a little time each month or each week, from your home or on the road with us, we can always use some extra hands to aid in our mission. Our ambassador program has added incentives to recognize the efforts of our volunteers: Volunteer Coordinator • ‘Ambassador of the Year’ Award. The recipient of this award will receive a ride in our Melanie Burden P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen. • For every event you volunteer each season, your name is entered into a draw for a prize package. • For those that help-out behind in the scenes in the comfort of your own home, you will receive a thank you gift. • Volunteers that help at 4 or more events in a season or take on a project behind the scenes, will have an additional opportunity for a flight in our P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen. • Accommodations at an event are provided for the first volunteer to sign up, who lives outside of the area.

If you are interested in joining our team, please go to our website at cafriseabove.org and find out how you can become a CAF RISE ABOVE Ambassador today!

What is your silver lining?

The last six months have been a blur; staying healthy, happy and incredibly busy. Following a decision to leave my job with the drone company over philosophical differences, I spent several months meeting with potential investors. In the midst of that, we began construction on a long-awaited garage, and I assumed some responsibility for duties performed by a general contractor. The pandemic forced a pivot towards assisting my wife’s transition to remote teaching her fifth graders, with tech support, and taking care of our two dogs. On the plus side, the shutdown brought a number of unsolicited voice-over projects my way, as former clients sought me out to update work produced for them over the last 10-12 years. An unexpected delay in the start of work with the US Census Bureau provided four months to focus on projects around the house, fulfilling responsibilities as a board member with a local land trust, and trustee at one of the oldest churches in our State. I learned a lot about my fellow Americans while helping with the decennial headcount this summer. With lots of gas in the tank, I’m looking for my next adventure...

Ambassador Bob Sheppard OUR MISSION IN ACTION Students who have been inspired by the lessons and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.

As an eleven-year-old fifth grader, have realized that I can use these principles in my own life as proof of this. I can AIM HIGH so that I can get the job of a world changing comedian instead of a “nonworld” changing person with a job where I can’t choose my path in the job. I can also USE my BRAIN to figure out problems, to solve them and to teach others in a funny way. But I might be late for everything if I wasn’t READY TO GO by laying things out the night before. I BELIEVE IN MYSELF by being confident that I can reach my goals. I can NEVER QUIT by remembering that my goals can help the world. I can EXPECT TO WIN by trying my absolute best to achieve my goals. So, using the principles that the Tuskegee Airmen used I can make the world better and live a happy life. ~Caleb Bonner Grade 5

I just wanted to let you know that the students read the booklet “RISE ABOVE: The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen”. We read it together whole class, and when we finished the story, the students clapped. At that point they wrote a poem about the subject titled “When I’m a Tuskegee Airman.” Their perspective on the topic is amazing for such young minds. Thank you for making these materials available for the kids and for expediting the shipping to make today’s lesson possible.

~Gay Carlson, Teacher at Ricks School at the University of Denver, Denver, Colorado

This is one of the poems written by a student from the Ricks School at the University of Denver, Denver, Colorado

When I become a Tuskegee Airman, I am going to taste the delicious food my mother made for me the day before I go into flight school. I will smell the gas from the planes as I walk into flight school the next day. I will see black men, like me, in the gym working hard to become the Tuskegee Airman. I will feel the smooth and cold metal of the P-51 Mustang, That I will soon be flying. I will hear my motor singing, as I am about to take off into the horrible war. Then, after all that, I will have a feeling of accomplishment, because I am a Tuskegee Airman.

By: A.L. WE NEED YOU!

Make a one-time or recurring donation to help us ensure that the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASP is passed on to future generations, so that their strength of character, courage and ability to triumph over adversity may serve as a means to inspire others to RISE ABOVE obstacles in their own lives and achieve their goals!

Give online, by calling 888-928-0188, or by mail at:

CAF RISE ABOVE 971 Hallstrom Drive Red Wing, MN 55066

Please be assured that the CAF RISE ABOVE Squadron responsibly and carefully allocates donation dollars to further our mission. If you believe, like we do, that the values based educational potential of these two initiatives are relevant and important for young people today, we would appreciate your continued support. We are also interested in your comments and suggestions about the program and will welcome any input you have to offer.

The CAF RISE ABOVE® is an educational outreach program of the Commemorative Air Force, (CAF) a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your contribution is tax deductible less the value of the benefits given in return for your contribution noted above, if any. CAF FEIN # 74-1484491 SHOP WITH WITH A PURPOSE!

Find great treasures AND honor the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and WASP! Visit our online store. Shipping is included for state-side orders!

Apparel Books, DVDs, Resources Gifts Sale items

For $99 you can join the exclusive ranks of the Top Flight Club!

There’s no better way to support our mission to educate, inspire, and honor through flight and living history experiences than by joining a Top Flight Club!

2021 Top Flight Club 2021 Top Flight Club

Why 99? (for each membership)

Join RISE ABOVE: RED TAIL Join RISE ABOVE: WASP The 99th was originally formed as the U.S. Army Air The Ninety-Nines was founded November 2, 1929, at Forces’ first African American fighter squadron, then Curtiss Field, Valley Stream, Long Island, New York. All known as the 99th Pursuit Squadron. The personnel 117 women pilots at the time were invited to assemble received their initial flight training at Tuskegee, Alabama in mutual support of the advancement of women in earning them the nickname Tuskegee Airmen. aviation. In 1942 members of the Ninety-Nines were asked to join the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) class of 43-W-1 in Houston, Texas. EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES

Our Inspiration Packs are perfect for the parent, teacher, youth leader or community group looking for a tangible reminder of the lessons of the Tuskegee Airmen or the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)! Cost is $95 each pack, inlcudes s/h

The Inspiration Pack: WASP pack includes: 50 each CAF RISE ABOVE: WASP dog tags featuring the Six Guiding Principles and the “Triumph Over Adversity – RISE ABOVE: The Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots” booklets.

The Inspiration Pack: Red Tail pack includes: 50 each CAF Red Tail Squadron dog tags featuring the Six Guiding Principles and the “Triumph Over Adversity – RISE ABOVE: The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen” booklets.

The RISE ABOVE Back-to-School Campaign provides free electronic resources to support and inspire educators and students to Triumph Over Adversity and work together to persevere through their challenges. School kick-off resources and “flight plans will be available for PreK, primary, elementary, middle, and high schools. Inspiring short videos about WWII Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) are also included to help educators and students “rise above” crisis and challenges. Teachers can use these resources to provide help to students setting personal achievement goals for the year.

Be sure to watch the Back-to-School Campaign graphic novel that features video interviews with Tuskegee Airman Dr. Harold Brown talking to students about applying the Six Guiding Principles to their lives!

Check the free RISE ABOVE Resource Kits!

Our free, downloadable RISE ABOVE Resource Kits provides users access to posters featuring the Six Guiding Principles, PowerPoint’s, classroom activities and a wealth of material about the Tuskegee Airmen or the WASP.

Want to go a step further? Check out all the affordable supporting educational materials available! DID YOU KNOW?

On this date, the following Tuskegee Airmen events occurred:

12 January 1939: President Roosevelt asked Congress to pass legislation to expand the Air Corps to create a permanent civilian pilot training program that went well beyond the experimental program.

January 1939: Census reports revealed that there were then only 25 licensed Negro pilots in the United States. None were in the U.S. military.

Several aviation cadets, maintenance personnel, and instructors stand by a PT-17 primary trainer At Tuskegee Army Air Field, Alabama. Tuskegee Institute’s Chief Pilot, Charles Alfred Anderson is the second person from the right and is briefing the cadet prior to a solo flight. From the Col. Roosevelt J. Lewis (USAF, Ret) collection at Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama.

Noteworthy News Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site Quarter the last of the “America the Beautiful” quarters Year of Issue: 2021 Authorizing Legislation: Public Law 110-456

Background Characteristics The Tuskegee Airmen National Historic The reverse (tails) design depicts a Tuskegee Site in Alabama commemorates the Airman pilot suiting up to join the fight heroic actions and achievements of during World War II with the Moton Field the famous Tuskegee Airmen. The term control tower in the background. The pilot “Tuskegee Airmen” pertains to both men looks upward with pride and confidence and women of diverse nationalities. They as two P-51 Mustangs pass overhead. The were composed of nearly 1,000 pilots and inscription “THEY FOUGHT TWO WARS” more than 15,000 support staff (including is arced across the top as a reference to the navigators, bombardiers, and mechanics). dual battles the Tuskegee Airmen fought– The site preserves five historic structures fascism abroad and racial discrimination at used during primary flight training in World home. War II. TUSKEGEE AIRMAN QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Under attack in World War II in southern Italy, Tuskegee Airman Montgomery recalled Mount Vesuvius erupting at the same time his unit faced enemy fire.

“In the middle of all of this, we stood up and we said: ‘We will fight. We will fight,’ “ he recalled. “I have come here to say: ‘You can do it.’ Be smart. . . . Don’t give up. Stand and say ‘With my brain -- I will fight. I will fight. I will fight.’ “. . . And we will fight, but not in hate, but in kindness.”

~Tuskegee Airman Dabney N. Montgomery

Photo courtesy Dick Sonnen

Visit Tuskegee Airmen Profiles and take a closer look at the lives and accomplishments of some of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. New profiles are added regularly and will grow as the staff and volunteers of the CAF Red Tail Squadron continue their tireless efforts to research and share the remarkable stories of these important American figures.

We invite you to share stories and photos with us to feature! Contact LaVone [email protected], by calling (888) 928-0188, or by mail at:

CAF RISE ABOVE 971 Hallstrom Drive Red Wing, MN 55066 Ivan James McRae, Jr. 617th Bombardment Squadron of the 477th Medium Bombardment Group August 19, 1923 - November 29, 2017

Thank you to Brian McRae, the son of Tuskegee Airman Ivan J. McRae, for sharing this information with us!

Here is my daughter’s middle school history report from 2010 where she interviewed my dad. She titled it “A Moment in History: World War II - An Interview with a Tuskegee Airman”. The photos weren’t in her report, but added for this post.

A Moment in History: World War II An Interview with a Tuskegee Airman Briana R. McRae Per. 2 Ms. Sayre January 7, 2010

My name is Briana McRae and I interviewed my grandfather, Ivan James McRae, Jr. for my project. He was a 2nd Lieutenant with the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.

Q1: Where were you during the bombing of Pearl Harbor?

A1: I was working in Harmon, NY at the New York Central Railroad Station where I had a part-time job as a baggage porter while attending Columbia University. I was down on the platform - where the trains were - when I could hear a lot of yelling and screaming up in the waiting room. I ran upstairs and they were talking about the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Q2: How did you get involved in World War II?

A2: I listened to President Roosevelt talk about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. I was a freshman at Columbia University and we were told if we enlisted in the Army Air Corps and passed the Aviation Cadet tests, we would be allowed to finish college, graduate, but then would have to serve several years in the Army Air Corps on active duty. I took the tests and passed them all. There were three tests: Intelligence, Physical, and Psychological. Afterwards I was sworn in as an Aviation Cadet and put on reserve duty in the Army Air Corps and continued my school. But when I was a sophomore, the war in Europe was going so poorly that they called up all the reservists – the aviation cadet reserves - into active duty. This was in 1943.

Q3: What was your role in the war?

A3: When I was called into active duty, I had a choice: I could either be called up as an enlisted man or go to a school in Illinois to learn to be a flight instructor. The reason I couldn’t simply go into the service to become a pilot was because I was over 6’1” and all Tuskegee Airmen at that time could not be taller than 5’11” in order to fly the P-39 Airacobra. I wouldn’t fit in the cockpit of the P-39 because it had a 20 millimeter cannon that was under the seat and went through the hub of the propeller. There were no larger or twin-engine planes available for people of color at Tuskegee so I went to Chicago. In Chicago I joined the War Training Service to become a flight instructor. After completing primary training and starting secondary flight training, we were called into active duty and finally wound up at Tuskegee Institute for training as pilots. I received my pilot’s wings for twin engine and single-engine aircraft. I was then assigned to the 617th Squadron at Godman Field, Kentucky. I was assigned as the co-pilot on a B-25 Medium Bomber.

We were learning to fly medium-level bombardment when V-E Day (Victory-in-Europe) came and we were then reassigned to fly low-level bombing in the Pacific.

Q4: What effect did the war have on your life?

A4: It allowed me to fulfill a dream: learning how to fly a plane. It also paid for my college tuition through the G.I. Bill of Rights, and it helped me to get my first job in the government military support group after college graduation.

Q5: What events stand out in your mind?

A5: When I was assigned at Freeman Field, Indiana, we officers were told that we would have to use the “Non Commissioned Officers Club” and the white instructors, and others on the field, would use the “Officers Club”. Many of the pilots were captains (officers) who had flown in Europe as fighter pilots and had come back to the states and became bomber pilots and they were refused the use of the Officers Club because of their color. So we all decided we would go to the Officers Club, we would be confronted by the military police, and put under house- arrest until a protest was reviewed and adjudicated [definition: to study and settle a dispute or conflict]. We were flown back to Godman Field where we simply sat for weeks and did nothing until it was resolved and we were told “Ok, you can come back and use the Officers Club”. We went back and resumed our flight training until V-J Day (Victory-in-Japan) in 1945.

Q6: How did you feel about V-J Day?

A6: We were elated about the outcome of the war in Japan and we were relieved that we would not have to actually fly over the Pacific. At that point I decided I wanted to go back to school as soon as I could, and I was in the first group to be put on reserve duty and came home and went back to school at Columbia University. [I returned to] Columbia University under the G.I. Bill of Rights which was a magnificent program that the government had for veterans. It helped pay for my tuition and had a small subsistence payment for expenses.

Q7: Do you have any interesting facts to add?

A7: Yes. I met my wife, your grandmother, while we were stationed with the Army Air Corps in Greensboro, North Carolina. She was a student at Bennett College and we were able to go there on weekends and I met her and was immediately stricken because she was beautiful, and a magnificent basketball player, and a good student. We married four years later, after I completed my Mechanical Engineering degree at Columbia University in 1948.

Visit the Virtual Museum and be sure to read his obituary, a rare glimpse into a life of an amazing man! Also see colorized photos of McRae’s Tuskegee Airmen B-25 Mitchell Bomber crew and graduating class.

Ivan McRae and Briana McRae AND THEN THERE WERE WOMEN! The Many Faces of Rosie the Riveter

Rosie the Riveter may be one the biggest female cultural icons of the 20th century, and still today. Hearing the name easily conjures up the image of a hardworking woman, with her hair tied up in a red scarf, pitching in to do her part in the factories and shipyards while the men were off fighting in WWII. The initiative sparked a social movement, bringing increased opportunities for women to work outside the home, and prove that a woman was capable of doing jobs traditionally held by men, and do them well!

What might be a little less obvious to see is the diverse community of women who filled this role. Women of all races and backgrounds joined the effort. “We Can Do It” was embraced by 6 million women from coast to coast, half of which worked in defense industry jobs.

Today we recognize the over 600,000 black women who entered into the American wartime . Not only were women getting the opportunity to directly contribute to the economy and war effort, but black women were working alongside white women which helped to begin to destroy the social barriers of segregation, ignorance and injustice. Betty Reid Soskin, who later became a US Park Ranger, working at the Rosie The Despite immense adversity, women of color had been leaving Riveter Education Center, saw the segregation their lasting footprint on history for decades. Just in aviation, three against black workers in the shipyards where notable aviators live on in the history books and continue to she worked during the World War II. inspire today. In 1921, Bessie Coleman was the first black woman to earn her pilot’s license, having to do so in France because she could not receive training or gain the licensure in the U.S., simply because she was black and a woman. In 1938, Willa Brown became the first black woman to earn a pilot’s license inside the U.S. And in 1941,Mildred Hemmons made history in Alabama as that state’s first black female pilot, even after facing one obstacle after another.

The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), formalized in 1943, gave over 1,000 women with prior aviation experience the chance to fly military aircraft stateside, freeing up their male counterparts for service abroad. While a small handful of the women selected for the WASP program were non-white, black women were excluded, even from the application process, simply because of the era’s racial bias. That certainly did not stop women like Mildred Hemmons from pursuing their dreams.

But the times, they were a-changing. “Rosie” became a liberator for women of all colors, helping to lay the groundwork for the forthcoming of the 1960’s, just like the Tuskegee Airmen. Mother, grandmothers, aunts and sisters put on their work boots and treaded into new territory when they took on these jobs, while still managing the work at home. Like working moms today, these women balanced multiple roles, giving a country the “manpower” it needed to fight a war on a global scale, while keeping the home fires burning.

To the Rosies of every color, we salute you!

DID YOU KNOW ‘Rosie the Riveter’ women to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal CAF Red Tail Squadron Virtual Museum Artifact Spotlight

The CAF Red Tail Squadron Virtual Museum is a community collaborative effort, made up of photos and information of artifacts pertaining to the Tuskegee Airmen submitted from all around the country. Anyone with an item of significance to the Tuskegee Airmen, or has visited the location of a memorial in tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, can share their knowledge by submiting your own virtual artifacts.

Model Aircraft In Honor Of Tuskegee Airman Ivan McRae

Submitted by: Brian McRae Location: New Jersey About: This personal collection of iconic model aircraft of the Tuskegee Airmen – P-51, P-47, P-40 and B-25 Mitchell bomber, belongs to Brian McRae, son of Tuskegee Airman Ivan McRae. The 1:72 scale model B-25 was made to specifically honor his father, a B-25 pilot. ARCHIVE PHOTOS - TUSKEGEE AIRMEN UNLESS NOTED ALL PHOTOS ARE COURTESY OF THE AIR FORCE HISTORICAL RESEARCH AGENCY, MAXWELL AFB, ALABAMA

A battered North American B-25 of the 301th Bomb Group rests useless on the dispersal strip under Mount Vesuivius after the eruption on 23 March 1944.

LEFT: Welders Alivia Scott, Hattie Carpenter, and Flossie Burtos are about to weld their first piece of steel on the ship SS George Washington Carver at Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond, CA. 1943

BELOW: A woman working with Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank, CA. WASP PROFILE: Ola Mildred Rexoat Class 44-W-7 August 28, 1917 – June 28, 2017

“I just did what I was expected to do and tried to do it the best way I could.” ~WASP Ola Mildred Rexroat

Ola Mildred Rexroat was one of six South Dakotans to serve in the WASP and, as an Oglala Lakota, is believed to be the only female Native American to have served in the WASP.

Rexroat was born in Ogden, Kansas, to a white father and an Oglala mother. The family moved to South Dakota when she was young, and she spent at least part of her youth on the Pine Ridge Reservation. She attended public school in Wynona, Oklahoma, for a time, and graduated from the St. Mary’s Episcopal Indian School in Springfield, South Dakota, in 1932. Rexroat initially enrolled in a teachers college in Chadron, Nebraska, but left before completing her degree to work for what is now the Bureau of Indian Affairs for a year. She earned a bachelor’s degree in art from the University of New Mexico in 1939. After college, she again worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Gallup, New Mexico for a year.

Rexroat next worked for engineers building airfields, where she decided to learn how to fly. In order to do so, she would need her own airplane or to join the WASP. Selecting the latter, she moved to Washington, D.C., with her mother and sisters, and was also employed at the Army War College. Rexroat then went for WASP training in Sweetwater, Texas, and was assigned the job of towing targets for aerial gunnery students at Eagle Pass Army Airfield after her graduation. She also helped transport cargo and personnel.

One day a superior flipped her the keys to a jeep to retrieve a training target in a field after she landed one day.

“This was a big problem for me, because I didn’t know how to drive,” Rexroat said. “I had never learned how to drive a car. I don’t think anybody trusted me with a car, but I could fly a plane. During an interview she was asked if she ever worried about the dangers of flying or getting shot, Rexroat shrugged.

“I never gave it a thought. You couldn’t worry about things like that. ... You can’t live forever,” she said. “They checked the target after we came down, and of course, it was to our credit if it had lots of holes in it; that meant we had been maintaining our altitude and heading.”

When the WASP were disbanded as World War II drew to a close in 1944, she joined the Air Force, where she served for ten years as an air traffic controller at Kirkland Air Force Base in New Mexico during the Korean War. She continued to work as an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration for 33 years after her time in the Air Force Reserves was complete.

In 2007 she was inducted into the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame.

Rexroat died in June 2017 at the age of 99. Immediately before her death she was the last surviving WASP in South Dakota and one of 275 living WASP out of the original 1,074. Several months after her death, the 28th Bomb Wing dedicated the Airfield Operations Building in her honor. WASP QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“So I went to my father and said, “Dad, I want to learn to fly and then join the Women Airforce Service Pilots to fly military planes and help the war effort. My dad, being sure I was too young to do this feat said, “Yes dear, now why don’t you got out and ride your horse. I’m sure he could use some exercise”. So instead, like a obedient daughter, I went out to the airport to find out about learning to fly.”

WASP Gayle Snell, Class 44-W-9

PHOTO COURTESY NATIONAL WASP WWII MUSEUM IN THE PORTAL TO TEXAS HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS LIBRARIES.

Visit WASP PROFILES and take a closer look at the lives and accomplishments of the Women Airforce Service Pilots in order to inspire others, especially girls and young women, to RISE ABOVE expectations and find a greater appreciation of their potential.

New profiles are added regularly and will grow as the staff and volunteers of the RISE ABOVE: WASP continue their tireless efforts to research and share the remarkable stories of these important American figures.

We invite you to share stories and photos with us to feature!

Contact LaVone [email protected], by calling (888) 928-0188, or by mail at: CAF RISE ABOVE 971 Hallstrom Drive Red Wing, MN 55066 DID YOU KNOW?

WASP trained Mexican Squadron 201 and other fighter pilots in Army Air Corps

Heroic women these intrepid civilian volunteers piloted aircraft in dangerous aerial gunnery practice and more!

Laredo Army Air Field 100 miles downriver from Eagle Pass, Texas, had an aerial gunnery school and a ground gunnery range. At the Laredo field the WASP helped train pilots in the same tow-target practice as these women did at Eagle Pass Army Airfield 1943-1945.

WASP Anne Noggle in her 1990 : For God, Country and the Thrill of It, described the Eagle Pass base as a P-40 aerial gunnery squadron with few women tow pilots. “By 1945 all such tow target operations were at Eagle Pass, however.” A WASP flew the single-engine AT-6, “while in the rear cockpit a crew member released the canvas banner on its cable that presented the target to” a male pilot in a P-40, firing a .30 caliber machine gun. He made a pass at the target, firing at a 45-degree angle and on the ground, the bullet holes in the banner were counted up.

One of the administrative duties of the WASP was to teach pilots instrument flying “under the hood” on Link trainers in simulated conditions. At least 25 hours of practice or even up to 50 hours were required to master flying by instruments. And of note here: a group of the WASP were stationed at Foster Field in Victoria, Texas, 30 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico. When the 201 were piloting the Curtiss P-40 in aerial gunnery practice, the WASP flew the tow-target planes. WASP Anne Noggle They also taught English to any of the Mexican Expeditionary Air Force - the “Aztec Eagles”- in need of proficiency. When the Mexican airmen went to Pocatello, Idaho, for P- 47 training, a WASP contingent were serving there just as WASP had on the Texas- Mexico border at Army air fields of Eagle Pass and Laredo.

Remains of this Army Air Corps field at Eagle Pass told quite a story in 2003 when writer and cultural historian Cynthia Buchanan visited the lonely site. “The barracks were overgrown with mesquite and huisache as I drove by the concrete sentry box. The immense hangar, though, was intact, ghostly sunlight filtering through a broken window and sparrows darting about like an echo of once sheltered by this rather awesome facility.” In her article and curriculum “MEXICAN FLYBOYS of WWII: AMERICAS BROTHERS” (Part One) Buchanan tells the story of this Squadron 201, part of 58th Fighter Group in the U.S. Army Air Forces, the only moment in history Mexico was ever allies with the United States.

Learn more about “Aztec Eagles” at www.azteceagles.net And purchase great teaching materials at TeachersPayTeachers.com

2010 : Uvalde Aviation Museum (Texas) Writer Cnythia Buchanan holds WWII leather bomber jacket of WASP test pilot Mary J. Ceyanes Wagner (Mary Hinkley Wagner) of Crystal City, Texas. (WASP mascot, , patch on jacket’s left) ARCHIVE PHOTOS - WASP PHOTO COURTESY NATIONAL WASP WWII MUSEUM IN THE PORTAL TO TEXAS HISTORY, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS LIBRARIES.

Ann Waldner and Joann Ganett, two trainees in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), standing behind the wing of an airplane. Ganett uses Waldner’s back to write in her log book.

Flyer- Who Were the WASP?

Charlyne Creger, wearing a flight suit and parachute while crouched on the wing of a plane and writing in a notebook. Thank you to the donors who have joined us at the supporter level of $100 or more. Pledge your support and join the ranks! Names are listed in the online Honorary Flight Log.

* denotes a new Top Flight Club member of the RISE ABOVE: RED TAIL ** denotes a new Top Flight Club member of the RISE ABOVE: WASP

Cheryl Aaron Warren Bowen Clarence and Callahan Paul Rudolph Aaron Leonard O Bowens William Celestine in honor of Idell, George Adams Arturo S Boykin Dorty, Jean, Dana and Larry Daniel C Adler Kathryn M Bradfield Oliver J. Pervin Aggarwal B Marc Bradley Max Clark I Elaine Aiken Theodore Bradley Lutu Coffey L D Aiken B Toloria Braswell Ruth Cohen Oluade Ajayi Jessie Braudaway Eugene C Coleman Harold Albritton Bobette Braxton Larry Collins William M Alden James Braxton Linda J Collins James A Alexander Terrence C Breidenbach Virginia Cones Albert J Allen Hazel A Brewer Enorris Conic John E Allen Floyd Bridges Joseph Connor Steven Allen John B Brigham Victor Conti Glover Lee Anderson Tangerine Brigham Thomas Cornforth Hans C Anderson Hortense I Bright Linda Cornigans Larry Askew * Christopher Brown John Costello Harold Augustus Denise Brown Tom Cotter Betty L Austin Dennis Brown Walter Cox Rita V Bagby Douglas L Brown Lawrence Crawford James R Bandstra Dr. Harold Brown William Crawford Fred R Banker Jerry L Brown Llewelyn Crooks Ivory L Barnes Julia C Brown Tom Cross in honor of Don Hinz James R Bartel Kenneth M Brown T V Cummings Victoria Barzen Lloyd & Daisy Brown Amelia E Cunningham Lawrence Bass Vincent P Brown James Custus Robert Bayles John L Bryan Sr Mary L Cuthbertson Michael Bearman Cartellia M Bryant Ray J Czizik Ernest Bell Keith F Bullen Roberta Hall Dark Nicole Bell Brent Burton Jimi Davis Cyprian Belle Jr Dennis Butler Phyllis Davis Patricia Benjamin Larnette Butler Vernon Davis Robert L Benton Sandy L Byrd Tara Deaver Rongner Bergmark Martha Cade Richard J Dennis Denise Berkley George A Caf Joel Desin Adrian D Beverly David L Camenga Philip Devlin Eugenia Bickerstaff Catherine P Campbell Dexion Foundation Inc Ric Biddlecome Gustavo Cano Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Dixon Francis L Biotti Mary L Carrington James Diggs Robert Birmingham Dale Carrison John Dixon Jacqueline Blake Robert D Carroll Steven Dixon Russell D Blome Bobby Carter Valarie Dixon Paul Boardman Leon Carter William DO Carmo James Boddy Jr Margaret Carter William L Dods William Boline Arnie Chapman * Arlene Donaldson Anita D Bonds Theo M Chenier Jr Olga Dottin Dr. Marsha Bordner Blondell Chism John Doty Douglas J Borth Joseph H Chitwood * R. William Douglas Clinton Bourgeois Cyprian Belle Thomas Drehs * Dr. Joseph Boutte Martha Cade Gerard V Drummond Robert Drumwright James Green Jr Evelyn Jackson Arthur Drye John Green Larita W Jackson V J Dugas Rainey U Green Michael Jackson Vicki Eastland Jacqueline Greene Patrick Jackson Thomas H Edelen Sr Ronald A Griffin Robert Lewis Jackson David Edwards Patrick L Gross John R Jagger • Carylmead Eggleston Raymond O Gross Edward Jaime Lawrence W Elliott Sr Ellen Guest Maggie W James W Thomas Ellison *Scott Guitteau in memory of Minnie James David A England Owen Guitteau James R Jepson Patricia Erb Ray Gundlach Avery Johnson Nathaniel Eubanks Jr Annie L Hall David Johnson James C Evans ** Valerie Hall Farris T Johnson J D Fenwick Eugene Hamilton Harry M Johnson Jr Carolyn Baker Ferdinand Sherley Hannay Jerry Johnson Diane Ferguson James K Hardy John Johnson • Hans Fett Calvin Harmon Charles Jones Jonathan W Field Willie D Harper Willie Johnson James Finch Leo Hart Dan Jones Virginia Finch Bernard E Hartman George Jones Thomas J Finner Gene D Hartman Jerry Jones III Carol A Fischle James Harvey Linda Jones Herman L Fitzgerald Jr Edward Haughney M Perry Jones Hope Flannery Devonn Hawkins Mike Jopko Dan D Floeck Sr Joe Haworth * Mosina Jordan K Flournoy-Brazile Bryan Haynes Cornelius J Joseph Phyllis A Flynn Robert Hayward Kimberly T Joseph Sandra S Foley-Smith John P Hely Julian L Kadish Thomas Folkerts Albert Henderson Warren Kaplan Frank Ford Charles Henry John C Kelly Theodore C Ford Yvonne Hereford John Kemble William Ford Barbara Heron Donald and Shirley Kengott Melvin Fox F Staley Hester Jr Allan Kiley Dr. Elizabeth Freeman Glory Hickman James King Elmer Freeman Nick Higgins Roland King Vernon Joe Freeman William B Higgins Patricia E Kirkpatrick-Howat Lon Fry Arnold J Hill Richard C Klamer Richard H Fugleberg Roland W Hill Raymond B Kleber Mary Futrell Hill James & Mary Kleinwort Hoa Anh Nguyen Gadl Karen Hiller Francis W Kling Austra Galloway Tim Hinds Ray Klotz * Leonard R. Garner, Jr William C Hines Alberta Knight Paul A Garnett Mary & Neil Hodges Patricia R Knott Dennis L Garoutte Solomon Holland Ross Koningstein Rhonda Garrett Andrew B Holloway Daniuel Kozarich Leiana Gary Stephen Holmes Kirk E Kraft Douglas George Winter Holyfield Arnold Kriegler Deeanne Gibbons Anne R Horne Mr. & Mrs. George Kurz Henry L Giles James B House Walter J Lake Preston Gilliam Wayne House Otis Lang Kathy Glockner Reynolds Sands Hull Jr Kevin S Langreck Bonnie Goldenberg Kathy Hurling Gibson Lanier * Glenn Goldman Suellen G Hurt Lawrence Y Law Margaret Gordon James T Hutchinson Isaac B Lawrence Jr Mike Gorvad Suzanne Inkley Paul Le Buhn Evelyn Grant John A Innes Garvis R Leak Dennis O Green Archie Ivy Edward Leonard II Ronald Leone James Moffett James Raby Steve Lerner Steven Mollick Carol Ramsey Harold Lester Austin Moore Carver A Randle Michael Lewis Billy J Moore William Thomas Randolph • Kenneth Liggins Claude Moore Robert Ratcliff Stephen Linder in memory of Janet J H Morgan Charles W Rector W. Linder Judson W Morris Jr Katie M Reed Craig Lindsay Phoebe Morris Darline Reid John E Linton William Morrison Virginia A Reid Kevin E. Lofton John H Morrow Jeff Reuschle Maude Brown Lofton Joann Mosley James Reynolds Stanley F Lofton Marie Moss Amy Richardson Carol Lopez Barbara Motley Richardson James N John F Mozrall Joseph Richardson Joyce H Lowinson James Murdock Jr Robert Rinsky William Lowry Altheria D Myers Reginald Roberts, Sr Hans J Luedi James Nafziger Steven Roberts Robert M Lundquist Bruce Nagle Bill J Robertson Robert Lydon Thomas E Nelson Stephen Robertson Lucille Zenzele Magwood Iris Nelson-Schwartz Carl Robie Kris Mailey Virginia Newell Ned J Robinson III Joe Majerle Corliss Newhouse Vernon Robinson Marc J Manderscheid Alva R Nichols Charlotte Robson Jack Mansfield Hurman Nicholson Marvin W Rodgers John R Marks Frank Noonan Heather A. Rodin in honor of Irvin Marsh William Norcross Tuskegee Airman Robert Joseph Khambrel Marshall in memory of * Martin O’Dea Randall 1Sgt Cambrel B. Marshall (Ret) Rudell O’Neal Alan Rollinger Allen D Martin Dr. and Mrs. Chukwuma Kimberly Ross David Martin Obidegwu Roger Ross Ruth R Martin Harry Oden Francis Rossi John B Mason Willie C Oestricher Jr Weldon J Rougeau Sam Massey Robert Oliver Donnie Rountree Stoney Massey Dick Olsen Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Rountree Merylean Matthews Charles Olson Alva Royston Thomas Maute Victor G Onufrey Elizabeth Rucker Monica Maxwell Cynthia Orage Shelton Rucker Vernard McBeth John E Paolo Nathaniel Russ Sean McCalla William Parente Carol B Russell Wallace A McCutchen Robert Parsons Concheettia Russell Michael B McGinnis Albert Patrick Stephen Russell Michael McKee Theodore Patrick Gary G. Sackett Timothy McKeough Gail Patterson Susan Padgett Sadler William McKinnon Linda K Patterson William Sanders Jr Douglas R McKissack Patricia I. Patton Bernice Sarb Melvin D McNair Tanya Patton Judy Ferguson-Shaw Richard Meyerson Melvin E Paxton John E Scherich James Anthony O Payne * Arthur Schoenstadt Norris C Middleton Jr Rozann & Sammie Pearson Bob Scholl Phillip Miiller Robert Perry Maryann Schultz Michael Miklica Michael Eric Peterson Marc Schwind Al D Miller Clifford M Pierre ** Valerie Scott David F Miller Howard A Polk Frances Sellers Posey Miller Ann Porcella Matthew S Sena Warren Miller James N Pruden Augustine Serafini Bruce Mitchell Margaret Quam Manjula Shah Benjamin Mobley Richard J Quirk John W Shaw Genevieve Sheppy Tom Swigart Kevin Weddington Ollie Sherman Christophe P Swinney Clifford J Weeks *Raymond Shields James H Taylor Ron Weeks Cheryl Shivers Marlin Taylor Andrew Weidert Jr Robert Simpson Leslie Terrill Teaff Shawn and Renée Welch Marion F Sims Mary L Tempton Paula Welch Robert Sims Catherine Terry Robert Welter Anthony Singleton Judith L Tharp Halton West James Singleton Alvin M Theisen * Anita Westberg Hezekiah Sistrunk Jr Michael B. Thomas Ezell & Linda Westbrook John Skenyon Robert Thomas James Westbrook James Sloan Gordon E Thompson Edward Whitaker Douglas Smalls Thompson Charles White Ann Smith T T Thompson Franklin H White * Anthony T. Smith Lance Tibbles Judy C White Gloria E Smith Walt Tomenga Parker White Dr. Hal Smith Charles M Traughber Richard & Aliya White James Smith John G Trubisz John P Whitecar Jr Col Quentin J. Smith Jr. USAF Ret Anthony R. Tucker Jack Whitley Richard H Smith Cynthia A Tucker James A Wilkerson Roger E Smith Stanley W Tucker Dorothy L Wilkins Sennie Smith Clara L Tuggles S. Vance Wilkins, Jr. William Smith Patricia D Usphs Brenda Williams Frank J Sonleitner Victor E Van Damme Geoffrey Williams Alfred W Sparrow Cort Van Rensselaer Jacqueline Williams Richard J Stacey Larry K Van Zandt Richard Tyrone Williams Truman Staecker Willie Vance Mr. & Mrs. Gilbert Williamson J.R. Stanley in memory of Shirley Charles Veals Marilyn A Willis Elizabeth Rush Stanley Gilford Vincent Ronald Willis Clara R Stanton Vowels Doris Wilson Leo Staten Wm Waddell George J Wilson Dr. William (Bill) Steeves Donald J Waldvogel Joseph W Wilson III Ron S Stephens Antoinette L Walker Margaret Wilson John Stewart Cheri Walker Calvin Wims Michael L Stewart Larry J Wallman •• Donald Wingate Thelma Stewart Veda E Ward Katherine B Winter Lester L Stiner Larry K Warden Herbert C Wolfe E E Stobbs Jr Larry Warfield Rosita Wood Brian K Stompe Charles H Warner Ray Woods Jim Stone Alton Warren Woolard Family Trust Graham Stovall John Washington Aubrey A Woolsey John C Strayhorn Marco Washington Barbara J Wooten Curtis Strommen Martin Washington John S Yavor Gordon M Sugimura Prunella Washington Jerome Zang Sr Stephen Sumandra Ruby H Washington Judy Zauha William E Sutton Michael J Weaver James B Zazas David Swansick Clarence R Webb TD Ameritrade Clearing Rita A Swensson Richard Webb

Thank you for helping to preserve the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and WASP for generations to come! FOR MORE INFORMATION

Please mail correspondence or To bring RISE ABOVE to For general inquiries, donations to our home office at: your event, contact: contact: CAF RISE ABOVE® LaVone Kay 971 Hallstrom Drive Kristi Younkin Senior Logistics Coordinator Marketing Director Red Wing, MN 55066 [email protected] [email protected] (479) 228-4520 (888) 928-0188 Doug Rozendaal Squadron Leader Melanie Burden [email protected] Volunteer Coordinator [email protected]

Kim Pardon Public Relations/Media [email protected]

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