Irma Story Oral History

Irma “Babe” Story An Oral History Women Airforce Service Pilots Oral History Project Interviewed by Dawn Letson, October 3, 2002 The Woman’s Collection Texas Woman’s University Denton, Texas 2003 Texas Woman’s University The WASP Oral History Project The Woman’s Collection Introduction Irma “Babe” Story was born in Burbank, California on October 14, 1921 to Mr. and Mrs. Nathaniel Story, Jr. In 1922, the family relocated to Lancaster, California from Burbank just a few days before her first birthday. Her mother died in 1989 at the age of 103 years, and her father died in 1968 at the age of 87 years. Babe’s fascination in airplanes began at an early age, fueled by her brother Tom’s interest in them, and his constant trips to local airports. She would often accompany Tom to the airport, and as a child knew that she wanted to be a pilot. In order to receive occasional rides on an airplane, she would work at the airport with her brother doing grunt work for the mechanics. Babe learned to fly by taking part in a CPT program at Antelope Valley Junior College in Lancaster. It was here that she met and became friends with Florence “Pancho” Barnes, the famous aviatrix. In June of 1941, Babe received her pilots license upon her graduation from junior college. After graduation, she took a job at Lockheed Vega Aircraft, where she worked until April of 1943, when she left to join the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) program. She entered the program in the class of 43-W-6 at Sweetwater, Texas, and graduated on October 9, 1943 among 83 of her fellow classmates. After receiving her wings, Babe was sent to Dodge City Army Air Base (AAB) in Kansas to begin training in the B-26. It was here that she developed her strong friendship with Bonnie Jean Alloway Welz (43-W-6), who would later become her flying partner, as well as one of the thirty-eight casualties among the WASP. From Dodge City AAB, she went on to Harlingen Army Air Field (AAF) in Texas, where she flew tow targets until going to Officer Candidate School in Florida. She returned to Harlingen AAF after OCS where she served until deactivation on December 20, 1944. After the war, Babe returned home to California where she volunteered for the USO, and then took a series of jobs as a flight instructor in the years that followed. Altogether, Babe was in the aviation field approximately twenty years, until leaving for a management position with Santa Fe Engineers that lasted for thirty-two years. Currently, she resides in Lancaster, California. 3 Texas Woman’s University The WASP Oral History Project The Woman’s Collection Irma “Babe” Story An Oral History Women Airforce Service Pilots Class of 43-W-6 Interviewed by Dawn Letson October 3, 2002 This is an interview conducted at the Women Airforce Service Pilots [WASP] reunion in Tucson, Arizona on October 3, 2002. Story served in the WASP program, class of 43- W-6. Letson: We'll kind of go after your life story. So, I'll, it -- we're going to start early. Story: I could start from 1600 [both laughing]. Letson: And if it's too cold for you, we'll open the door, okay? Story: Yes, okay. Letson: Let's see. I need to start out with a little intro for, because once we get it back there they'll lose track of it. Today is October 3rd, 2002. We are at the Sheraton Hotel in Tucson, at the WASP reunion. I'm interviewing Irma "Babe" Story, who was a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II, class 43-6. I'm so thrilled to find you! Can -- let's start out, the first question I always ask is, when and where were you born? Story: I was born in Burbank, California, October 14th, 1921. Letson: 1921. All right. Tell me, if you don't mind, tell me about your family. Your parents. Who were they? And -- Story: Well, my father had come from Michigan when he was about eighteen to be with an uncle that was out in Burbank, and work, because he didn't like northern Michigan. Letson: Uh-huh. What was his name? Story: His name was Nathaniel Story, Jr., and he worked for his uncle Tom, who was called the Father of Burbank, and one of their first mayors and things. He 4 Texas Woman’s University The WASP Oral History Project The Woman’s Collection did, he was really interesting. He left upper Michigan, or upper New York, with an uncle and went, I guess, to New York and worked when he was nine years old. He worked to get a ride on a clipper ship around the horn to come to San Francisco, you know during their Gold Rush time. Letson: You're kidding! Story: And from there, somehow he got down to Burbank and he married a German immigrant lady, my aunt Emma. Great Aunt Emma. Then they had their family, and he stayed there for, so he was just starting his, you know it was all farmlands and things like that, and -- Letson: Sure. Story: -- the old Spanish missions and things there, and he started the town. That's it. Letson: When did your father then move out -- Story: In 1899. Letson: 1899? Story: And my mother came from New Hampshire, and she was born in 1885. And her mother died when she was fairly young and she was raised by an aunt and an uncle, and he was a druggist in Nashua, New Hampshire. When she graduated from high school, she went to Boston to go to art school. I think she went about two and a half or three years. But, the uncle, in the mean time, had come to Burbank, because his wife's health wasn't too good, and he came out to Burbank and ended up by starting another drugstore. So he asked my mother if she'd like to come out, because she had no close family then, in the New England area. That, her family maiden name was Spofford. Letson: Spofford? Story: It was Irma Spofford then. I was named after her, that's why I'm -- Letson: Irma Spofford, uh huh. Story: That is -- Letson: Isn't that amazing how these -- 5 Texas Woman’s University The WASP Oral History Project The Woman’s Collection Story: A family that, yes -- Letson: -- two people from totally different areas of the United States ended up in Burbank? I love it. Story: Her family goes clear back to 1638 in the United States. Letson: Really? Story: We have, I have a whole genealogy deal that has been printed -- Letson: Oooooo. Story: -- and it's, it's pretty interesting. Letson: Yes. Story: But my great-grandfather had settled in Chester, New Hampshire, and he had a big family. And my grandfather was like, the youngest boy. But he went to the Civil War, and my mother's grandfather died in the Civil War. He wasn't killed, but one of his younger sons was killed in the Civil War. So, when you get from the lowest, you know from the youngest person in the family to when my mother was born, late in her mother's life, to another young one, to another one, you lose a couple of generations of people. Letson: Right. How interesting. Story: That's the way our particular family runs. Letson: When your father came out from Michigan, what did he do for his uncle? Story: For his uncle? Well, he did a lot of things. My uncle, he owned a livery stable, and he had a hardware store and things like that. But, he also had a homestead up in Bishop, High Sierras that he really liked. Then they would go up there and get wild horses out of the White Mountains. And -- Letson: Oh! Story: -- and break the buck out of them, and stuff like that, and then drive them down to Burbank, and fine tune ‘em for buggy horses, and sell them. So dad did that a lot. And he, you know, there were very few cars in those days, early 6 Texas Woman’s University The WASP Oral History Project The Woman’s Collection 1900s. He worked for a contractor building roads, and development, things like that. He worked as a butcher at various times. Letson: Really? Story: Then he worked for Union Oil Company and drove a truck, and finally in 1921 he got transferred up to Lancaster. I had been born in Burbank, but I was just a year old, or two days before my first year old [birthday]. Letson: Right. Yes. Do you have any stories about how your mom and dad met? Story: Yes [laughing]. My mom worked in her uncle’s drugstore – Letson: Drugstore, yes. Story: -- when she started, and dad smoked cigars; and he came in every day and would buy six cigars. The first time he came in, well, he gave mom like, a twenty dollar gold piece; she’d never seen one in her life. She thought it was the quarter. She thought it was a quarter for six cigars; for a quarter, White Owls [both laughing]. And he kept hanging around and hanging around, and finally she says, what do you want? He said, I want my change! [laughing] And she said, you gave me a quarter. Well, there was a lady sitting there that used to help my uncle in the drugstore, and she said, open the drawer and if there’s a coin in the little deals, then that’s a twenty dollar gold piece; because your uncle always kept the gold in that little sack in there.

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