WASP Pilots Honored

[ol'fido]

Did anybody see where they had given the Congressional Gold Medal to the Women's Airforce Service Pilots of WWII?

[Smithsonia]

Here's the CNN Story: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/10/women.pilots/index.html?hpt=C2
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14652184
The problem is not that these fine women were not due this honor, but that Congress' Declaration lacked specificity and full historical documentation and therefore justification. Granted; Congress was acting with generosity. However this Congressional Declaration came off like some minor community service award. Too bad. Better research makes for better awards. The WASPs deserved a better public acknowlegement. (figures like how many hours flown, how many planes delivered, how many WASPs killed, safety record, service record, length of flight, how many service men were replaced for war duty by how many women fliers, etc. THese numbers are known and should've been part of the ceremony.)

It makes one think that even this award went through some tortuous vetting process so to make the thing adjective heavy, fact light, poorly worded, faint praise.

[RiverAux]

Interesting that they as as individuals that were members of a certain group received the highest honor Congress can bestow for moving airplanes around and doing some tow target work, while CAP pilots flew combat missions and also did tow-target work and got no such similar recognition even though we lost way more people than they did (when you account for the number of people in each group.  Granted, a small number of coastal patrol pilots got the fairly level Air Medal, but only if they flew a certain number of hours and those that did the other "active" missions (tow targets, courier service, southern border patrol, etc.) got nothing. 

[tdepp]

Here's the CNN Story: http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/03/10/women.pilots/index.html?hpt=C2
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_14652184
The problem is not that these fine women were not due this honor, but that Congress' Declaration lacked specificity and full historical documentation and therefore justification. Granted; Congress was acting with generosity. However this Congressional Declaration came off like some minor community service award. Too bad. Better research makes for better awards. The WASPs deserved a better public acknowlegement. (figures like how many hours flown, how many planes delivered, how many WASPs killed, safety record, service record, length of flight, how many service men were replaced for war duty by how many women fliers, etc. THese numbers are known and should've been part of the ceremony.)

It makes one think that even this award went through some tortuous vetting process so to make the thing adjective heavy, fact light, poorly worded, faint praise.

Smithsonia:
As usual, good points.  But bottomline these folks deserved some sort of belated appreciate from their country.

I'd like to make a different point.  What has always bothered me about the Iraq Wars and the Afghanistan War (and whether or not we should be there in the first place, but that's for a discussion at a different, non-CAP forum) is that we have asked a few people to sacrifice so much while most of the rest of us sacrifice nothing in the effort.  Perhaps part of this is the nature of a volunteer military and part of it is the nature of fighting global terrorism.

But what this fine ladies from WWII demonstrate is that nearly EVERY able-bodied American assisted in the war effort.  Everyone did what they could to win the war, either at home or overseas.  Today, what is asked of most of us to support our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan?  Not much.  What is asked of our troops, particularly our Guardsmen and women who have other jobs, families, etc.?  Everything.  I have talked to SD NG and ANG people who have been deployed 3, 4, and 5 times.  Even if they are never killed or wounded, that is a tremendous sacrifice in time away from loved ones, stress, disruption of schooling and careers, and so forth.  And yes, I know they knew this could happen when they signed up. 

But meanwhile, what have the rest of us been asked to do?  Nothing, really.  I know many of the people on this board do great things to support our troops and their families.  For most Americans who don't have a loved one in the military, no sacrifice or assistance is asked.

My dad was a kid during WWII.  His job was to tend the Victory Garden.  He told me about rationing, scrap metal drives, the Ladies Aide making bandages, and so forth.  Everyone was in it together. 

I don't have a solution other than political leadership that asks us to be better Americans and do our part in this struggle.  For me, joining CAP is my small contribution to trying to do something that gives back and assists our nation and our troops during a time of conflict.  But I also think there is more I can do, whether I agree with the wars or not.  All I know is that many of my fellow South Dakotans and Americans have been asked to do so very much while the rest of us simply go about our lives watching Survivor, playing video games, and worrying about whether there will be a 2011 NFL season.

Sorry for the rant.  Thanks for hearing me out.

[flyboy53]

You do realize the next step, don't you.

Lets all start lobbying our federal reps for a Congressional Gold Medal for our WW II sub chasers and the others who did tours of active service then.

[RiverAux]

Unfortunately, they are almost all gone.   Last I heard we were down to the single digits.