[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 139 (Wednesday, September 30, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9980-S9981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO FLORENCE MARSTON

 Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, today I honor a group of women 
who have made a lasting contribution to American history. They are the 
Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP.
  Who are the WASP?
  They were the first women trained in American military aircraft. They 
were trailblazers and true patriots. They are women like Florence 
Marston. They came from all walks of life. They were students, 
secretaries, nurses, daughters, wives. One was a nun. They shared the 
same goal: to contribute to the American war effort.
  Between 1942 and 1944, the 1,102 WASP trained in Texas, then went on 
to fly noncombat military missions so that all their male counterparts 
could be deployed to combat. These women piloted every kind of military 
aircraft, and logged 60 million miles flying missions across the United 
States. Thirty-eight of them died in the line of duty.
  These intrepid women served their county with courage and valor. But 
for too long, their country did not serve them. They were never awarded 
full military status and were ineligible for officer status. They faced 
strong cultural and gender bias and received unequal pay. Following the 
war, they were told to pay their own way home. It was not until 1977--
more than 30 years later--that the WASP were granted veterans' status.
  Thirteen of these brave women hail from Maryland. Four are still 
alive today: Florence Marston, Elaine Harmon, Nancy Magruder, and V. 
Scotty Gough. I am proud to honor them today.
  Florence Niemiec Marston, born in Buffalo, NY, volunteered to enter 
WASP training at an early age. She paid her own way to get to the 
training site in Texas, and earned her wings as part of the class of 
43-6. After graduation, her talents and bravery were needed in several 
duty locations: South Plains Army Air Base, Dodge City Army Air Base, 
and Pueblo Army Air Base.
  At South Plains, Florence flew B-25s and C-60s, and trained to tow 
CG-4 gliders mostly at low altitude and at night. It was a risky and 
arduous mission. Later, Florence was selected to transfer to Dodge City 
Army Air Base and fly the B-26.
  The B-26 was a difficult aircraft to fly. It was called the 
``widowmaker,'' for it was notorious for its number of early accidents. 
Only about 100 WASP would learn to fly this aircraft. Florence Marston 
was one of them.
  While stationed at Dodge City, Florence Marston flew B-26s on tow-
target

[[Page S9981]]

missions. This intense mission meant towing a target behind the 
aircraft, a target that training aerial gunners would practice shooting 
using live ammunition. It was one of the most dangerous missions the 
WASP would be asked to perform. Florence mastered it with courage, 
skill and dedication.
  Later, after being transferred to Pueblo Army Air Base, Florence 
would pilot B-24s, B-25s, UC-78s, and L-5s, primarily in administrative 
piloting duties. In all, Florence Marston piloted ten different 
aircraft types as a WASP.
  Like the other WASP, Florence Marston was a trailblazer and true 
patriot. She paved the way for the armed services to lift the ban on 
women attending military flight training in the 1970s, and eventually 
led to women being fully integrated as pilots in the U.S. military. We 
owe her our ``thank you''--not in words, but in deeds. Her story should 
have never been a forgotten chapter in American history. It will no 
longer be.
  I was proud to fight for legislation to award the WASP the most 
distinguished honor Congress can give: the Congressional Gold Medal. 
Now the bill has been passed and signed into law. The process of 
designing, casting, and presenting these medals has begun. And I look 
forward to the day, very soon, when I can present Florence Marston and 
all the other WASP this medal they have earned and so long 
deserved.

                          ____________________