[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 7127]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


HONORING FLORENCE SHUTSY-REYNOLDS AND THE WOMEN AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 24, 2016

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute the service of 
Florence Shutsy-Reynolds, who served her country with great honor and 
distinction in World War II as a member of the Women Airforce Service 
Pilots (WASPs). The WASPs stepped up and answered the call of duty at a 
time when their country needed them most, with no expectation of praise 
or recognition.
  When the U.S. military needed more male pilots, these women signed up 
to fly noncombat missions so that their male counterparts could be 
deployed in combat. Florence Shutsy-Reynolds was one of these brave 
women who stood up to serve her country.
  When she was still in grade school in Dunbar, Pennsylvania, she told 
her parents she wanted to learn how to fly. Her parents laughed at the 
time, but in 1941, Shutsy-Reynolds became the first woman to earn her 
pilot's license at the local Connellsville airport. Not yet old enough 
to meet the minimum age requirement of 21, she wrote letter after 
letter to the director of the WASPs until the age requirement was 
lowered to 18 and she was permitted to apply. She then took the 
military oath, endured six rigorous months of training, and flew 
aircraft that were damaged in the war, at times pieces of her planes 
falling off mid-flight. These brave women flew more than 60 million 
miles, trained male pilots for combat, test piloted aircraft, and 38 
gave the ultimate sacrifice to our country, perishing in the line of 
duty.
  After the war ended, Shutsy-Reynolds remained committed to her 
comrades by helping lead the charge for WASP members to receive veteran 
status, and later, a Congressional Gold Medal. She also assisted with 
designing the WASP flag, which has 38 stars in memory of the 38 women 
who died serving our country.
  Ms. Shutsy-Reynolds has never stopped advocating for the respect she 
and her fellow WASPs are due for their critical role in the war effort. 
Even to this day, at 92 years of age, Shutsy-Reynolds is still fighting 
for recognition and military benefits for the WASPs.
  Mr. Speaker, Florence Shutsy-Reynolds and the Women Airforce Service 
Pilots truly lived in the wind and sand, with their eyes on the stars, 
and I thank them for their service to our country.

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