Amid the road trips, barbecues and department store sales that marked Memorial Day 2009, citizens paused at Forest Meadows Cemetery to honor the Women Airforce Service Pilots.
The women, who refer to themselves as WASP, spoke about their experiences as test pilots during World War II and were presented with certificates of appreciation. Forest Meadows Cemetery started hosting the service in 2004, event coordinator Amanda Garrigues said.
"The audience turnout was amazing," she said, estimating that about 500 people attended the event.
Three members of WASP attended the service with the aid of Wings of Dreams Inc., a nonprofit corporation focused on aviation history, to pay tribute to WASP members.
"Both of my brothers were pilots," said Barry Vincent Smith, a WASP member of the sixth class of 1944.
Her brothers encouraged her to learn to fly after the military began accepting women with 35 hours of flight training.
"When there were problems with planes like the AT-10, mechanics would fix them," Smith said. "The women would fly and test the planes to make sure they were safe for the men to use at war."
WASP flew every plane in use at the time, including the B-29, the model of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
These women faced gender discrimination and were disbanded by the United States military in late 1944, said Susan King, co-founder of Wings of Dreams Inc., who presented the pilots' history at Monday's service.
"We had very little," WASP member Helen Snapp said. "We didn't even have uniforms until soon before we were disbanded. We wore leather jackets with a WASP patch sewn on."
The Forest Meadows Cemetery Memorial Day service is one cherished by veterans and non-veterans alike.
"We need to appreciate our veterans as much as we can," Virginia Fettes, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and wife of a Korean War veteran. "Services like this bring tears to my eyes."
