Mildred “Duke” Caldwell passes

We get the sad news that Mildred “Duke” Caldwell, a pilot for the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) has passed at the age of 99 on Friday morning. She earned the Congressional Gold Medal for her service with the WASPs which only existed from 1943 – 1944. From the PJ Star;

WASP women piloted military planes in the United States in varying capacities to free up male pilots to fly combat missions in the war.

Stymied for decades by military indifference, the 1,100 women who served as WASPs were bestowed veteran status by Congress in 1977 and were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal when President Barack Obama signed legislation in 2009.

Caldwell was born in Caanan, Conn., and graduated from college in Troy, N.Y. A dream to fly airplanes took her to a job at the Piper Airplane Company in Lock Haven, Penn. It was there where she learned to fly.

Category: Blue Skies