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RICKENBACKER AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Oh (July 13, 2018) – The 121st Air Refueling Wing held a ceremony here to dedicate one of their KC-135 Stratotankers to honor the legacy of WASP July 13, 2018.
Lockbourne Air Force Base, which was renamed Rickenbacker AFB in 1974, was a training location for female pilots from October 17, 1943 to January 13 of 1944. 13 females became fully qualified test pilots on B-17 Flying Fortresses. The success of the WASP program proved that women could fly any aircraft and the impact of that would resonate for years to come.
During the ceremony, Tech Sgt. Michelle Lucius, 121st Maintenance Group dedicated crew chief, unveiled her assigned KC-135 Stratotanker’s new nose art, the image of “Fifinella”, a female gremlin designed by Walt Disney. Fifinella was the official mascot for the WASP.
“Paraphrasing President Kennedy, he reminded us that ‘A nation reveals itself not only by the men and women it produces but also by the men and women it honors, the men and women it remembers.’” said Col. Mark Auer, 121st ARW commander. “So it seems all together fitting and proper that we take this opportunity, on the 75th Anniversary of the WASPs arrival at our base, to ensure their mascot, Fifinella, is back in the air as nose art on one of our aircraft, flying over the base and nation they so nobly served.”
Special guests for the ceremony included members of the Scioto Valley 99s international organization of women pilots, Lockbourne Mayor Christie Ward, representatives from the offices of Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman, and representatives from the offices of U.S. Representatives Joyce Beatty and Steve Stivers.
Portman, Beatty and Stivers both issued proclamations recognizing Rickenbacker ANGB for honoring the WASP.
The proclamation from Stivers stated “I am grateful to all who have been involved with this project and for the tremendous efforts put forth to preserve an important piece of our proud tradition of military service.”
| Date Taken: | 07.13.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 07.14.2018 13:41 |
| Story ID: | 284276 |
| Location: | COLUMBUS, OH, US |
| Web Views: | 55 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 121st ARW honors legacy of Women Airforce Service Pilots, by Ralph Branson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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