Story Published:
Mar 10, 2010 at 7:59 AM CDT
Story Updated:
Mar 10, 2010 at 12:54 PM CDT
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A group of forgotten female flyers from World War 2 will be remembered on Wednesday morning in Washington D.C. A Congressional Gold Medal will be awarded to a group of Women Air Force Service Pilots, including one veteran from the Ozarks.
Anna Isbell didn't fly in combat. She did, however, join other WASPs in flying some 60 million miles in missions stateside. The women flew airplanes from factories to Army bases. They taught men how to fly. They ran training missions.
Then, the armed services dismissed them and forgot them for nearly 70 years.
"She always looked at that as something she did, more on a lark. 'Oh, goodie! I get to fly government airplanes and they're going to pay me to do this.' There was no sense of war duty or glory hound," said John Isbell.
Anna Isbell died a couple years ago. Her son, John, says the honor on Wednesday is way too late.
Mary Nirmaier of Columbia, Mo., will be at the ceremony at 10 a.m. Wednesday. She's one of the few WASPs still alive to be remembered for their service.
