WASP Museum » News http://waspmuseum.org Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:40:33 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 WASP CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL EXHIBIT http://waspmuseum.org/2010/09/01/wasp-congressional-gold-medal-exhibit/ http://waspmuseum.org/2010/09/01/wasp-congressional-gold-medal-exhibit/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:30:33 +0000 admin http://waspmuseum.org/?p=304 A  replica of the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to the WASP is on display in the museum.   On March 10, 2010 our nation recognized the service of the Women Airforce Service Pilots  by awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C..  One-hundred and seventy-five of the almost three hundred living WASP were at our nation’s capitol to receive this great honor.  Those who could not travel and the families of the deceased WASP were also awarded a medal.

]]> http://waspmuseum.org/2010/09/01/wasp-congressional-gold-medal-exhibit/feed/ 0 New Jacqueline Cochran Exhibit http://waspmuseum.org/2010/07/04/new-jacqueline-cochran-exhibit/ http://waspmuseum.org/2010/07/04/new-jacqueline-cochran-exhibit/#comments Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:06:45 +0000 admin http://waspmuseum.org/?p=274 Our new Jacqueline Cochran exhibit reveals her (see bio) connections with the movers and shakers of the 40′s, 50′s and 60′s.  Her marriage to Floyd Odlum, a lawyer and industrialist who also held a major stake in RKO Films, set her in a circle of friends that included Walt Disney, Bob Hope, the Rat Pack, and Clark Gable, as well as Chuck Yeager and Amelia Earhart.  Jackie and Floyd entertained Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy at their ranch.

Exhibit donor Geneva Gordon-Derr and Jacqueline Cochran became friends in the Hollywood social scene. Geneva’s husband, the mayor of Riverside, served as the Director of Parks and Recreation with Disneyland within his realm of authority.  Geneva stood in for Jackie at events on occasion, even wearing her medals when representing her. Geneva sang on some of Bob Hope’s USO tours, too. Jacqueline Cochran’s interest in beauty products through her cosmetic line and the fact that Geneva Gordon-Derr was a beautiful model also brought them together.

The National WASP World War II Museum greatly appreciates this gift by Geneva Gordon-Derr and James Adams.

]]> http://waspmuseum.org/2010/07/04/new-jacqueline-cochran-exhibit/feed/ 0 New Board Members http://waspmuseum.org/2010/02/04/new-board-members/ http://waspmuseum.org/2010/02/04/new-board-members/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 16:50:10 +0000 admin http://waspmuseum.org/?p=201 The Founder and President of Women in Aviation, International, Dr. Peggy Chabrian www.wai.org joined the Board of Directors of the National WASP WWII Museum in January of 2010, along with five other notable individuals willing to give their time and energy to support the efforts of the museum in reaching its goals. New board member, Amy Goodpaster Strebe www.amygoodpasterstrebe.com is a resident of San Diego, California, author of Flying for Her Country: The American and Soviet Women Military Pilots of World War II and Desert Dogs: The Marines of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The other outstanding individuals joining the Board of Directors are Texans Lana Kraeszig, pilot and 99 member; Tom Henderson, rancher and community volunteer; Larry Ludlum, owner of Ludlum Industries. New on the Advisory Board is award-winning actor and director, Dennis Quaid.

]]> http://waspmuseum.org/2010/02/04/new-board-members/feed/ 0 Major Bridget McNamara, USAF http://waspmuseum.org/2010/01/24/185/ http://waspmuseum.org/2010/01/24/185/#comments Sun, 24 Jan 2010 23:59:12 +0000 admin http://waspmuseum.org/?p=185 Serving our country as a B-1 Bomber pilot and instructor, Board Member Major Bridget McNamara shares the story of the WASP at any opportunity partly because she credits the WASP with opening the door to women pilots in the military. Go to this link for an interesting interview with Major McNamara:
http://www.maxwellgunterdispatch.com/article/20100115/
DISPATCH01/100115011/1114/DISPATCH

]]> http://waspmuseum.org/2010/01/24/185/feed/ 0 WASP Homecoming 2010 http://waspmuseum.org/2010/01/14/wasp-homecoming-2010/ http://waspmuseum.org/2010/01/14/wasp-homecoming-2010/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:13:34 +0000 admin http://waspmuseum.org/?p=176 Special Thanks to…

 Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce

 Wal-Mart

 Creative Graphic Solutions

 Dyess Air Force Base Personnel

 Brookshires Food Store

 Longhorn Liquor

 Jack’s Liquor

 Higginbotham-Bartlett Co.

 State Representative Susan King

 Sweetwater Floral

 Sweetwater Reporter News

 Sweetwater Woman’s Forum

 Sweetwater Machine & Welding

 Sweetwater Municipal Band

 All of our Great Volunteers

Sponsors for Homecoming 2010

Gold Medal Sponsors

Dodge Jones Foundation

Lawrence Brothers

McCoy’s Funeral Home

Texas National Bank

Silver Medal Sponsors

Altezza, Inc.

Van Baucum Real Estate

Bennett & Associates

Jeannette & Loren Bryant

Carol & John Paul Cain

Cox Jewelry

Kathy Dickson

First Financial Bank

Peter Fox

Linda & Bill Hunter

JoAnne & Marvin Keenan

Kathy & Allen King

Ludlum Measurements

Mustang Tire

Rolling Plains Hospital

Sandra Spears

Beth & Homer Taylor

Texas State Technical College

Micki Wright & Sharron Davis

Thank You WASP for Coming Home

to

Avenger Field

Meriem Anderson   44-4                                       Jean McCreery  44-10       

 

Marie Shelton Bray  44-4                                     Betty Jo Streff Reed  44-7

 

Edna Modisette Davis  43-5                                 Florence “Shutsy” Reynolds  44-5

           

Mary Helen Chapman Foster  44-3                       Flora Belle Smith Reece  44-4

 

Eleanor “Gundy” Gunderson   44-7                      Mary Alice Putnam Vandeventer 44-7   

                                                                                                                                               

Ann Morgan Hazzard  43-7                                   Pauline Cutler White  44-5

 

Elaine Harmon   44-9                                             Lucille Doll Wise  44-7

 

Dot Swain Lewis  44-5                                          “Marty” Martin Wyall  44-10

 

Lillian Lorraine Yonally  43-7

]]> http://waspmuseum.org/2010/01/14/wasp-homecoming-2010/feed/ 0 Fundraising for Expansion Project Underway! http://waspmuseum.org/2010/01/14/fundraising-for-expansion-project-underway/ http://waspmuseum.org/2010/01/14/fundraising-for-expansion-project-underway/#comments Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:11:30 +0000 admin http://waspmuseum.org/?p=170 A climate-controlled addition is needed at the National WASP WWII Museum to preserve the many precious artifacts and display them properly. Great progress has been made in the last five years bringing Hangar One alive with the WASP story, but there is still much to be done. The legacy these courageous women left us must be shared with all generations. We have a great story to tell and we need to keep moving forward, improving upon what has been accomplished, and we need your support!  Call Sharron Davis at 325-235-0099 or email her through the website to learn how you can help.

]]> http://waspmuseum.org/2010/01/14/fundraising-for-expansion-project-underway/feed/ 0 Congressman Mike Conaway Speaking about the WASP Congressional Gold Medal http://waspmuseum.org/2009/06/16/congressman-mike-conaway-speaking-about-the-wasp-congressional-gold-medal/ http://waspmuseum.org/2009/06/16/congressman-mike-conaway-speaking-about-the-wasp-congressional-gold-medal/#comments Tue, 16 Jun 2009 19:01:13 +0000 admin http://waspmuseum.org/?p=129 Click on this link to see and hear Congressman Mike Conaway giving his speech in support of the WASP Congressional Gold Medal.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_Zy4pv8Row

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