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A Show Of Force
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dcdulce
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
They knew how to make kahki look stylin!

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dcdulce
07/02/09

@dcdulce:
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Little Time Bomb
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
The work these women did for the war effort is amazing. If you ever have a free afternoon I suggest getting lost in the wiki's about them. It'll make you so cry and want to thank each one of them personally.
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Flackette Goes Retro
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
Rock on, ladies!
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Bluenose sailor
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
I know these women are American, but yesterday was Canada Day, and because I suspect Canada's female air force members faced the same difficulties as the WASPs, I give you one of my favourite Heritage Minutes, Marion Orr:

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Little Time Bomb
07/02/09

@Bluenose sailor:

Oh man this clip made me so happy I cried. Happy belated Canada Day.
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ellaesther
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
Also, if I may:

What the hell difference does it make that these women are White Anglo-Saxon Protestants? Freaking reverse racism! Next thing you know, someone will be calling the WAVES all wet!

Anyone? No? /...crickets.../

I'll go sit down now.
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Maulleigh
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
Looks like she's giving him a piece of her mind. Note his crossed arms!
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BuffyPhD
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
I love this picture! These women are strong, experienced, and BEAUTIFUL!! The expressions and body language of the women are so alive and focused. And Obama is listening with all the respect they deserve.
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WantToTouchtheWahine
07/02/09

@BuffyPhD: Yeah, I love how he's cocking his head intently, like he, ya know, actually LISTENS to his constituents.

Unlike some former presidents I know.
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CanSomeoneFluffPaul
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
My grandmother was accepted into the WASP program, which required compiling a lot of hours of flying time (I can't recall how much right at this moment). The program was disbanded before she could begin actually flying planes to the theaters of battle. She was told at the time it was because of money, and she never questioned it. She became a part of the WAVES and was a meteorologist for the Navy for the rest of the war (where she met my Naval pilot grandpa). It wasn't until I did a paper about her life history for a women's study course in college did she learn the truth: the military disbanded the WASPs because they didn't want to make women officers.

She lives in Texas today. I'm in DC. Last year, I took her to the WWII Memorial on The Mall and I cried like a baby the whole time we were there. I was so proud of her.
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ellaesther
07/02/09

@CanSomeoneFluffPaul: That is a lovely (well, and heartbreaking) story. Thanks for telling it.
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brendastarlet is on it
07/02/09

@CanSomeoneFluffPaul: my cousin was in the Air Force during Desert Storm and served in Kuwait. Continuing the tradition!
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ellaesther
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
I love how this President listens to people. You see it on his face: he listens, he's respectful, he pays attention and gives people their due.

Ah, it still makes for a lovely change, all these months later.

Also, look how happy everyone is! I suppose people were happy in Bush-era photo-ops, too, but I tended not to look at those so much....
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vivianthelibrarian
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
Awww, how much do I love these women?! They remind me of my awesome grandma who was doing her part building grenades in a munitions factory. It's so great that they'll get the recognition they so rightly deserve!
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EkaterinaBallerina
07/02/09

@vivianthelibrarian: Your grandma sounds awesome. My great-grandmother was a spy during World War I in Switzerland. She saved all the documents she received from the government about her service (which are hysterical in that the language makes no sense). Yay for women who did their part!
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the dodo, the cuckoo, and the nene
07/02/09

@vivianthelibrarian: My grandma worked in a factory making airplane parts!
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Grim Reaper of the Forest
07/02/09

@EkaterinaBallerina: My great-grandmother did some crazy things in World War I, like bring supplies for wounded soldiers and founding some Smith nursing operation.
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brendastarlet is on it
07/02/09

@vivianthelibrarian: Mine worked in a factory making gun triggers.
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dianersb was bit by a zombie
07/02/09

In reply to A Show Of Force
Someone is getting chastised Granny-style
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AmericanSplendor
07/02/09

@dianersb was bit by a zombie: Do you hear the school bell, cuz Barry just got SCHOOLED.
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shorty63136
07/02/09

@AmericanSplendor: He better uncross his arms. If she's anything like my granny, that does not fly!
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Majrhoulihan
03/18/09

In reply to Band Of Sisters
The WASPs were awesome.

I wonder why I never learned about them in high school?

Oh yeah, because they were probably in some kind of special box in the textbook that was never part of the assigned reading. You know, the text boxes labeled "African Americans during World War I" or "Women during the Civil War" like they were some kind of abnormal group who didn't affect the important parts of history, but we should stick in as an afterthought.
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bowleserised
03/18/09

In reply to Band Of Sisters
I don't know about the USA, but the task of ferrying planes in WW2 in the UK was insanely dangerous because they weren't fully equipped. The small band of women (including Americans) who did that suffered 1 in 10 losses, IIRC.

ALSO, one woman pilot in the US died *before* the war after male pilots/ground crew sabotaged her plane. So yes, medals for these women. They were up against it from their own side.
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porcuPINE
03/18/09

In reply to Band Of Sisters
its a shame no women flew combat missions in WWII, in fact the only two female aces were russian (Katya Budanova & Lydia Litvyak). im pretty disappointed that united states wasnt the first country to have female aces...

/go america and what not
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formergr
03/18/09

@pinecones!: Well at this point we are behind quite a few countries who've had female presidents or prime ministers (UK, Germany, Israel, Pakistan, to name a few, etc), so it's not really all that surprising that the U.S. wasn't "first" on this one...
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AnnoyingFemaleLeadVoiceover
03/17/09

In reply to Band Of Sisters
This may be the first (and last) time I'm 100% behind Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Related, I racked my brain trying to think of what those who oppose this would argue and found this in the comments:

Not to sound like I'm not a card carry-ing liberal Obama-acolyte, but.....It is being suggested that these women get the Congressional Medal of Honor simply for having ovaries and flying a plane???? Don't we want to at least find the ones who stood out amongst those who did serve? It's not like this is a Certificate Of Attendance or some cheesy red ribbon at a State Fair pumpkin growing contest.

I won't even argue that this isn't a valid point, but a pumpkin growing contest, really?
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Shelwood
03/17/09

@AnnoyingFemaleLeadVoiceover: I'm thinking that it may take a bit more courage and fortitude for a woman to have chosen to become a pilot during WWII than to plant pumpkins, no matter how awesome those pumpkins turned out. The service itself is the outstanding thing they did.
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