WOMEN AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS PHOTOS

Edna B. Harrison Atkins
Class 44-W-6
March 20, 1912 – Feb. 2, 2009
Planes flown:PT-17, BT-13, AT-6, B-17, B-24
Training Location: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex)
Assigned Bases: Shaw Army Air Base (Sumpter, S.C.). and Buckingham Army Air Field (Fort Myers, Fla.)

Edna B. Harrison Atkins was born March 20, 1912 in New Windsor, New York.

Her first flight was “more or less on a dare” with her husband, Joe Harrison. She and Joe met near Newburgh, New York and traveled all over the United states, working at approximately 20 major newspapers.

After soloing and receiving her private pilot license, Edna applied for and was accepted into the Army Airforces Flight Training program at Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas. She entered the WASP as a member of class 44-6, and graduated in the summer of 1944. She was stationed at Buckingham Army Air Base, Fort Myers, Florida, where she flew the B-26 Martin Marauder (twin engine bomber) as a tow target pilot until the WASP were disbanded in December of 1944.

After deactivation, she returned to the printing trade as a line type operated, continuing flying on the side until 1952. Her husband, Joe, died in 1954.

Edna remarried in July 1964 to Ewing M. Atkins of Rossville, Georgia. She and her new husband moved to St. Cloud, Florida in 1988. Ewing died in November of 1996.

Like so many WASP, Edna served her country–doing what needed to be done–and then returned to her life before WWII. She is one of those who sacrificed much that we all might be free. God bless Edna — and God continue to bless the country that she served.

Posted by Nancy Parrish–from p. 407, WASP Betty Turner’s “Out of the Blue and Into History.”

Sources:

Texas Womens University

WASP Final Flight

Share:

More Posts

Thomas W. Newton

Thomas Wood Newton was born January 3, 1928, in Tarboro, North Carolina to William Newton and Maggie W. Wood. He is the third of four children and survives his Sister, Helen N. Knight and Brothers

Read More »

Ann E. Cawley O’Connor

Ann E. Cawley O’Connor July 20, 1922 – September 20, 2009 Class: 44-W-7 Training Location: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.) Assigned Bases: Stockton Army Air Base (Calif.) Planes flown: PT-17, BT-13, AT-6, AT-11, UC-78 Ann was

Read More »

M. Winfred Wood

M. Winfred Wood 1919 – August 6, 2009 Class: 43-W-7 Training Location: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.) Assigned Bases: Mather Army Air Base (Sacramento, Calif.) and Biggs Army Air Field (El Paso, Tex.) Planes flown: AT-7,

Read More »

John L. Harrison, Jr

John L. Harrison Jr December 14, 1920 – March 22, 2017 Class: 43-K-TE Graduation date: 12/5/1943 Rank at time of graduation: 2nd Lt. Service # 0817600 From: Omaha, NE “We were Americans, we were young,

Read More »

Send Us A Message