Iola V. Clay Magruder
March 31, 1920 – Sept 6, 2010
Class: 44-W-7
Training Location: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.)
Assigned Bases: Enid Army Air Base (Okla.)
Planes flown: PT-17, BT-13, BT-15
Iola Virginia “Nancy” Magruder was a smart, strong, independent woman. She was a teacher, mentor, leader, and a role model for many. She was proud and honored to be part of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), Class 44-7, of World War II.
Nancy took her first flying lessons in Frederick County, Maryland. After reading about Jacqueline Cochran recruiting female pilots for her experimental Women’s Flying Training Program, Nancy flew the required number of hours, applied and was accepted into WASP training.
“Nancy and 97 other young women pilots, paid their own way to travel to Texas, raised their right hands, took the military ‘oath,’ and became members of class 44-W-7. 59 of these young women graduated on September 8, 1944, and received their silver WASP Wings. After graduation, Nancy’s Army Air Force orders sent her to Enid, Oklahoma.
After the WASP were deactivated, Nancy Joined the American Red Cross, trained as a staff assistant, and worked in USO canteen clubs. She was stationed briefly at Annapolis and, after physical exams and immunizations… went, via train cross-country and boarded a Victory Ship in San Francisco, California. From that point, she traveled to Ascom City with the Armed Services Command, between Inchon and Seoul, Korea.
At the end of her tour with the Red Cross, she returned home on a Victory Ship, and traveled to New London, Connecticut, where she was hired as a pilot for a textile consultant.
Later, she returned to Montgomery County and to teaching. She married and raised 2 daughters. After her retirement from teaching, she kept busy volunteering in the local senior center and wrote 4 books, including several children’s’ books.
On March 10, 2010, Nancy Magruder, along with all the WASP of World War II, was awarded the CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL, the highest award Congress can bestow on a civilian — for their groundbreaking, pioneering, patriotic service during World War II.”
Memorial posted in WASP Final Flight: Iola “Nancy” Virginia Magruder, 44-7. Taken from Nancy Magruder’s own words, p 443 “Out of the Blue and Into History” by WASP Betty Turner.
Sources:
Texas Women’s University in Denton, Texas, WASP Collection
Findagrave.com
