Women Airforce Service Pilots memorial

Submitted by:

LaVone Kay

Location:

The West Texas campus of the Texas State Technical College now occupies much of the former Army Air Force base where the WASPs trained in the 1940s

WASP pilots trained at Sweetwater Army Air Field (Avenger Field). Today, Avenger Field is a municipal airfield and campus of Texas State Technical College. A monument on the campus bears the names of 1,074 women pilots who received their WASP silver wings here. A low-relief memorial sculpture honors the 38 women pilots who died in service.

A memorial to the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots created in the 1990s as part of the WASP museum previously located at this site, but now has moved to a hanger on the other side of Avenger Field.

Schedule for Tuskegee Airmen
July 24 – 29, 2023 Location at KidVenture (behind the museum) *All Airmen may not be at the exhibit at these times due to speaking engagements MONDAY July 24 LOCATION 9:00 – 3:00 Lt Col George Hardy at Exhibit 1:00 – 3:00 Lt Col George Hardy at Exhibit TUESDAY July 25 LOCATION 9:00 –…
May 23, 2023
Reba Alexander, WWII Parachute Rigger
By Deidre McGee “I will always look up to my great Aunt Reba as my role model!”, stated Jade Roberson with confidence and enthusiasm. Great Niece, Jade is the young bi-racial great descendant of Reba Alexander. During our conversation, Jade demonstrated an unfettered pride and passion of a bright young girl beginning her journey into…
December 6, 2022
Fair Winds, Brigadier General McGee!
Brigadier General Charles McGee, a decorated military pilot and Tuskegee Airman, died January 16, 2022. He was 102. On Sunday morning, McGee died in his sleep, “He had his right hand over his heart and was smiling serenely,” his youngest daughter, Yvonne McGee, said in a statement. Brig Gen McGee was a long-time supporter of…
January 18, 2022
Congressional Gold Medal
There seems to be confusion when speaking of the Congressional Gold Medal. Many think it is an individual award but according to Public Law 109–213, the Congressional Gold Medal awarded by Congress shows an act to award collectively a Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of a group in recognition of their unique military record, which…
January 11, 2022
Tow targets
Another important mission of the WASP was serving on tow target squadrons. The pilots, including Laurine Nielson, Viola Thompson, Mary Clifford, and Lydia Linder, would fly planes with canvas targets attached to the back for male students to practice gunnery for combat, firing ammunition at the targets. In the training Division, WASP would tow targets…
December 28, 2021
WASP trained Mexican Squadron 201 and other fighter pilots in Army Air Corps
Heroic women these intrepid civilian volunteers piloted aircraft in dangerous aerial gunnery practice and more! Laredo Army Air Field 100 miles downriver from Eagle Pass, Texas, had an aerial gunnery school and a ground gunnery range. At the Laredo field the WASP helped train pilots in the same tow-target practice as these women did at…
December 16, 2021