World War II female pilot turns 100 and reunites with old love

[steve2470]

http://www.king5.com/tech/science/aerospace/pioneer-world-war-ii-female-pilot-turns-100-and-reunites-with-old-love/268902836

Dorothy Olsen, a pilot who flew during World War II, turned 100 on Sunday, and was able to reunite with an old love.

“There’s my baby!” Olsen exclaimed as she walked onto the tarmac at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and spotted the restored P-51 Mustang waiting for her.

Olsen is a former Women Airforce Service Pilot, or WASP, who helped ferry aircraft like the Mustang across the country during the war.

“She would pick up a P-51 in Long Beach where they were built, fly it across the country to Newark, where they would ship them to Europe,” explained Kim Olsen, her son.

[tonyt53]

1. Good stuff!!!!!

[B Calm]

2. Reminds me of Fannie Flagg novel "The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion"

[TNNurse]

14. Great book

[Rhiannon12866]

30. I've read a few of her books, really enjoyed them, but I'm not sure I read that one

I'll have to check it out, thanks!

[AnnieBW]

3. Awesome!

Unfortunately, the WASPs are dying off at a pretty rapid rate.

[niyad]

4. k and r and thank you for posting this.

[Eleanors38]

5. She still looks ready to go!

[mcar]

6. She is amazing!

[longship]

7. Dorothy on a wing of a P-38 "Lightning"

First, a wartime pic:


Now, the P-38, which was a mean assed twin engined fighter:


And Dorothy today:

[trof]

13. Don't give me a P-38.

Don't give me a P-38.
The props, they counter rotate.
They are scattered and smitten
from Burma to Britain,
Don't give me a P-38.

Chorus

Just give me Operations,
Way out on some lonely atoll.
For I am too young to die,
I just want to grow old.

http://www.fighterpilotuniversity.com/music-and-theater/songs/assignment-night-1941

[longship]

15. Wonderful!

Although the Pacific war pilots loved them; the European pilots less so.

When they were first built at the beginning of the war they were both the fastest fighter but also the longest range fighter. That's why they were loved in the Pacific.

Then, there is the fact that they had awesome offensive power in their nose, not on the wings. So it could be deployed at rather large distances instead of focussed at a specific distance like wing cannons.

And it was P-38s that shot down Yamamoto's "Betty" bomber. Thank you "Bull" Halsey. Only the P-38 could have done that.

[HereSince1628]

25. Wisconsin's Richard Bong was a Pacific Ace in the P-38.

His name has been given to a bridge at Duluth-Superior, but he's better remembered on the web via Bong Recreation Area in SE Wisconsin.

[longship]

26. Yup, I've read about him, so the name's familiar. nt

[Moostache]

8. I would have to get younger to look better than she does at more than twice my age!

Great story, thanks! But man, it is humbling to see a 100-year old woman in seeming better shape than I am at 45...

Reminds me of the many amazing stories from the WWII generation. My own grandmother is approaching 97 this November, but sadly has not retained that level of vitality that some centenarians are blessed with. Good for Dorothy and the rest who share similar stories.

[montana_hazeleyes]

9. What a great lady!

She's still as beautiful and strong as she was back in the day. All these women! There is so much that is left out in our history about the great contributions of women and minorities in all aspects of our countries history.

[avaistheone1]

10. Dorothy is a charmer.

Dang! Only 100 WASPs left.

[KT2000]

11. hope she has given an oral history

like, was it scary flying brand new planes, how did she get back, were there any wild experiences, etc.

Very cool lady - and I want to thank her for her service!!

[whistler162]

22. There is a oral history of sorts. probably more

http://www.radiodiaries.org/the-wasps-women-pilots-of-wwii/

The Air and Space museum on the Mall in DC had, 6 years ago, a exhibit on Women pilots in WWII.

[KT2000]

23. Wow! Thank you!

I will check it out for sure.

[FailureToCommunicate]

12. Happy Birthday Ms Olsen! Thank you for your service!

[longship]

16. Oooo! A P-51 Mustang!

What a wild ride that airplane is.

A real hot rod!

Helped clear the air over Europe during WWII! Air supremacy!

[FailureToCommunicate]

18. I see why Dorothy loved them!

[longship]

19. Yup! And Chuck Yeager, too.

Last edited Mon Jul 11, 2016, 10:12 PM - Edit history (2)

Here he is with Glamorous Glennis.


And he's still alive, at 93. Sadly Glennis, the love of his life, died in 1990.

His autobiography is both historical and hilarious!
Read it!

Here: https://www.amazon.com/Yeager-Autobiography-Chuck/dp/0553256742

[shenmue]

17. Yes

[MerryBlooms]

20. My mom worked in that Long Beach factory for a time.

Great story- thanks for sharing.

[FuzzyRabbit]

21. P-51 story

I read many years ago an account by a WASP of delivering one of the first P-51s across the country. It was lunchtime so she landed at Wright-Patterson airfield, headquarters of the Army Air Forces, and taxied up to the commissary.

When she came out after eating lunch, there were dozens of pilots, many who were combat veterans, admiring the first P-51 they had seen. She heard one ask "Whose airplane is this?" So the WASP said "This is my airplane". She said the incredulous looks on these pilots faces was hilarious. None had ever flown in such a hot performing aircraft, and here it's pilot was this small young woman.

Then she climbed into the cockpit, started the plane, and flew off.

[KT2000]

24. Love that!!

[trixicopper]

27. I know her!

She is the nicest lady. An absolute fashionista! She is just a sweetheart.

[IgelJames4]

28. Thanks for posting this heartwarming story

It's nice to read about such wonderful news, in this age of senseless violence and great tragedy. I hope these two spend the rest of their lives together.

[Liberal_in_LA]

29. k&r