EIGHT IOWANS WASP PILOTS
Eight Iowa girls were included in the graduation class of women's airforce service pilots (WASP) at Avenger field, Sweetwater, Tex., this week.
Beverly Jean Moses, daughter of Alex Moses, 1101 Nineteenth st. was secretary to the general superintendent of the Solar Aircraft Co. before joining the WASP last December.
Marylyn E.Myers, daughter of Mrs. Mary Shields, 945 Eight st, was one of the first women airlines radio operators, and a passenger agent for United Air Lines.
Margaret J. Phelan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Phelan, Emmetsburg, was a draftsman at the Vega Aircraft Corp., Burbank, Cal.
Dorothea Marie Norris, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earl Norris, Indianola, was a typist for the internal revenue department in Des Moines.
Mrs. Elvin (Darlene) Arnold, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Calkins, Mount Etna, is a former school teacher whose husband is in the navy.
Urcela D. Wald, daughter of Mrs. Myrta Wald, Runnells, was employed by the Solar Aircraft Co. in Des Moines.
Martha Anne Mace, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn E. Mace, Washington, was secretary to the manager of the Des Moines Flying Service.
Merridee A. Newell, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Newell, Woodward, was a music student at the State University of Iowa, Iowa City.
Source: The Des Moines Register, July 1, 1944
D.M. GIRL DIES IN PLANE CRASH
Miss Beverly Jean Moses, 1101 Nineteenth st., of the WASP (women's airforce service pilots) was fatally injured in an airplane crash in an isolated mountain region of southern Nevada, according to a dispatch Friday from Las Vegas, Nev.
She was a co-pilot of an army plane in which five others also were killed. The bodies were brought to Las Vegas. The wreckage of the plane was found not far from the place where an airlines crashed 18 months ago taking film actress Carole Lombard and 21 others to their death.
Miss Moses was graduated last month from WASP school at Avenger field, Sweetwater, Tex., and was awarded her wings. She began flying about a year ago.
Before joining the WASP last Dec. 7, she was secretary to the general superintendant of the Solar Aircraft Corp. She was a graduate of North High school.
Surviving are her father, Alex, 1312 Sixth ave., two brothers, Corp. John Moses with the army air forces and Norman, also in the service; a sister, Eileen, in Washington D.C. and a sister in California.
Source: The Des Moines Register, July 22, 1944
Rites for Girl Flier on Friday
Service for Beverly Jean Moses, 22, of the WASP (Women's airforce service pilots), will be at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Lilly's funeral home. Burial will be in Oakwood cemetery at Youngstown, Ia. The Rev. Charles McKiernan of Mondamin Church of Christ will officiate.
Miss Moses was fatally injured July 18 in an airplane crash in the mountain region of southern Nevada. She was co-pilot of an army plane in which five other persons also lost their lives. She was the daughter of Alex Moses, 1312 Sixth ave.
Source: The Des Moines Tribune, July 27, 1944 (photo included)
Beverly Jean Moses of Des Moines was 20, when she was killed serving her country. A member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots - 38 of whom died during World War II - she was killed when a training flight on which she was the co-pilot crashed near Las Vegas. She'd been stationed at a base nearby.
At noon today, she'll be honored at the Fort Des Moines Museum's annual Veterans Day ceremony.
After attending North High School and what was then known as the American Institute of Business, Moses took a job as secretary to the president of an aeronautics company. Before long she was learning to fly and joining the Civil Air Patrol.
Today a bronze plaque will be affixed to her grave and Pleasant Hill's mayor will receive a replica of her Congressional Gold Medal.
Source: The Des Moines Register, November 11, 2010
++ Transcriber Note: The article said she got the congressional Medal of Honor. She did not. All WASP were given the Congressional Gold Medal, so I changed the article to reflect that. I did find a correction in the next day's paper in 2010.
