Betty Chambers | |
---|---|
Born | Elizabeth Maxine Cramsey August 25, 1920
Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Died | May 11, 1961 Los Angeles, California U.S. | (aged 40)
Other names | Elizabeth Black |
Occupation | Women Airforce Service Pilots |
Elizabeth Maxine Chambers (August 25, 1920 − May 11, 1961) [1] was one of the first female pilots in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program in which women took on non-combat flying duties so more male pilots were available for combat. [2] [3] She was in WASP Class of 44-W-3 as part of the 318th Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment. [4] [5] She became a pilot shortly after her husband lost his life while flying, despite the fact that she had a new baby, [2] and was the only recent widow and mother to have served as a WASP.
Chambers was born in Los Angeles, California, to Samuel Cramsey and Gertrude Cramsey (née Hulse). [6] She grew up in Hollywood, California. [7] [8] [9]
Prior to World War II Chambers worked for the Walt Disney Company and Universal Pictures, where she did post-production work that involved inking outlines for cartoon celluloid cells in preparation for painting during the picture process stage of film production. [3] [7] [10]
Chambers was married to Robert William Chambers, a United States Army pilot who had previously worked at Lockheed in the engineering department. [11] Later, during her service as a WASP, Chambers would be sent on a mission to tour a Lockheed plant. [12]
In 1942 during the war, Robert was killed in an aircraft crash. [13] After his death, Chambers and her baby moved in with her parents and she got a job as a telephone operator at Southern California Telephone Company. [3]
Chambers applied to be a WASP. She said: "Just the day before [my husband's] accident Bob had heard about the WASPs and he wanted me to fly ... in fact, he wanted to teach me, but it didn't work out that way. I love flying as he did, and I hope to be able to replace a man to do the job that Bob wanted to do." [10] She entered training on October 4, 1943, and graduated on April 15, 1944. [14]
Chambers trained at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, and then was sent to Turner Field in Albany, Georgia. She then attended the Army Air Force Tactical School in Orlando, Florida. [2] [3] Chambers was stationed at Greenwood Army Air Field in Greenwood, Mississippi. [15] At Greenwood, Chambers accrued over 420 hours of flight time up until December 20, 1944. [16]
As a pilot she flew North American AT-6 advanced trainers, PT-17 biplane primary trainers, Beechcraft AT-10 twin-engineer trainers, and the BT-25. [17]
Chambers' service ended when the WASP program was disbanded at the end of 1944. [2]
After the war, Chambers worked at American Airlines at LaGuardia Airport in New York City until 1946. She eventually lost touch with the WASP community, a close-knit group who often held reunions and get-togethers. [18]
On November 2, 1977, President Jimmy Carter passed Public Law 95-202, which gave those that served in the WASP program military veteran status. They were previously considered civilians. [2] In July 2009, President Barack Obama signed a bill that gave the WASPs the Congressional Gold Medal. [19] [20]
In 1941, Chambers married Robert William Chambers, a United States Army pilot. [11] Their son, Robert Michael "Mike" Chambers, who was born in 1942, was in the 1943 movie Heaven Can Wait, playing Don Ameche's character as a baby. [10] [21] [22]
In 1947, she married Robert Edward Black, a lumberman. [6] She died in 1961.
Betty Chambers | |
---|---|
Born | Elizabeth Maxine Cramsey August 25, 1920
Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Died | May 11, 1961 Los Angeles, California U.S. | (aged 40)
Other names | Elizabeth Black |
Occupation | Women Airforce Service Pilots |
Elizabeth Maxine Chambers (August 25, 1920 − May 11, 1961) [1] was one of the first female pilots in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program in which women took on non-combat flying duties so more male pilots were available for combat. [2] [3] She was in WASP Class of 44-W-3 as part of the 318th Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment. [4] [5] She became a pilot shortly after her husband lost his life while flying, despite the fact that she had a new baby, [2] and was the only recent widow and mother to have served as a WASP.
Chambers was born in Los Angeles, California, to Samuel Cramsey and Gertrude Cramsey (née Hulse). [6] She grew up in Hollywood, California. [7] [8] [9]
Prior to World War II Chambers worked for the Walt Disney Company and Universal Pictures, where she did post-production work that involved inking outlines for cartoon celluloid cells in preparation for painting during the picture process stage of film production. [3] [7] [10]
Chambers was married to Robert William Chambers, a United States Army pilot who had previously worked at Lockheed in the engineering department. [11] Later, during her service as a WASP, Chambers would be sent on a mission to tour a Lockheed plant. [12]
In 1942 during the war, Robert was killed in an aircraft crash. [13] After his death, Chambers and her baby moved in with her parents and she got a job as a telephone operator at Southern California Telephone Company. [3]
Chambers applied to be a WASP. She said: "Just the day before [my husband's] accident Bob had heard about the WASPs and he wanted me to fly ... in fact, he wanted to teach me, but it didn't work out that way. I love flying as he did, and I hope to be able to replace a man to do the job that Bob wanted to do." [10] She entered training on October 4, 1943, and graduated on April 15, 1944. [14]
Chambers trained at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, and then was sent to Turner Field in Albany, Georgia. She then attended the Army Air Force Tactical School in Orlando, Florida. [2] [3] Chambers was stationed at Greenwood Army Air Field in Greenwood, Mississippi. [15] At Greenwood, Chambers accrued over 420 hours of flight time up until December 20, 1944. [16]
As a pilot she flew North American AT-6 advanced trainers, PT-17 biplane primary trainers, Beechcraft AT-10 twin-engineer trainers, and the BT-25. [17]
Chambers' service ended when the WASP program was disbanded at the end of 1944. [2]
After the war, Chambers worked at American Airlines at LaGuardia Airport in New York City until 1946. She eventually lost touch with the WASP community, a close-knit group who often held reunions and get-togethers. [18]
On November 2, 1977, President Jimmy Carter passed Public Law 95-202, which gave those that served in the WASP program military veteran status. They were previously considered civilians. [2] In July 2009, President Barack Obama signed a bill that gave the WASPs the Congressional Gold Medal. [19] [20]
In 1941, Chambers married Robert William Chambers, a United States Army pilot. [11] Their son, Robert Michael "Mike" Chambers, who was born in 1942, was in the 1943 movie Heaven Can Wait, playing Don Ameche's character as a baby. [10] [21] [22]
In 1947, she married Robert Edward Black, a lumberman. [6] She died in 1961.