HARRIET QUIMBY and the WASPS (Women Airforce Service Pilots)

 

Portraits were unveiled which will hang among the previous honorees inside

the Visitor's Center of the Wright Brothers National Memorial

At ceremonies beside the Visitor's Center of the National Memorial, dignitaries paid tribute to women in aviation with prayers, historical comments, and inspirational words for the future.  A B2 bomber "The Spirit of Kitty Hawk" and other aircraft flew low over the tall white monument to Orville and Wilbur Wright above the attending crowd. Guest speakers included: Tom Halfhill, President of the First Flight Society; Sherry Rollason, Mayor of Kill Devil Hills, and Undersecretary of the U.S. Air Force, Carol DiBattiste. Many notable aviation enthusiasts were present for the entire event which included the morning ceremonies, a luncheon, and the Wright Brothers Anniversary Ball.  Participants included Red Smith, Dick Lindsay and Al Jones, members of the First Flight Society in charge of organizing the fly-over, social events and the cachets to commemorate the occasion, as well as Beverly Sharp, President of the 99s, and Ann Carl, representing the WASPs and Giacinta Bradley Koontz, Director of the Harriet Quimby Research Conference who participated in the unveiling of Harriet's portrait and spoke at various events.

Since 1966 the annual celebration of the first flight by the Wright Brothers is hosted by the First Flight Society, and has more recently been joined by the First Flight Centennial Commission and the First Flight Foundation in preparation for the year 2003 (the 100th anniversary of the 1903 flight).

For more information about the First Flight Society honorees visit their web site:

www.firstflight.org/shrine.cfm

For more information about Wright Flight, Inc. "Helping Kids Reach New Heights"

www.wrightflight.org 

For more historical information on Orville and Wilbur Wright:

www.thewrightbrothers.org