The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum has revealed for the first time the names of the first U.S. women military pilots to officially fly combat missions, nearly 30 years after the military acknowledged their milestone. The women had kept their identities quiet for that time out of a desire to focus on the importance of the missions and not the individuals. The fliers agreed to be named in an exclusive article in the just-released winter 2024 issue of the museum’s Air & Space Quarterly magazine, which was based on interviews with the women.
On Nov. 15, 1994, U.S. Navy Lt. Kimberly “Face” Dyson became the first American woman to fly a combat mission for the United States, taking off from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet. She was one of a cadre of five female Naval aviators to earn the distinction as the others flew in the days immediately after. Dyson’s colleagues in combat included fellow F/A-18C pilots Lt. Sharon “Pinto” Deegan (Cummins at the time) and Lt. Junior Grade Joy “Trigger” Dean (Adams at the time); Grumman E-2C Hawkeye pilot Lt. Lisa “KP” Kirkpatrick; and Sikorsky SH-3 helicopter pilot Lt. Lynne Fowler.
They flew their combat missions in 1994 and 1995, starting with Operation Southern Watch in Iraq to enforce no-fly and no-drive zones in the years following the 1991 Gulf War and continuing into Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Several women had been selected to become combat pilots beginning in April 1993, when the Department of Defense allowed women to fly in combat. Dyson and her colleagues became the first to fly in official combat missions.
In May 2023, Dyson, Deegan, Dean, and Kirkpatrick sat down for an interview with National Air and Space Museum curator Michael Hankins and explained that they did not previously share their identities because they wanted to be recognized for what they did, not who they were.
“Their anonymity was, to them, a sign of their success,” Hankins said. “The women wanted to be recognized as effective aviators, just like the others they served with, regardless of gender.”
“We were ready to do anything,” said Dyson of her first combat flights. “It was a little nerve-racking. But in the end, [the first mission] turned out to be a normal flight, very much the same as we had done in practice.”
“Just Doing Their Jobs,” the article sharing the pilot’s experiences on the mission and in their groundbreaking roles, is available in the print and online editions of Air & Space Quarterly. The magazine is a member publication of the museum and each issue shares amazing stories of both the history of and current state of aviation, space exploration and travel, air- and space-related art and culture, and more.
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, but timed-entry passes are required to visit. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington Dulles International Airport and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free and timed-entry passes are not required, and parking is $15.
"To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical."-- Thomas Jefferson
Didn't some of the female pilots who ferried P-39s to Russia in WW II get in some "unofficial" combat time? Probably a few others along the way who will never get recognized for their accomplishments.
Curiosity got the best of me as I just had to have a look see what a female combat pilot with a nickname “face” looked like. A better than 50% chance told me she was hot. U.S. Navy Lt. Kimberly “Face” Dyson
You dang skippy she’s hot.
“No one in hell can ever say I went to Christ and He rejected me.
Not to detract, but lived down the street from an original WASP a Full Bird Colonel in the USAF Mary, flew transport B-17s into England, then transports into Berlin, her plane crashed while landing in a storm in Berlin. She was the only survivor on board. As a squadron commander she was as tough as a cut horseshoe nail.
The first woman fighter pilot ace, in history, Lydia Litvyak call sign White Lilly of the Soviet Air Force whom is credited with up to 12 victories. She was shot down and KIA by two German pilots outside of Stalingrad.
https://www.war history online.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/64/2019/02/800px-d0b1d0b5d180d188d0b0d0bdd181d0bad0b0d18f_d0b5d0b2d0b4d0bed0bad0b8d18f_d0b4d0b0d0b2d18bd0b4d0bed0b2d0bdd0b0_cropped-511x640.jpg
“To expect defeat is nine-tenths of defeat itself. It becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. It is best to plan for all eventualities then believe in success, and only cross the failure bridge if you come to it." Francis Marion - The Swamp Fox
It's a biological fact that women have slower reflexes than men. The reasons for having women as fighter pilots does not include anything to do with winning fights.
It's a biological fact that women have slower reflexes than men. The reasons for having women as fighter pilots does not include anything to do with winning fights.
That and they bring distractions and a different temperament to the table. Or that it helped open the floodgates for transvestites and everything else. None of it is good from a military standpoint of cohesion.
30 years ago a lot of moderate Democrats even understood that.
It's a biological fact that women have slower reflexes than men. The reasons for having women as fighter pilots does not include anything to do with winning fights.
Women try to do the things men do. They fail. How many women go against men in professional sports and succeed?
Absolutely zero. It's such a joke. Woke bull shi. Tt
thousands of men fly combat missions the past 85 years. Many fly 20, 30, 40 missions Through anti air craft batteries, into heavy combat 100s are shot down and die or are horribly injured . - Big deal
A few women fly near combat in a pretend war on one or two missions, never face anti craft. no losses, no deaths . OMG these chicks at the real deal. We should replace men with women and we should give them more recognition. Boss Babes for boomers
lol
343 first responders died on 911.
How many were women?
We should give them special medals too lol
Originally Posted by gonehuntin
So what else from the Clinton administration is being held secret from the American People??
The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum has revealed for the first time the names of the first U.S. women military pilots to officially fly combat missions, nearly 30 years after the military acknowledged their milestone. The women had kept their identities quiet for that time out of a desire to focus on the importance of the missions and not the individuals. The fliers agreed to be named in an exclusive article in the just-released winter 2024 issue of the museum’s Air & Space Quarterly magazine, which was based on interviews with the women.
On Nov. 15, 1994, U.S. Navy Lt. Kimberly “Face” Dyson became the first American woman to fly a combat mission for the United States, taking off from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in a McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet. She was one of a cadre of five female Naval aviators to earn the distinction as the others flew in the days immediately after. Dyson’s colleagues in combat included fellow F/A-18C pilots Lt. Sharon “Pinto” Deegan (Cummins at the time) and Lt. Junior Grade Joy “Trigger” Dean (Adams at the time); Grumman E-2C Hawkeye pilot Lt. Lisa “KP” Kirkpatrick; and Sikorsky SH-3 helicopter pilot Lt. Lynne Fowler.
They flew their combat missions in 1994 and 1995, starting with Operation Southern Watch in Iraq to enforce no-fly and no-drive zones in the years following the 1991 Gulf War and continuing into Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Several women had been selected to become combat pilots beginning in April 1993, when the Department of Defense allowed women to fly in combat. Dyson and her colleagues became the first to fly in official combat missions.
In May 2023, Dyson, Deegan, Dean, and Kirkpatrick sat down for an interview with National Air and Space Museum curator Michael Hankins and explained that they did not previously share their identities because they wanted to be recognized for what they did, not who they were.
“Their anonymity was, to them, a sign of their success,” Hankins said. “The women wanted to be recognized as effective aviators, just like the others they served with, regardless of gender.”
“We were ready to do anything,” said Dyson of her first combat flights. “It was a little nerve-racking. But in the end, [the first mission] turned out to be a normal flight, very much the same as we had done in practice.”
“Just Doing Their Jobs,” the article sharing the pilot’s experiences on the mission and in their groundbreaking roles, is available in the print and online editions of Air & Space Quarterly. The magazine is a member publication of the museum and each issue shares amazing stories of both the history of and current state of aviation, space exploration and travel, air- and space-related art and culture, and more.
The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, but timed-entry passes are required to visit. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington Dulles International Airport and is open every day except Dec. 25 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free and timed-entry passes are not required, and parking is $15.
Lyudmillia Pavelinchko Lady Death of the Russian army 309 confirmed sniper kills. Yeah I misspelled her name but anyone who kills more than 300 Germans in ww1 is certified.
Bangflop! another skinning job due to .260 and proper shot placement.
It's a biological fact that women have slower reflexes than men. The reasons for having women as fighter pilots does not include anything to do with winning fights.
If they get them in a fight during PMS, it might make up for it.
How "Killer Chick" Got Her Battle-Damaged A-10 Home video posted to YouTube on Oct 20, 2022 YouTube channel: Ward Carroll - "The YouTube home of Ward Carroll, veteran F-14 Tomcat radar intercept officer, writer, and military commentator."
"Whose bright idea was it to put every idiot in the world in touch with every other idiot? It's working!" -- P. J. O'Rourke
My older brother is friends with some people in Boise who's daughter flies an F35 for the marine Corp. He said she was a helicopter pilot first and then moved on to the F35. I think that's an impressive accomplishment for anyone.
It's a biological fact that women have slower reflexes than men. The reasons for having women as fighter pilots does not include anything to do with winning fights.
If they get them in a fight during PMS, it might make up for it.
Lol, “I can not defeat her”. Jeff Dunham I believe
I know a few women pilots with great skill and a few male pilots that are total [bleep]. I don't care male or female, but prefer flight status based on merit. If they can fly, they can fly.
This is what a fighter pilot looks like. Finding a woman that can fly a jet doesn’t make her a fighter pilot. Why anyone, including the U. S. Military thinks we need women in the armed forces, escapes all decency…