[Clipping: Deaton introduced WASPs to Sweetwater] Part: 1 of 2
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I
Deaton
(Leni Leoti Clark Deaton passed
way in 1985, and her going marked
the endof a chapter of WASP history.
As a tribute to this extraordinary
woman, the 1986 WASP reunion pro-
'am was dedicated to her memory.
ie following is a biography of Mrs.
:aton compiled by ex-WASP Doris
rinker Tanner, currently Professor
Emeritus of History at the University
ofTennessee atMartin.)
In a State known for extraordinary
people, Leni Leoti Clark (Mrs. Cli-
fford Deaton, Sr.) was one of its out-
standing native daughters. She was
born in Hereford, Texas, on Sep-
tember 2, 1903, to Leni Leoti Sypert
(Mrs. Clark), a talented musician
and educator. Her father was Ran-
dolph Lee Clark, Sr., a professional
educator who earned his Ph.D. in
Psychology and founded Mid-
Western University.
AsmuchasshelovedherRedCross
work, her real love was Clifford Dea-
ton. They met at an Epworth League
socialat churchwhenshewas 16.
Her life changed dramatically
after the December 7, 1941 events at
Pearl Harbor and the beginning of
World War II. Cliff was a candidate
for a direct commission with the
Marines, and Cliff, Jr. joined the Air
Force and awaited summons for
training as an aviation
cadet.Ironically, she was first tor
leavehomeinanswertothecountry's
call to colors. Ant
important, exciting, top-secret, war-
time experiment was being organ-
ized and a search for a qualified
roman to organize and administer itt
was in progress. Jean was admin-1
istrative assistant to the project's
director, famous aviator Jacqueline
Cochran, and Jean had recommend-
ed Deaton as a possible appointment
for the position. The following morn-
ing, November 8,1942, Deaton tookI
the tain for Fort Worth to visit her1
sister and to meet and "just talk
about it" with the dynamic, charm-I
ing, and persuasive Cochran. It was
the first of many fascinating con-
versations and fabulous evenings the
two spent together. Hardly before
realizing it, she was approved and
had agreed to accept temporarily
The job involved the admin-
istration of an Army Air Force civi-
lian contract school for female
aviation cadets, and she was respon-
sible for everthingexcepttheir flying
lessons.Houston was already burst-
ing from theinfluxof service men and
new war-industry workers and her
first job was finding living accom-
modations for 28 young women!
Accommodations had to be close to
the Howard Hughes Municipal Air-
port, if possible. Lt. Fleishman'sown
landlady, Sally Newton Neuschatz,
found Deaton a lovely bedroom to
rent in the Nathan home. With the
-.lp of such patriotic residents
nany of whomwere Jewsandeager
aid in Hitler's defeat), enough
ms were finally listed as avail-
Oe. Before the second group
riTived in Decenner, she persuaded
the owner of the Oleander Tourist
Court to rent half his rooms to them,
thus getting her charges together in
one place rather than scattered all
over the city which made transport-
ationto andfrom the airport very dif-
ficult. But Cochran was horrified!
Tourist courts were "dens of
iniquity!" For the only time in their
relationship, she almost fired
Deaton. Reputations of the girls,
already shroudedinsecrecy and sus-
picion because of the odd hours they
kept, was now even more suspect!
But Deaton explained the prac-
ticality of the move and Cochran con-suited with Army officials and on
December8thwiredherexecutiveas
follows: "Commanding General
AAF Gulf Coast Training Center
notified that use of tourist courtsatis-
factory this headquarters to you
comma commanding officer and
contractor stop recommend short
term lease not to exceed sixty days
with option on renewal. (signed)
Cochran."
Four classes were active in
Houston when Miss Cochran
announced formally on February 21,
1943the occupationof Avenger Field.
Deaton flew to Sweetwater to survey
facilities. For a month or more she
commutedbackandforthtryingtobe
in two places at the same time.
o jintroduced WASPs
Latest style - "How do they
expect me to wear something like
this." (From Winifred Wood's novel,
We Were WASPS.)
Assistant staff members were
necessary now to carry the increas-
ing work load; by April 5 the office at
the air field near Sweetwater was.
operational just before the 125
rookies of the fifth class reported for
duty. The last male cadets were still
there when the women of 43W4 flew
planes from Houston to Sweetwater.
The women's barracks directly
faced the men's barracks---
separated by only a few feet of open
ground. In order to insure privacy,
someone ordered all the lower glass
panes in the women's barracks
painted black.
But as temperature rose toward
the 100 degree mark in April, the
windows were raised to capture any
transient breeze. Literally, privacy
flew out the windows, but soon the
women learned to move from show-
ers to lockers in a bent-over crouch
below the open windows. The morale
of both groups was high, for each was
afraid the opposite sex might com-
pile a betterrecord
When a late Sunday breakfast was
allowed, no one took advantage of it.
Since the men ate early, the girls
appearedearly also at theirendof the
mess hall, just as neatly groomed as
their military male counterpart.
Deaton permitted and approved Fri-
day night movies and "dates" for
dinner for Saturday and Sunday
nights. Under Deaton's trusting but
vigilant eye, the first U. S. Army Air
Force's experiences in coeducation
flight training school concluded su-
cessfully. On April 15, the male ad-
etsmovedout,leaving Avenge F
the -"t d iy ttay all-female
miilitalfying school in American
history.
Related to the departure of the
men, atotallyunexpectedproblemof
relationships with the people of
Sweetwater developed. Sweetwater
girls enjoyed an active social life of
dancing, parties and dates with the
male cadets at the base. The coming
of the women trainees wrecked this
pleasurable life-style. Deaton
appraised the situation and sought a
way to placate the mothers, fathers
and girls and to build acceptance for
the women cadets at the same time.
Securing time over the local radio
station, she explained who they were
and what they were doing. Topmost
secrecy in Houston had been ordered
by the Air Force, but now press
releases were permitted. The
churches responded first: Father
Ballarin, the Catholic priest, held
mass at the training field. Cochran
flew to Sweetwater to call on the
mayor. He was soon convinced by
Cochran's persuasive conversation
that these women were nice girls
intent on doing their particular bit to
help win the war.
The mayor organized a day of spe-
cialeventsfor citizensandtraineesto
get acquainted. The people of Sweet-
water were invited by Deaton to
attend flight line graduation
exercises on May 28, 1943. The resi-
dents watched in open admiration as
the trainees passed in review.
Reluctant at first, the Texans now
wholeheartedly accepted these
intruders who invaded their town
square on Saturday nights. Typical
All-American down-home gals, the
local paper referred to the women as
the greatest little sisters a group of
Army fighting airmen ever pos-
sessed and LIFE Magazine featured
the workthatthe WASPsweredoing.
Trainee Sylvia Miller married her
schoolmate sweetheart at St.
Stephen's Episcopal Church in
Sweetwater with "Dedie" serving asMatron of Honor. Regular bus ser-
vice to town was scheduled; an
Avengerette Club downtown was
opened to provide the women a place
to meet and relax on weekends. She
advised Horace Heidt on his musical
program to salute the 318th. Photog-
raphers and reporters visited the
base after the secrecybanwas lifted.
Their articles had to be scrutinized.
By careful planning, she managed a
brief visit home to Wichita Falls to
seeCliff whoseexpectedcommission
was cancelled by a change in age
requirement. He held down two jobs
now, onewas inwarproductionwork.
She went to Waco with Colonel and
Mrs George Keene for a dance in
honor of the Commanding Officer of-S
/"
.,fighters, bombers, and transports.
They fill the need for professional
non-combat flying service in this
country and Canada. For example,
the Training Command uses many
women pilots to ferry airplanes to
and from certain bases for major
repairs or overhaul. However, in
recent months the WASP has assum-
ed additional duties--towing targets
in gunnery schools, acting as co-
pilots on night searchlight missions-
-and the like. Women pilots are also
flying some of the weather planes
which take meteorologists aloft.
Indeed, this organizationhas cometo
serve a variety of useful purposes in
theAAForganization. We'reproudof
you, and welcome you as part of the
AAF. We can use and probably will
contiue to use as many WASPs as we
canturnoutforthesenon-combatfly-
ing duties."
Evidently the VIPs (very import-
ant people) were impressed with her
efficiency and the 318th! A beautiful
bronzeplaqueinscribed:
March11,1944
"To the best women pilots in the
world"
GeneralH.H. "Hap" Arnold
arrived andwas installedinthewish-
ing well fountain by the admin-
istration complex. It symbolized the
success of the Sweetwater expert
ment, credit for a great part of which
belongedtoDeaton'slittle publicized
endeavors.
In preparation for their expected
commissions in the Army Air Force
training at a special school in
Orlando, Florida, was instituted foi
WASP graduates. Administative
staff members were also required t
attend. For the first time, Deaton
carried no responsibility for the
students and was able to "let her hair
down" and be one of the gals. She
enjoyed partying with them, but
much to her chagrin when a new and
additional advanced instrumentSweetwater Reporter, Thursday September25, 1986 Pagel
to Sweetwate-1
Lackland, but the highlight and pur-
pose of the trip for her was the oppor-
tunity to see Cliff, Jr. (Sonny), now
stationed in Waco. During a horse-
back ride, Cliff, Jr. had r accident
andsufferedmultiplefractursof his
foot, but wasrecoveringwell. Her sis-
ter and brother-in-law, Dr. a " Mrs.
John Worsham, entertained all of
themwithafestive barbequeandnew
pool inauguration on Sunda after-
noon. Two WASP graduates ation-
ed at Lackland attended to gi her a
pictureof active-dutylife.
No event was as thrilling a nexcit-
ing as the March11, 1944, gr Auation
ceremonies for Class 44W . The
supreme commander of t U.S.
Army Air Force, General = ry H.
Arnold, made his first v t and
inspection of the 318th AAF 1.He
was accompanied by Lt. heral
Barton K. Yount, Commandig Gen-
eral of the AAF Training Co nand;
Major General H.L. George, omm-
anding General of the Air T sport
Command; Major Generd H.A.
Graig, Assistant Chief of Staff, per-
ations Commitments and
Assignments; Major Genera 1uir
Faichild, Secretary Con? fined
Chiefs of Staff; Brig. General lsaiah
Davies, Commanding General, Cen-
tral Flying Training Comrand;
Brig. General Charles Gleen, Flight
Surgeon, AAF Training Comnnand;
Colonel C.A. Peterson, Arnold's
Pilot, and Major E.A. McCabe, his
aide-de-campe. Mrs. Nancy Love,
Executive Director of the FerryDiv-
ision of the Air Command, an Mrs.
Jacqueline Cochran, Director of the
WASP, attended also.
With meticulous care, Deaton
supervised the multitude of details
prior totheir arrival. On March6, she
wrote to Cochran; "...Aparadeof the
entire student body would be much
more effective than even a demon-
stration put on by a crack drill team.
TheGuardof Honor willbe composed
of the graduating class in their full
uniform. The six highest ranking
student officers have been chosen to
have lunch withthe inspecting party.
I am sure you will be proud of these
girls...Also, the graduating ciahas
not drilled for almost a month since
they have been flying long hour: and
have been gone a great deal e'the
time on cross-country trips, a sin
ce they will be flying right up the
time of graduation there will be no
time for them to become proficient as
I am sure youwouldliketohavet1iem.
There aretwo cross-country flights
out now and one of them is not due
back until Wednesday. Should they
run into bad weather they would be
evenlater.We are looking forwadto
your arrival and I am sure you will
find everything arranged tsour
satisfactionwhenyougeher.".
Arrangements proved very tis-
fiurtory indeed as Class 4T424n mae a
.. Aeraid appearance in their w
uniforms. Uniforms were issued in
February, 1944, making the won 't
the first wearers of Air Force blue.
Her hectic hours, issuing the u:i~
forms, taking measurements, ar d
supervising careful alterations c'l-
minated in an impressive Guard off
Honor. It was a long way from Apr
28, 1943, and the make-do wings and
mad scramble to secure anything
resembling uniforms for the first
class of graduates.
Nothing stamped the program
success as much as GeneralArnok s
graduationspeech:
"I am looking forward to the day
when Women's Air Force Service
Pilots take the place of practically all
AAF pilotsintheUnitedStatesforthe,
duration. WASPs are doing an effec-
tive job of delivering aircraft in the
U.S. from the smallest planes to bigV-
- -Arrival in Sweetwater - Drawing by Dorothy Winifred Wood.
Swaim from the novel entitled "We Were WASPS" bytraining course was started at
Avenger Field, she was required to
enforce strict rules for the returning
graduates whom she had "had a ball
with" atOrlando!
Deaton delivered the bad news to a
newly arriving class. The incredible
andhearbreaking jobof closing down
the exciting, highly successful oper-
ations fell on her shoulders. Gradu-
ation for the last class, 44W10, was
scheduled for December 7,1944;
word wassentto graduatesonduty to
return to their "home hive" for alast
official ceremony. When the Big
Springs Bombardier Base Band
struck up the favorite familiar notes
of the AAF song, "off we go into the
wild blue yonder, climbing high into
thesun," aspontaneouscheerrose as
the women savored this ast moment
of respect for their accomplish-
ments. General Arnold spoke briefly
butpoignantly:
"Every WASP...filled a necessary
place... in the overall picture of the
Air Force. I salute you. We are proud
of you; we will never forget our debt
toyou."
Jacqueline Cochranresponded:
"I am proud that the WASP mer-
t ,d praise from General Yount and
general Arnold. They think the
WASP have done a good job. That
makes me happy. My greatest
scomplishmentin aviationhas been
she small part I have played in help-
ing make possible the results you
haveshown."
Their sentiments echoed hollowly
inDedie'sheart asshehandedthelast
silver wingstoGeneralArnoldfor the
last graduate of one of the least
known, but mostdaring projectsever.
undertaken by the U.S.Army Air
Force. The flight line fell silent, the
barracks were deserted,Sweetwater
resumed its pre-war pace of life, but
mountains of paper work had to be _@
p
I
I
0MENS:
Taupe, Grey, Tan Kip
Navy& Red
I AflI~c.DANDY WESTERN WEAR
1720 & Hopkins Rd.
235-4456
completed-a job Deaton had never
relished. She spent two and one-half
months at Randolph Field, com-
pleting records. The supplementary
history of the Women's Airforce Ser-
vice Pilot Training Program at 319th
Army Air Forces Flying Training
Detachment Municipal Airport,
Houston, Texas, 318th Army Air
Force Base Unit Avenger Field,
Sweetwater, Texas, was put
together, checked, double checked
and signed Leni L. Deaton, Staff
Executive and Historian. Her final
statement indicated the great good
sense shehad broughttoher tasks.
From Sweetwater Deaton
returned home to Wichita Falls to
resume "normal" living, but when
the Red Cross Chapter manager
resigned, the board thrust the job on
her and she accepted, but only on a
temporary basis; once again "tem-
porary" lasted nine years. She
enjoyed the work and through her
insight into the needs of the comm-
unity made important and lasting
contributions.
In 1972, "Dedie" went back to
Sweetwater to serve as chairman for
the committee of the Order of Fif-
nella to organize the 30th year
reunion of the former Women Air-
force Service Pilots. She and the citi-
zens of Sweetwater made the event a
tremendous success. A historical
marker waserectedonHighway80, a
marble monument engraved with
WASP history was placed on the
courthouse lawn and unveiled by
Cochran in a ceremony climaxing a
parade.
There was a splended air show for
the 315 returning women who toured
their old hangar, sang the old songs,
and renewed the camaraderie of the-
ir yesteryears. Deaton was awarded
the special Order of Fifinella in rec-ognition of her s ig rIL cat cc
tribution.
Outof thatreuniont3red dvelop
a spontaneous desire to correct th
injustice of their dismissal in 1944
without military, status. Deaton
threw herself into the project with her
usual enthusiams and vigor. As a
former member of the Texas Demo-
cratic Executive Committee, shy
used all her political connections t.
help win the WASP militarization
battle. At their victory reunion at th
Air Force Academy in Colors
Springs in 1978, the WASP preside
presented her with gold miniature
sweetheart wings in recognition of
her devotion to them throughout'
years.
A serious heart condition, Pa
inson's disease and a stroke or
Christmas Day failed to dim be
interest and zest for life.
Further strokes limited
activities. She failed to get to the 1i
San Diego Reunion. No longer coui
shespeak, but blink yesornottoque
tions. She never lost her courage c
delightful sense of humor and whe
one WASP visited on January 4,198
at her home in Wichita Falls, sit
insisted on being out of bed, dresses
lipstick and makeup applied and si
ting up in her wheelchair. The dis
cussion involved lively plans t.
attend the 186 rU
Sweetwater.
Her expressive eyes spartri ed a
the prospect of seeing old frienti
again even though it meant a ha-'
trip via ambulance. Death halted.
those plans and "Dedie" died quietly>
inher sleep on February 11,1986.
(This is a partial account of Tan
ner's biographical account of Dea
ton's life with the WASPS. The
narrative is complete in this year's
WASP reunion program.'a
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The zoot suit - A size 44 for a
five-foot three future pilot. (Draw-
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Tanner, Doris Brinker. [Clipping: Deaton introduced WASPs to Sweetwater], clipping, September 25, 1986; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1010277/m1/1/?q=dedie+deaton: accessed June 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting National WASP WWII Museum.