[Clipping: Flying fillies once occupied Liberty Field] Part: 1 of 4
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FRIDAY, OCT. 23, 1987-HINESVILLE SESQUICENTENNIAL-PAGE 29
Hying fillies
once occupied
Liberty Field
By DIANNE OWENS
Courier Staff ReporterIn the original buildup of Camp Stewart
in the early 1940's Women Airforce Ser-
vice Pilots were stationed at Liberty Field.
Liberty Field is now Wright Army Airfield.
The WASPs, or flying fillies, as they
were affectionately called, were stationed
at Liberty Field from September 1943 un-
til October 1944.
The first group of WASPs consisted of
15 women from Camp Davis, N.C. The
women trained as safety pilots, in radio
control and as chase pilots.
They flew support missions for the anti-
aircraft artillery units training at Camp
Stewart.
The program, which began in 1942 end-
ed in 1944. A news release announcing
the inactivation of the WASPs reads:
"Unless there are unexpected and much
higher combat losses in the air war over
Germany, the Army Air Forces will inac-
tivate the WASPs on December 20, 1944,
Gen. H.H. Arnold, commanding general
announced today.
Approximately 1,000 WASPs were af-
fected by the inactivation. WASPs
volunteered to release, not replace, male
pilots, the news release said. Thirty
WASPs died while serving with the Army
Airforce.
"Liberty Field was a great place to be
stationed," Henrietta Richmond says.
Twelve WASPs and 12 male pilots were
stationed there at any one time, she says.
The group had tennis courts or could go to
the movies "over at Camp Stewart." Her
group even helped build a swimming pool.
While at Liberty, women had little con-
tact with the main Camp area, Lois Holl-
ingsworth Ziler says. "Jeeps were
available to take us to the PX or theatre at
certain times...Liberty field had a good
mess sergeant who could do wonders with
a can of spam," she adds.
Wild hogs ran through the swamps, and,
if used for target practice, would make
great eating when delivered to the mess
sergeant, she says.
"In the Spring of 1944 the uniform was
finally ready. The flight uniform included
slacks with no pockets (the girls were told
it was considered unwise to add to the
natural hip-breadth of women), with ox-
ford cloth blue shirt and Eisenhower-typeLIBERTY AIRFIELD WASPS - Mrs. Helen W. Snapp, former- keeper from Lakeland, Fla. and Viola Thompson, left to
ly an employee of the telephone company from right, return from training in June 1944 at Liberty Field,
Washington, D.C., Margery Moore, former parachute rigger Camp Stewart. (U.S. Army Photograph)
from Roanoke, Va., Bertha Mary Clifford, former book-battle jacket," Dora Dougherty Strother
says.
Flight coveralls with the drop-seat were
not a favorite of the women, she says, no
matter how useful."It's not that we girls have anything
against the order demobilizating the
Women's Air Service Pilots... "Alta Cor-
bett, from Portland, Ore., said at the time,
"its just that we've devoted a couple of
years to towing targets over CampStewart's firing ranges and handling that
radio control stuff.
"Shucks, who wants to go back to
civilian life and maybe be grounded by of-
fice jobs or housekeeping," she said.Ft. Stewart named for Revolutionary War hero
By DIANNE OWENS
Courier Staff Reporter
Camp Stewart was named for a
Liberty County Revolutionary War hero,
General Daniel Stewart.
Stewart was born on December 20,
1761 and at 15 joined with others to
serve in the Revolutionary War. He serv-
ed under Brig. Gen Francis Marion of
South Carolina, "the Swamp Fox," andunder Brig. Gen. Thomas Sumter of
South Carolina, 'the Gamecock."
By the age of 22 Stewart had become a
lieutenant colonel. After the war he
returned to active duty and lead attacks
against local Indians and became a col-
onel in the Georgia Militia.
In 1809 Stewart was commissioned as
a brigadier general and helped raise a
cavalry to protect Coastal Georgia from
the British.Stewart was also active in
government and served two
state representative and six
senator.Georgia's
terms as
terms asGeneral Stewart's last marriage in
1812 was to Sarah Hines Lewis, sister of
Senator Charltpn Hines, for whom
Hinesville was named.
Stewart died in May 1829 and is
buried in the Midway Cemetary.SANITARY
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Owens, Dianne. [Clipping: Flying fillies once occupied Liberty Field], clipping, October 23, 1987; Hinesville, Georgia. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth888124/m1/1/?q=12th%20Armored%20Memorial%20Museum: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting National WASP WWII Museum.