The second presentation of former WASP Florence Emig Wheeler at the Santa Rosa Veterans building was very comforting for me. It was wonderful to have her on the panel as she had edited my book, She Flew Bombers. I introduced her saying, she was born on April 6, 1922 in Santa Clara, California, to William J. Emig the sheriff of Santa Clara County.
Florence spoke with enthusiasm, “My interest in flying was sparked when my father encouraged me to join the San Jose State College flying club in 1940. Before I went into the service, I was a flight instructor in Reno, Nevada and Alturas, CA where five of my students were accepted into the WASPs, I felt very proud of that accomplishment. I joined the last class of WASPs in Sweet Water, Texas in 1944. I arrived on the base, and I was overwhelmed as well as excited to see the many beautiful, tanned WASPs marching two by two to training classes wearing tan slacks and white shirts instead the first issued surplus GI size 44 mechanic uniforms which had to be rolled up and fasten by a belt to fit.
One of my assignments to graduate from the Sweetwater training classes was a timed cross-country flight. I climbed up to 5,000 feet from Garden City, Kansas and was to land in Lincoln, Nebraska. Well, I was a California girl and was used to flying in a state that had marvelous mountains, valleys and hills which were easy markers to show where I was.
I flew from Texas to Kansas and became completely lost! Here I was as an accomplished pilot and instructor with 1,500 hours logged hours and I never got lost! Kansas is completely flat with no obvious markers. At last, I saw a railroad down below and I immediately flew down to read the railway station sign which told me where I was!” Laughter erupted from the audience.
Florence continued, “Fortunately, I found the town on the map and made it to Nebraska four minutes late but luckily the instructor passed me.” The audience applauded very loudly.
Florence finished her story; “The WASPs were deactivated in December 1944 and I returned to San Jose to complete my degree and resumed flight instruction at Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose.
“I received my degree in Home Economics at San Jose State College and taught at Healdsburg High School for 30 years where I met and married my husband, Marshall Wheeler, a history teacher.”
I sewed and improvised this WASP uniform I’m wearing for speaking events such as this one. Here is my original hat made of the traditional Santiago Blue material used for graduation uniforms. That material was discontinued but as you can see the colors are close. Also, my uniform does not have a drop seat which had been necessary when there were no bathroom facilities available.” More laugher was heard from the audience.
“One of my most satisfying events was teaching my father, Sheriff Emig to fly to get his pilot’s license in 1950 at the age of 74. This made me feel so proud!”
I added to Florence’s story, “On March 10, 2010, Florence attended the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in Washington, D.C., honoring the entire WASPs in service during the war. President Obama presented the medals to each WASP.
I called Florence up after hearing about the ceremony on the radio and asked her if she went to the ceremony. She said she went there with her son. I asked her if she was paid for travel and hotel expenses.
Her simple answer was, “No.”
I replied, “That’s terrible.”
Florence answered, “That’s the way it is!”
Florence Emig Wheeler passed away of a heart condition in Santa Rosa, California, on March 30, 2015, at age 92.
I attended Florence’s touching remembrance ceremony at the Unitarian Church in Santa Rosa. It was a wonderful slide presentation of her life and was well attended. It brought tears to my eyes and felt very grateful that I met this amazing powerful woman who had a great spirit of determination.
Next time: Stay tuned for the third amazing and powerful WASP’s interview from Betty Deuser Budde!