FORMER WASP GETS RIDE OF A LIFETIME

Air Classics, Aug 2004 by O'Leary, Michael

Airborne in a Lockheed Lightning

Flora Belle Reese, 79, grew up in Oklahoma as a preacher's daughter. As a child, she would watch birds soar and glide and became fascinated with aviation. She didn't not want to drive when she turned 16 - of course the family also did not have a car - but she wanted to fly. She started taking flying lessons at a small airport.

Then came the war. Looking through a Life magazine, she saw a photo of a young woman sitting on the wing of a military plane. The girl in the photo was training to become a Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP). All a girl needed was to have 35-hrs of flying experience. Flora Belle had that and she joined up.

Six months later she was one of 1018 WASPs and she was ferrying aircraft, flying the mail, and towing targets.

She always wanted to fly a P-38 but never had the opportunity. When Dick Bong landed his P-38 at her base while on a war bond tour, she begged the crew chief to let her sit in the cockpit. In December 1944, the WASPs were disbanded and she returned home, married a childhood sweetheart, became a teacher, and raised a family.

However, the Lightning stayed in her mind. The 20th of April was celebrated as the 60th anniversary of the delivery of the 5000th P-38 at Burbank, California. To honor that event, The Air Museum's P-38 Porky II flown by Ray Dieckman winged its way to Burbank. Firmly strapped into the small space behind the pilot was Flora Belle Reese. She had finally gotten her wish.