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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, During World War II, under a special program known
3as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), female pilots flew
4noncombat missions to free up male pilots for combat; and
 
5    WHEREAS, WASPs were considered civilians; 38 women died in
6crashes, but neither they nor their families received military
7benefits; and
 
8    WHEREAS, WASP pilots were granted veteran status in 1977,
9making them eligible to have their ashes placed at Arlington
10National Cemetery with military honors; since 2002, this has
11gone on without controversy; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Recently, the United States Army, which oversees
13Arlington National Cemetery, stated that in 2002, the
14superintendent of the cemetery had no authority to begin
15allowing the remains of WASP pilots to be buried there, and
16under federal law, WASP pilots are only eligible for burial at
17cemeteries run by the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The WASPs were a distinct group of women; they
19test-flew repaired military aircraft, trained combat pilots,
20and towed airborne targets that other pilots fired at with live
21ammunition during training; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, The WASPs are not asking for anything beyond what
2they earned; therefore, be it
 
3    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
5SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we urge the United States Army
6to reverse its decision and once again allow the Women Airforce
7Service Pilots to be buried in their rightful place at
8Arlington National Cemetery; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
10presented to the United States Secretary of the Army.