America250: Ola Mildred Rexroat - VAntage Point

Of the over 25,000 women who applied to train for the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), Ola Mildred Rexroat was truly unique. She one of the 1,879 women accepted into the program and one of the 1,074 who completed the program’s training. She was WASP’s only Native American member.
Choosing not to abandon the world of flight, Rexroat joined the Air Force. She served 10 years at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico as an air traffic controller during the Korean War. Afterward, she went to work for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as an air traffic controller until she retired.

For her service, Rexroat, along with the rest of her fellow WASPs, received Congressional Gold Medals in 2009.

Rexroat died in 2017 at the age of 99. Shortly after, on Oct. 2, 2017, Ellsworth Air Force Base renamed its airfield operations building in her honor.

Women in uniform are special unique leaders. We Salute those WASP pilots for their Contributions to national contingency operations.

Thanks for a great story.