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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Three sisters: One C-130 pilot, Two Helicopter Pilots

Received my issue of VFW Magazine today. It's the March 2009 issue, and its devoted to women veterans. (I'm not a member of the VFW - my Dad is. He flew C-130s during Vietnam.)

In the Young Vets in Focus Column, three sisters are profiled: Lacy Smith, Kelly Smith, and Amber Smtih.

The three sisters come from White Salmon, Washington. Their grandfather was a pilot with the Army Air Corps during WWII, and became a commercial pilot after the war. There father and uncle were also commercial pilots.

Kelly Smith decided to learn how to fly C-130 transports while a freshman at the University of Arizona, and transferred to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where she later became a flight instructor.

Kelly enlisted in the military right after September 11, 2001. She joined the CAlifornia Air National Guard and became a C-130 pilot. After a while she was sent overseas and served a tour in Afghanistan.

Amber enlisted in 2003, in the Army, and was soon flying the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter. In late 2007, her unit was deployed to Afghanistan.

Lacey serves in the Army. She's a chief warrant officer flying a Black Hawk helicopter, and is currently stationed in Afghanistan. Her unit replaced Amber's in that country last fall.

The sisters were also profiled on the National Guard's website at:
http://www.ngb.army.mil/news/archives/2008/07/072908-Families.aspx

and at

America's North Shore Journal

http://northshorejournal.org/sisters-pilot-afghan-skies

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cathy, are you a veteran yourself? You should consider becoming a VFW member as well!

Cathy Gale said...

Hi, no - my brother was in the Navy, my sister is recently retired Air Force, but I myself never went into the military...I can only praise and respect those who did!