Tuesday kicks off two days of celebration in the Washington, D.C., area in honor of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II. These women flew non-combat military missions to free their male counterparts for combat. President Obama last July signed legislation into law awarding them a Congressional Gold Medal. On Tuesday, there will be a wreath laying and remembrance ceremony at the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Va., for the 38 WASPs who died in the line of duty. A reception will follow at Arlington National Cemetery. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz is scheduled to be at the reception and make brief remarks. On Wednesday, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and he are scheduled to attend the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in the US Capitol building where the surviving WASPs will receive their medals. Donley will speak there, we are told. (Women’s Memorial release)
The Space Development Agency added 21 satellites to its nascent data transport network in an Oct. 15 launch, the second mission in a 10-month campaign to field 154 operational spacecraft.
