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Show Discharge here-36 years late bachelor's degree in business administration from the U of U, she joined WASP. She was stationed throughout her period of service at Avenger Field, Sweetwater Air Force Base, Sweetwater, Texas. After basic training she ferried three types of planes -Piper Cubs, PT-17s PT-17s and AT-6s to training bases in California, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Baker, said she never had any close calls during her flights. Thirty-eight of the WASP pilots were killed during the war. The women pilots were outfitted during basic training with discarded ; jump suits formerly worn by the air cadets in San Antonio. As fliers they wore white shirts, khaki pants, leather jackets and goggles or navy blue dress uniforms. Baker and her husband now live in Champaign, 111., where they are retired. She has not flown a plane lor some time now, but she looks back on her flying days in World War II with warmth. "1 was yong and vivacious. You just couldn't stop me in those days. 1 was exuberant," she said. "I have had a rich, rich, rich life!" I ; ; Li 1.1 y, Nl,.As I I . Hi 1944. The 1,000 young women who served as WASP pilots ferried planes, trained recruits and towed targets lor live- ammunition anti-aircraft practice. They Hew every plane in the American arsenal, ; from Piper cubs to B-29s, to release male pilots for combat duty. During the two years of WASP'S existence, WASP pilots flew a total of 60 million air miles. Baker grew up in Cedar City.the second-youngest of ten children. -. , She Obtained her pilot's license, a prerequisite for entering. WASP, while attending the. Branch Agricultural College (now Southern Utah State College)! for the first two years ; ;of: her, college career. . After receiving 1 her RaVenna Leigh Baker, a former Cedar City resident, has finally got what she deserves an Honorable Discharge from the U.S. Air Force. The Honorable Discharge is 36 years late, but no less valuable and precious to Leigh, who served with the Women Air-Force Ser-. vice Pilots (WASP) in 1943 and 1944. The certificate is the result of a 35-year-long struggle by WASP to have its members recognized as active military service rather than as civilian service. The struggle ended in' 1979 when Air Force Secretary John C. Stetson announced that the women would be con: sidered active military service. Baker joined WASP in June 1943 immediately after her graduation from the University of Utah and served through July RaVenna Leigh Baker in 1944 |