Memorial Day/ I wish to honor a member of the WASP - Women Airforce Service Pilots.

This person was a part of making U.S. history.  She was one of 1,830 women accepted as a pilot as part of the Army Air Force from September 1942 to December 1944.  Because of the demand for male combat pilots and warplanes left the Air Transport Command with a shortage of experienced pilots to ferry planes from factories to points of embarkation a program was approved that would train a large group of women to serve as ferry pilots. 

(Taken from the Woman's Collection, Blagg -Huey Library)

I don’t know what ‘Tommy’s personal experiences were while serving in the Women’s Army Airforce but I did find out that she was a Squadron Commander.  And that she “graduated with class 43-6 and was one of the only a few WASP selected to attend officers training in Orlando, Florida.  She was also stationed at Love Field, Dallas Texas with the Ferry Command.”  (Taken from a personal letter to me by an employer of The Woman’s Collection TWU Blagg-Huey Library)

Just a few facts I found very interesting.  Of the 1,074 that graduated 38 died while in the WASP program.  60,000,000 miles flown.

WASP earned $150 per month while in training, and $250 per month after graduation.  They paid for their own uniforms, lodging, and personal travel to and from home.  

Important quote:

You and more than 900 of your sisters have shown that you can fly wingtip to wingtip with your brothers. If ever there was a doubt in anyone’s mind that women can become skillful pilots, the WASPs have dispelled that doubt.”

- Gen. Hap Arnold, AAF, in a speech to the last class of WASPs, before the program was disbanded in December 1944.

Evelyn's maiden name is Burdette.  She was the second wife of my grandfather George Wherrett Tomlinson.  I do not have the exact marriage date/about 1936/37.  She didn't live with Grandfather long and never divorced him.  He died in 1959. Tommy died in 1973.  More will be told about their lives at a later date. 

She did a service for our country contributing to our freedoms we have today. She should be remembered for her good deeds.   Thank You Tommy. 

G.W. Tomlinson Sledding Accident SLC 1908

Less than six months ago I found this article about my grandfather George Wherrett Tomlinson. He died in 1959 in Fresno, California when I was seventeen years old.   I never met this man and he was never talked about by my grandmother Ethel. I did asked my father about him, several times and his response every time  would be very brief saying "he was a good father he took me to wrestling matches and we had some good times together." And that was all the information Dad would say about him. His parents separated when Dad was bout fifteen years old.  
    About twelve years ago through many hours of research I have come to know Grandfather George.   This article told me even more about him that I will mention later. 

I found this article by using the Genealogical.Bank.com, an online genealogical newspaper resource.  This find has made it well worth the fee I pay for the subscription.

This happened one hundred five years ago on Friday 18 December 1908.  George was twenty four years old. George and my grandmother Ethel Hepworth did not marry until 1912.

Saturday, December 19, 1908

Salt Lake Telegram (Salt Lake City, Ut)

SLEIGH RACE ENDS 

    IN BAD ACCIDENT

  George W. Tomlinson was thrown

 from his sleigh and painfully injured

in a race down South Main street with

another sleighing party last night.  Tom-

linson was driving the front bobsled 

when the sleigh behind him struck a 

rough place in the road and turned turtle.

The horses broke loose from the wreck-

age and dashed into the sleigh ahead.

This threw Tomlinson to the ground.

He clung to the reins of his own team

and was dragged into the curbing, re-

ceiving painful scalp cuts and a severe 

shaking up. He was carried into the 

house of Mrs. Emily Bailey, at 545

South Main street, where Mrs. Bailey 

and her daughter, Edna, dressed his 

injuries, while awaiting the arrival of Dr.

F.S. Bascom.  Later he was taken to 

his home, 557 [757] West First North street

                                           in a carriage. 

Strange to relate, the members of the 

party whose sleigh capsized, were in 

any way injured.  They righted their 

vehicle and continued the outing.  Five

young ladies who were in the sleigh being

driven by Tomlinson, refused to give 

                                           their names. 

Monday, December 21, 1908

Salt Lake Telegram (Salt Lake Ciry, Ut)

BRAIN INJURED IN 

         SLEDDING  ACCIDENT

George W. Tomlinson, who was hurt 

in a bob sleigh accident on lower Main

street Friday night, is reported to be 

more seriously injured than at first sup-

posed.  The young man is being treated 

for concussion of the brain.  He is at his

home, 757 West First North street.  An

operation may be necessary. 

The mother of the injured man is on

her way from Canada to spend Christmas 

with another son.  She is not yet aware

of the accident.  It is not thought 

Tomlinson will die. 

 The first thing I learned from this article is that Grandfather was living with Grandmother’s parents on 757 West First North Street.  I was told this many years ago by a cousin of Dad's but wasn't sure if that was really true.   George, I’m assuming was working at the butcher shop for Great grandfather James Hepworth. I often wondered how they met.  George grew up in Ogden, Utah.  His parents moved to Magrath Canada in the early 1900’s.   I do think George lived in Canada for a short time before moving back to Utah and into the Hepworth house. Now to find our how he got to know the Hepworth's.  In 1908 Grandmother Ethel would be twenty one years old and working for the Telephone Company as a telephone operator.    It would be four years after this incident that George and Ethel married; 3 October 1912.  My father was the firstborn; born eleven month later. 

I thought George was very brave to stay with his horses risking his life in taking control.  And now I am wondering if the sleigh and horses were his or did they belong to the Hepworth family?  My father would do the same at a risk of his life in a similar situation. George had five young ladies in his sleigh! George did love the ladies.  Something I don’t see my father doing.  I should ask by brother’s what they think; if Dad would entertain more than one girl at a time.

I find it amazing that no one was hurt in the other sleigh!  Turning turtle; tipping upside down I would think all in the sleigh would have been thrown out or caught underneath and be injured. 

Interesting; that his mother, Mary Ellen Burns Tomlinson was coming from Canada to spend Christmas with a brother of George’s.  This places Great-grandmother Tomlinson still living in Canada and has the means (finances) to travel a long distance; probably by train. 

Would love to know her reaction to this accident?

And, I wonder if Grandfather George ever told my father this story.

Renée