Comments on: Bessie Coleman: a life less ordinary http://blog.aopa.org/blog/?p=744 Online perspective from the editors of "AOPA Pilot". Sun, 16 Jun 2013 17:24:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Phil DeRosier http://blog.aopa.org/blog/?p=744&cpage=1#comment-39867 Phil DeRosier Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:34:19 +0000 http://blog.aopa.org/blog/?p=744#comment-39867 Ahhh yes … Queen Bess!!

Why does it seem that the pioneers and trailblazers of yester-year always seem to have been more bold … more daring … that today’s crop of ‘adventurists’?

Ms. Coleman had the “right stuff” long before that marquis became part of the modern vernacular. What other than a ‘tough-as-nails’ personality like Ms. Coleman, could possibly maneuver the labyrinth of obstacles–both legitimate, and otherwise–to ascend to what was truly a timeless dream of all mankind–to fly!

All America should be truly proud of the heritage left by people like Queen Bess and others. Hers is a story of “Yes, I can! Yes, I will! Hers is a story that is uniquely American.

Phil DeRosier
Chief Flight Instructor
Delaware State University
Dover, DE 19901

]]> By: Robert S. Gittens, USN-Ret. http://blog.aopa.org/blog/?p=744&cpage=1#comment-39746 Robert S. Gittens, USN-Ret. Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:33:44 +0000 http://blog.aopa.org/blog/?p=744#comment-39746 As my ‘e’ address may suggest I was constantly encouraged to “flybobsolo” while a student pilot in the very early 1970s after retiring from the Navy in 1968.
What is unique about me is that I was one of the first Afro American enlisted in the U.S.Navy to fly as a crewmember in the early 1950s, in fact I was one of the first to go into Naval Aviation as an Aircraft Engine Mechanic. You see until then President Truman changed the policies about Afro Americans only doing servitudial duies in the Navy.
At any rate I am proud for our race to be finally recognized positively, especially 2009.

]]> By: Bill T Wambach http://blog.aopa.org/blog/?p=744&cpage=1#comment-39620 Bill T Wambach Sat, 31 Jan 2009 22:22:23 +0000 http://blog.aopa.org/blog/?p=744#comment-39620 I was one year old when Bessie Coleman died. I never heard of her until about 1995. But, I was a Naval Aviation Cadet in WWII, and never heard of the Tuskegee Airmen until EAA honored them with a celebration of a half century since they had safely escorted bombers in WWII.
That year I took a second-grade class up – 3 at a time – for their Young Eagles ride. They invited me to their parents night to show off what they’d learned about aviation. They made propellors & let them spin down vertical strings, and other hands-on things.
They had a book on the life of Bessie Coleman, because their teacher was a black woman, and well over half the class were black children. They eagerly showed it to me.
So, I borrowed it out of the public library & read about this amazing, courageous, resourceful woman.
The plunging stock market this year has made it necessary for me to quit flying, because my pension won’t cover the cost any more. But, in16 years I’ve flown 645 kids into the Young Eagles. I’ll cherish that memory as long as I live.

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