Flora Belle (Smith) Reece World War II WASP

Flora Belle Reece, passed away at UCLA Medical Center on Dec. 1, 2014 after complications from a brain aneurysm. She was a wonderful role model, with a high spirit of adventure, love of aviation and outstanding resolve to accomplish her goals. She was always up and willing to participate in any activities that promoted flying or women in aviation. She was often at Plane Crazy Saturday at Mojave Air and Spaceport and was the featured speaker at Plane Crazy Saturday Two at California City Airport in 2012.

Rosemary Jensen of the Antelope Valley Ninety-Nines set up a party for Flora Belle's ninetieth birthday at the Voyager Restaurant on October 21. Four days before she was admitted to the hospital, she was giving one of her talks about the WASP to the 60+ Club at Cal State University Bakersfield.

I watched her give a slideshow about serving with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) many times. She always began her presentation saying, "The three most important things to me are: God, family and flying."

When I posted photos in memory of Flora Belle on my Facebook page, one woman wrote: "She was my sixth grade teacher and inspired me to get my pilot's license."

During the presentation, she told how the WASP didn't receive any veteran benefits or recognition until 1977 when President Carter signed a bill into Congress granting WASP WWII Veteran status (without full benefits). The women's roles weren't officially recognized as military service. When one of the 'flygirls' was killed in a crash, all of the women had to take up a collection of money to send the body home for burial. Flora Belle always said that she would have done it for free, just to fly those wonderful airplanes.

Jacquelyn Cochran wanted women pilots to help in the war effort by ferrying aircraft from factories to air bases, to free up male military pilots for combat overseas. Over 25,000 young women applied. Few of them made the cut. Only 1,800 of them were selected and only 1,070 actually graduated to become pioneers, heroes, and role models. They were the first women to ever fly American military aircraft.

Flora Belle always admired birds flying and decided that one day she would be a pilot. Her father was a Baptist preacher, and her mother was a homemaker, pianist and seamstress. She was born in Sayre, Oklahoma in 1924 and grew up on a farm.

With her strong determination she soon began taking flying lessons before she even learned to drive, with the financial help of her brother. After high school she decided to enlist in the WASP.

"Jackie (Cochran) put an ad in the paper requesting that young women interested in flying sign up and help the war effort," Reece said. "At this point I had never flown, and I needed at least 35 hours to qualify for pilot training." Her brother fronted her money for lessons, and next thing she knew, she was at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, part of class 44-W-4.

She was trained to fly in various military aircraft from the Vultee BT-13, Stearman PT-17 and North American AT-6 to the Martin B-26 performing military missions stateside. Flora Belle towed targets for gunnery practice with Martin B-26 Marauders.

On Dec. 20, 1944, the WASP were disbanded. The WASP, who were not recognized for their contribution back in the 40's, were all awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on March 10, 2010, almost 70 years after the Women Airforce Service Pilots were disbanded with little notice or fanfare. Flora Belle said she would happily give up the medal if it meant she could get more airtime in the cockpit. 

Flora Belle's dream plane was the Lockheed P-38 Lightning. She had the opportunity to shine Major Bong's P-38 for him. One time she got to sit in it and have a picture taken. That photo was one of her prized possessions.

After her service as a WASP, Flora Belle married her high school sweetheart, Ralph A. Reece. She was a school teacher, an active member of the community, as well as a missionary overseas. She still dreamed of flying in a P-38, and thanks to her friend, Bob Alvis, a representative of the P-38 Association, was able to fulfill that dream.

 A Lockheed built World War II P-38 Fighter from the Planes of Famer Museum in Chino made a return flight to its place of origin on April 20, 2004, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the delivery of the 5000th P-38 built in 1944 at Lockheed Burbank. Flora Belle was riding in the jump seat behind pilot Steve Hinton.

Dave VanHoy, owner of a North American AT-6 took Flora Belle for a flight and she felt right at home at the controls.

Flora Belle and Ralph, her husband of 62 years, had three children, Connie, Cheryl, and Russell (Rusty). Cheryl was lost in an automobile accident at the age of 16 and Ralph passed away in 2008. Flora Belle had four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

She was my hero and role model, she displayed a spirit and grace that everyone would want to emulate.