Ketchikan Daily News: EDITORIAL: Women in history
Three Alaska women are among the newest recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor given by the U.S. Congress.
In conjunction with Women's History Month, which is celebrated every March, Congress recently recognized the achievements of about 200 Women Airforce Service Pilots who served during World War II. These brave women - including Ellen Campbell of Juneau, and Virginia Wood and Nancy Baker of Fairbanks - flew fighter, bomber, transport and training aircraft during WWII.
According to Sen. Lisa Murkowski's office, Campbell attended the ceremony and received her medal in person. Wood and Baker were not able to attend, but Murkowski plans to present them with their medals when she visits Fairbanks next month.
We join Murkowski in congratulating all the women pilots recently honored by Congress, particularly our Alaska pilots. These women played an important role not only in defending our country, but in paving the way for future generations of American women who felt called to serve in the armed forces.
Women have come a long way in a relatively short time frame. However, we still have some milestones to achieve in the United States and worldwide.
With women like Campbell, Wood and Baker as role models - along with all the 200 medal recipients and other brave, pioneering women throughout history - women can continue on the road toward great achievements around the world.
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Source: Originally published on March 15, 2010
