A new house bill to support placing female pilots' ashes in the Arlington National Cemetery was passed by legislators on Tuesday.
The bill won a 385-0 vote from the lawmakers. It was sponsored by Arizona Republican, congresswoman Martha McSally, who was also a retired Air Force fighter pilot. Female World War II pilots, known as WASPs, served in a special unit Women Air Force Service Pilots, WSET reported. During the war, they served the military as civilians. They help male pilots during the combat. They were granted a status of veterans since 1977. In 2002, female pilots' ashes were allowed to be placed in Arlington until last year that the ARMY revoked their rights.
"All these amazing women pilots earned the right to be laid to rest where our country's greatest heroes sleep. They deserve to be memorialized where generations of Americans will come and learn what they did and know how they served," said congresswoman Martha McSallyditorial in Sahuaritasun.
Last year, the Army cited a law from 1970's to exclude female pilots' ashes from burying in the Arlington National Cemetery. They pertained to the female veterans who served as pilots and ferried combat aircrafts in the years between 1942 to 1944, according to Stripes. Earlier this month, the secretary of the Army claimed that only the Congress can change the rule over placing the female pilots' ashes in the national cemetery.
"The WASPs served our country bravely. The only reason they were not given military and veteran status during their time was sexism. That was 70 years ago. It's time to make it right," she said. "I will continue to fight until these women can be laid to rest in Arlington and get the honor and recognition they earned."
A similar bill protecting the rights of the female veterans to bury female pilots' ashes in the cemetery was passed by Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and Barbara Mikulski, D-Md. After the vote, McSally reversed the Army's ruling over the placement of female pilots' ashes in Arlington National Cemetery.
