Posted on Feb 3, 2016
Family of a female WWII pilot presses Arlington to accept her ashes
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RP Members what do you think? I think she should be accepted at Arlington!
Elaine Harmon was one of about 1,000 female pilots who served stateside during World War II to free up male pilots for combat. After the war, she helped persuade Congress to recognize the women’s service and grant them veteran status and benefits.
Today, Harmon’s ashes are sitting in her daughter Terry’s closet in Silver Spring, Md., because she and other Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP, have been deemed ineligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Army says the women pilots’ status as veterans doesn’t entitle them to spots in the nation’s best-known veterans’ cemetery, which is quickly filling up.
Harmon’s granddaughter, Tiffany Miller of Walnut Creek, Calif., said that if Harmon were alive, she would be incredulous at the Army’s stance.
“She would feel like, ‘Really, we need to fight this battle again?’” said Miller, 37. “It’s 2016 and we’re still having to prove that we are real veterans?”
Elaine Harmon was one of about 1,000 female pilots who served stateside during World War II to free up male pilots for combat. After the war, she helped persuade Congress to recognize the women’s service and grant them veteran status and benefits.
Today, Harmon’s ashes are sitting in her daughter Terry’s closet in Silver Spring, Md., because she and other Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP, have been deemed ineligible for burial at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Army says the women pilots’ status as veterans doesn’t entitle them to spots in the nation’s best-known veterans’ cemetery, which is quickly filling up.
Harmon’s granddaughter, Tiffany Miller of Walnut Creek, Calif., said that if Harmon were alive, she would be incredulous at the Army’s stance.
“She would feel like, ‘Really, we need to fight this battle again?’” said Miller, 37. “It’s 2016 and we’re still having to prove that we are real veterans?”
Family of a female WWII pilot presses Arlington to accept her ashes
Posted from stripes.com
Arlington
Funeral
WWII World War Two
Pilot
Women in the Military
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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Once the columbarium has sufficient room to properly store her remains she should be eligible to be interred there COL Mikel J. Burroughs. This has become a tempest in teapot.
While Elaine Harmon has been fully authorized to be buried in Arlington national Cemetery for over a decade; her descendants [or somebody on their behalf] are dishonoring her by drawing so much attention to their desire to transfer ashes to the Columbarium.
"Granted veteran status in 1977, the WASPs have been eligible to have their ashes placed at Arlington with military honors since 2002."
I suspect that Elaine Harmon would be saddened by this whole situation.
I know that if I died today, it would be six months before I could be buried in Arlington national Cemetery where there is room.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/eligib.htm
While Elaine Harmon has been fully authorized to be buried in Arlington national Cemetery for over a decade; her descendants [or somebody on their behalf] are dishonoring her by drawing so much attention to their desire to transfer ashes to the Columbarium.
"Granted veteran status in 1977, the WASPs have been eligible to have their ashes placed at Arlington with military honors since 2002."
I suspect that Elaine Harmon would be saddened by this whole situation.
I know that if I died today, it would be six months before I could be buried in Arlington national Cemetery where there is room.
http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/eligib.htm
Eligibility For Burial In Arlington National Cemetery
Eligibility for Burial In Arlington National Cemetery
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