Jerrie Phillips Badger, WASP pilot

[DavidIsby]

from Twitter:

Laura Sotka
@bibleartdog
·
12h
WASP Jerrie Philips Badger
1921-2026

On January 17, 2026, the world lost Jerrie Philips Badger, one of the last living Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II, at the age of 104.

Born in 1921, Jerrie was part of a small, extraordinary group of women who stepped forward when their country needed them and proved, quietly and decisively, that skill and resolve rise to meet history. As a WASP, she flew military aircraft under demanding and often uncertain conditions, delivering planes vital to the war effort and helping shape the future of aviation.

She never sought recognition for what she did. For decades, her service went unacknowledged, as it did for all WASPs. When that recognition finally came in the way of the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010, she accepted it with grace, gratitude, and the steady humility that defined her life. She knew what she had done, and said it was such a lasting thrill she would have flown for free.

Jerrie lived independently and on her own terms for more than a century. Her sharp wit, clear mind, and love of motion, airplanes, automobiles, and the promise of what comes next remained with her throughout her life. In 2024 Jerrie received the coveted Living Legend Award from the Women’s Military Memorial in Washington, D.C.

To know her was to know courage without show, strength without hardness, and history carried lightly. She bore witness to a remarkable chapter of our nation’s story; her wings earned long ago.
High Flight, Mom.

Those wishing to honor her life and service may consider supporting the She Served Initiative (https://sheservedinitiative.org), an organization dedicated to preserving the stories, service, and legacy of women who have served our nation.

Thank you
@TodaysDAR
for the many personal visits and gifts to Mom,
@CivilAirPatrol
for honoring her, and
@FOX5Atlanta
for telling her story in news and print.
@usairforce
@USWomensVeterans
@CAF1957

@Will_M_Miller