Page 80 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2020- Online Magazine

Virginia Griffin Worcester Evans A Woman on the Move

by Steve Lott

Lackland, it was already dark. back with embarrassing medical
Her group was quartered in a problems. She would be sent
barracks which had not been home early so the pilots could
used in a while. They were told sign her register and record the
to pick a bunk and get some information without her hearing
sleep. When they awoke, the it. Not-so-humorous were the
ladies found themselves covered suggestive comments she had to
with roaches and water bugs. endure, sometimes by the very
Another girl from Vermont people whose job it was to prevent
stood in the middle of the that kind of talk. When she finally
room and just screamed. They got the courage to speak up, she
discovered that the garbage was threatened to have earned
from the previous group had stripes withheld. But Virginia had
been left for over a month. The survived harsh Vermont winters
Vermont girls had never seen and 11 siblings. She was prepared
irginia was born in roaches or water bugs. The to handle challenges.
Browington, Vermont in a Army fixed the bug problem but
Vhospital elevator. She saw was helpless against the heat and
this as an omen that she was born the sandstorms. The recruits had
to travel. She could not have been no idea how to prepare for walls of
more right. sand. The dirt got into everything,
and the heat only compounded
Her father believed that education her discomfort. Virginia was not
was a waste of time for women, an immediate fan of the Lone Star
so she knew she had to take it State.
upon herself to make her dream of
becoming a teacher come true. She Her assignment after basic was
worked and saved so she could Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.
go to a small college, but she fell There she learned the ropes of
ill with pneumonia after the first the military personnel office. She
semester. Virginia had to spend excelled at her work and looked
her college money to pay medical forward to her next assignment.
bills. She then felt as though she When she discovered her new job
had only two options: go home would be with the 1708 Ferrying
to her 11 siblings and accept a group at Kelly Air Force Base, San
traditional woman’s role or join Antonio, she thought, “Texas loves The MATS (Military Air Transport
the military. Virginia chose the Air me a lot more than I love it!” Service) squadron was her next
Force. home. Virginia was transferred
Virginia oversaw morning to Andrews Air Force Base in
When the Air Force sent her to personnel reports; she had to know Washington D.C. She was told to
Lackland Air Force Base near San where everyone was. She learned report to the information office
Antonio, Texas, it was a bit of a to deal with being a woman in the ASAP. In her hurry to get there,
culture shock. The New England Air Force, some of it humorous she rounded the corner of a hall
girl encountered bugs, sandstorms, and some not. Sometimes, crews too quickly and ran head on into
and heat. When she arrived at flew to foreign countries and came a three-star general, knocking

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