Dawn Seymour

Dawn Seymour (July 1, 1917 - July 18, 2017) was an American pilot and member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots during World War II. She would later lobby for military status for the Women Airforce Service Pilots as well as encourage recognition of their contributions to the war effort during World War II.

Early life

Seymour was born in Rochester, New York on July 1, 1917.

She was the first woman accepted into the Civilian Pilot Training Program at Cornell University. In 1939, she earned a bachelor's degree from Cornell.

During World War II

During World War II, Seymour was a Women's Airforce Service Pilot, or WASP at Buckingham Air Force Base in Florida.

Later life

She actively campaigned for military status for the Women Airforce Service Pilots.

Honors

Her 100th birthday party was celebrated at the opening reception of Women in Aviation International’s 2017 annual conference.

Publications

• Seymour, Dawn, Clarice I. Bergemann, Jeanette J. Jenkins, and Mary Ellen Keil. Women Airforce Service Pilots, WWII: In Memoriam : Thirty-Eight American Women Pilots Gave Their Lives in Performance of Duty with the United States Army Air Forces 1942-1943-1944. Denton, Tex: Texas Woman's University Press, 1996.

Death and legacy

She died aged 100 on July 18, 2017.

References

External links

• The Boundless Sky by Dawn Seymour. A 97 year old woman describes training young men for WWII combat as a WASP, with Moth Radio Extra: Full interview including photos. Veterans Day Special 2014. The Moth Radio Hour.