Final Flight Final Fight: My Grandmother, the Wasp, and Arlington National Cemetery

By: Erin Miller

Narrated by: Erin Miller

Length: 9 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

When Arlington National Cemetery refused to accept my grandmother's last request to be laid to rest there, I refused to let her legacy as a veteran die along with her.

My grandmother, Elaine Danforth Harmon, flew as a pilot with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II. Despite being part of the first group of women to fly for the United States Army, the WASP remained officially unrecognized as members of the military due to discriminatory thinking about gender on Capitol Hill and beyond. Women flying planes? Too progressive for the World War II era.

When I was young, I thought of my grandmother's trips to accept awards, or to visit the White House, or to give lectures about her time in the service, as her hobby. I knew what she had done, and I knew that in the 1970s they had lobbied Congress to get the veterans' status they had been denied during the war. From that point on, my grandmother shared her story of service with the WASP during World War II with anyone who would listen.

But it was not until after she died that I fully understood why she had spent so many years talking about her service with the WASP. My grandmother's last request was to be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. Our family was surprised when the United States Army, which managed the cemetery, denied that the WASP, and, therefore, my grandmother, were eligible for placement in the cemetery.

The Army said "no" to the wrong family.

I led our family's campaign on behalf of my grandmother, and all the women of the WASP, across social media, traditional news outlets, and to Capitol Hill to fight for their equal recognition at one of the nation's most well-known cemeteries. My grandmother's final fight came after her final flight - but I was honored to follow in her footsteps to ensure her legacy would not be forgotten.

©2019 Erin Miller (P)2019 Erin Miller

I thought I knew the story

I was at Ms Harmon's service at Arlington. I thought I knew what happen----not even close! Though Erin's words it was like I was there. I could see the bag of ashes in the closet. I felt her frustrations and joy. More than once I was in tears. This is a story everyone should read---want to know how to fight congress---read here; want to know how a family bounded to make this happen---read here; want to know why the WASP are important---read here. ANY doubt they don't deserve being treated as American heros....read here. What ever you do.....don't miss this book!

Wonderful Story

Erin does an amazing job retelling her real life journey to fight for her grandmother and WWII pilot to have the right to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Not only is the book an emotional journey, but also an educational one as you learn about the WASP, how to lobby for legislation, and how Congress passes bills into law.

As a female veteran and pilot myself, I was incredibly moved by this book. I cried through the last chapter. Thank you, Erin, for telling your story and that of your grandmother, Elaine Danforth Harmon.

Incredible

Wonderful book. I appreciated the insight of everything the WASP did after their service. They didn’t get to serve long but they championed for females in aviation long after their service ended.