November 1, 1944 Bob Nowland, commanding general of the Ferrying Division of Air Transport Command, pleaded for the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (the WASP) program to continue. General Hap Arnold responded “The WASP have completed their mission….The Air Forces will long remember their service and their final sacrifice.” Yet the women pilots were not granted veteran status until 1975. On March 10, 2010 two hundred surviving WASP gathered in Washington to receive the Congressional Gold Medal.