Kelly Hamilton (born October 16, 1949) is an American military pilot who served in the United States Air Force. Hamilton was part of the first pilot training school that was opened up by the Air Force in 1976. She went on to fly KC-135 planes which she flew during the invasion of Panama and the Gulf War. During the Gulf War conflict, she was the most senior woman pilot flying missions. She retired with the rank of colonel after serving 23 years.
Hamilton was born in Scott Field, Illinois on October 16, 1949. [1] She was the daughter of an Air Force officer. [2] In 1970, Hamilton applied to become a flight attendant for United Airlines, but was rejected because "They said she looked too much like the girl next door." [3] Her father encouraged her to learn to fly. [4]
Hamilton joined the United States Air Force in 1973 with the intention of working as a pilot. [5] Instead, she started as one of five women in aircraft maintenance. [1] At the time, women were not allowed to fly, but when the pilot training school opened to women in 1976, Hamilton was one of twenty women accepted. [5] In 1978, Hamilton was the only woman pilot on Fairchild Air Force Base. [6] She was also the only woman in the survival school at Fairchild where she earned the respect of the men in the class by catching snakes and cooking them into snake stew. [7] That year she was also only one of five women who were combat-certified to fly the KC-135. [7]
In 1980, Hamilton went to Castle Air Force Base where she worked as the Aircraft Commander in the air refueling unit. [4] In 1982, she and navigator, Katherine Bacon, performed on the first all-woman flight sponsored by the Air Force. [8] In 1989, she scheduled the movement of the KC-135s during the invasion of Panama. [2]
During her service in the Air Force, Hamilton was often called upon to do public relations work. [9] She was the most senior woman pilot in the United States military during the Gulf War. [10] During the Gulf War, she flew the KC-135 and felt that one legacy of the conflict was that "it showed the American public how involved women are in the military." [11] Hamilton's last assignment in the Air Force was in 1997 at Scott Air Force Base. [1] She left the military after serving in the Air Force for 23 years, retiring as a Colonel. [12]
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an American military aerial refueling tanker aircraft that was developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype, alongside the Boeing 707 airliner. It has a narrower fuselage and is shorter than the 707. Boeing gave the aircraft the internal designation of Model 717. The KC-135 was the United States Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratofreighter. The KC-135 was initially tasked with refueling strategic bombers, but it was used extensively in the Vietnam War and later conflicts such as Operation Desert Storm to extend the range and endurance of US tactical fighters and bombers.
Fairchild Air Force Base (AFB) is a United States Air Force base, located in the northwest United States in eastern Washington, approximately twelve miles (20 km) southwest of Spokane.
Jacqueline Cochran was an American pilot and business executive. She pioneered women's aviation as one of the most prominent racing pilots of her generation. She set numerous records and was the first woman to break the sound barrier on 18 May 1953. Cochran was the wartime head of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) (1943–1944), which employed about 1000 civilian American women in a non-combat role to ferry planes from factories to port cities. Cochran was later a sponsor of the Mercury 13 women astronaut program.
Altus Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) east-northeast of Altus, Oklahoma.
Air Education and Training Command (AETC) is one of the nine Major Commands (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force (USAF), reporting to Headquarters, United States Air Force. It was established 1 July 1993, with the realignment of Air Training Command and Air University.
The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was a civilian women pilots' organization, whose members were United States federal civil service employees. Members of WASP became trained pilots who tested aircraft, ferried aircraft, and trained other pilots. Their purpose was to free male pilots for combat roles during World War II. Despite various members of the armed forces being involved in the creation of the program, the WASP and its members had no military standing.
The 92d Air Refueling Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Mobility Command Eighteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. The wing is also the host unit at Fairchild. The wing carries out air refueling, passenger and cargo airlift, and aero-medical evacuation missions.
A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat and sometimes electronic warfare while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting. A fighter pilot with at least five air-to-air kills becomes known as an ace.
Pease Air National Guard Base is a New Hampshire Air National Guard base located at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease in New Hampshire. It occupies a portion of what was once Pease Air Force Base, a former Strategic Air Command facility with a base-related population of 10,000 and which was home to the 509th Bomb Wing flying the General Dynamics FB-111A. Pease AFB was closed pursuant to 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission action, with the 509 BW transferring to Whiteman AFB, Missouri. In 1983, investigations had shown soil and water contamination with degreasers and JP-4 jet fuel, and in 1990 the base was put on the National Priorities List of superfund sites. As of 2015, after 25 years of the Pease Development Authority's work, Pease International Tradeport has 275 businesses employing close to 10,000 civilian workers.
Colonel Kim Nichole Reed-Campbell is a retired United States Air Force officer and Command Pilot. She was decorated for piloting her A-10 Thunderbolt II back to base in southern Iraq after taking heavy anti-aircraft artillery (AAA) damage in aerial combat over Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. After her tour of duty in Iraq ended, Campbell gave lectures throughout the United States about her experience, including one at the National Air and Space Museum. Campbell was promoted to the rank of major in 2006.
Larson Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base located five miles (8 km) northwest of the central business district (CBD) of Moses Lake, in Grant County, Washington. After its closure in 1966, the airport facility became Grant County International Airport.
The Boeing NC-135 and NKC-135 are special versions of the Boeing C-135 Stratolifter and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker modified to operate on several different programs.
The 141st Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Washington Air National Guard, stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane, Washington. If activated to federal service, the 141 ARW is gained by the United States Air Force and assigned to the Air Mobility Command (AMC). As a result of BRAC action, the 141 ARW no longer has any unit-assigned aircraft and shares KC-135R aircraft with AMC's 92d Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild AFB.
The 186th Air Refueling Wing is a unit of the Mississippi Air National Guard stationed at Meridian Regional Airport, Mississippi. The 153d Air Refueling Squadron, assigned to the Wing's 186th Operations Group, was established on 18 August 1939 as the 153d Observation Squadron, one of the 29 National Guard observation squadrons formed before World War II.
The 54th Air Refueling Squadron is part of the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. It operates the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducting air refueling training.
Women have been involved in aviation from the beginnings of both lighter-than air travel and as airplanes, helicopters and space travel were developed. Women pilots were also formerly called "aviatrices". Women have been flying powered aircraft since 1908; prior to 1970, however, most were restricted to working privately or in support roles in the aviation industry. Aviation also allowed women to "travel alone on unprecedented journeys". Women who have been successful in various aviation fields have served as mentors to younger women, helping them along in their careers.
This is a timeline of women in aviation which describes many of the firsts and achievements of women as pilots and other roles in aviation. Women who are part of this list have piloted vehicles, including hot-air balloons, gliders, airplanes, dirigibles and helicopters. Some women have been instrumental in support roles. Others have made a name for themselves as parachutists and other forms of flight-related activities. This list encompasses women's achievements from around the globe.
Teresa D. "Jamesy" James was an American aviator. James was one of the first Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) pilots, starting out as part of the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) in 1942. James was also known as a stunt pilot and later became a Major in the Air Force Reserves. James flew most of her life and fought for military recognition for the WASP.
Adela "Del" Riek Scharr was an American aviator. Scharr was the first woman in St. Louis to earn her commercial flight license and worked as a flight instructor at Lambert Field. Scharr was recruited in 1942 to join the Women's Axillary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) and later flew planes as a WASP. Scharr was also the first woman to fly a P-39 Bell Aircobra. After World War II, Scharr was commissioned as a major in the Air Force and also worked as a teacher.
Sandra M. Scott is a former United States Air Force (USAF) officer. Scott was among the first ten women pilots in the USAF.