Aviation Trailblazer Barbara Erickson London, WWII WASP Awarded Air Medal, Congressional Gold Medal..And A Long Beach Airport Street Was Named In Her Honor

(July 7, 2013, 8:40 p.m.) -- LBREPORT.com has learned of the passing of aviation trailblazer Barbara Erickson London, who during WWII joined the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) and while stationed at the then-Long Beach Army Air Base became commanding officer for all WAFS, and later WASPs, assigned to the 6th Ferrying Group, Air Transport Command.

She was awarded the Air Medal during WWII, had a street named for her at Long Beach Airport in 2005 (LBREPORT.com archival coverage of the ceremony below)...and received the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C. in 2010.

After WWII, Barbara Erickson married Jack London, Jr. (a pilot and a relative of the writer Jack London) and they raised two daughters in Long Beach, both of whom became pilots. Terry London Rinehart became a commercial aircraft pilot and Kristy Ardizzone became a licensed private pilot and later became an executive with JetBlue Airways. Ms. Ardizzone tells LBREPORT.com:

Our family wants her to be remembered not only for her aviation accomplishments and her love of the Long Beach Airport....but to all the people she personally touched and mentored. She truly loved the airport from her flying time during WWII to the present. She spoke on many occasions and did many interviews and you could always see her eyes light up when she spoke of LGB.

Barbara Erickson London had just turned 93 on July 1st. LBREPORT.com provided extended coverage in March 2005 when the City of Long Beach named a street connecting the west and easbound legs of Donald Douglas Dr. "Barbara London Dr." in her honor at a ceremony attended by then-Mayor Beverly O'Neill.

Barbara London Also attending the ceremony were Ms. London's two daughters...who followed their mother into the air: Terry London Rinehart (who became a commercial aircraft pilot) and Kristy Ardizzone (a licensed private pilot who later became an executive with JetBlue Airways.)

Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, who's authored books on Long Beach history and its Airport's role in aviation history, called Ms. Erickson London "an incredible woman and aviator."

Word of Ms. Erickson London's passing spread quickly via Facebook. Curt Castagna, CEO of the Aeroplex / Aerolease Group, wrote: "A truly amazing woman. One I have so much respect for...she was a mentor, friend and always a courageous professional. There is no question she has left this world far better and inspired so many of us in aviation ...RIP Barbara Erickson London."

Below are excerpts from LBREPORT.com's archival coverage of the Long Beach Airport ceremony naming Barbara London Dr. in her honor (report published March 25, 2005):

Barbara London Mayor Beverly O'Neill: ...We all lead our lives one day at a time, and when you're young, you don't think that they add up to anything...But when you do something young in your life that adds up and adds up and adds up, all of sudden you have a legacy. And that's what we have here today: we have a legacy. We have a legacy for the United States. We have a legacy for women. We have a legacy for Long Beach...

Barbara London Barbara Erickson London: ...I'm anything but a "legacy." This has been my home for a long time. I'm terribly honored with all of this. I think. maybe at 85, I can be a legacy. (audience laughter)...My last sixty years have mainly been based at Long Beach Airport...It's a great part of my life. Thank you all for this honor...I'm overwhelmed...

Barbara London Kristy Ardizzone:...I look around the room, this really is a family effort and this really is a family airport for all of us, where we all grew up here...learning how to fly...I'm incredibly proud to be a part of this family, incredibly proud to be her sister, her daughter

And along those lines of extended family...she [Ms. London] is also part of another big extended family...This is Jeff Landry, the new director with JetBlue Airways.

Barbara London Jeff Landry: I would like to thank Barbara on behalf of the approximately 8,000 crewmembers of JetBlue Airways for her contributions to aviation, women's aviation and to the community of Long Beach, the airport...on behalf of the crewmembers of JetBlue Airways, I'd like to present to you a JetBlue model aircraft [oohs and aahs]...

Barbara London Ms. London: One of the sad parts of my life was that I was never able fly one of these. When I got out of the military in 1945, I applied for every airline, because I had just as much time as the boys and I didn't see why I couldn't be an airline pilot. The world wasn't quite ready for a woman in the cockpit, unfortunately. And it took a lot of years before [daughter] Terry was the first woman hired by Western Airlines as the first woman airline pilot. And that's what I wanted to do so badly after the war. It took a while, but they finally got to us. (applause)

Terry London Rinehart: ...I soloed here. I learned to fly here. My first job was here at Long Beach. When I flew in here as a pilot for Western, and when I flew in here as pilot for Delta, it was the most fun I've ever had flying into any airport because this is where I learned to fly. This is where my heart is...

Barbara London ...and I'm just really thrilled to see my Mom's name up on this street...

In documenting Ms. Erickson London's exploits, the Wright Patterson Air Force Base military web site says that after graduating from the University of Washington, Miss Erickson flew seaplanes as well as landplanes...and was invited to join the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS). She was transferred to LB Beach Army Air Base where she became commanding officer for all WAFS, and later WASPs, assigned to the 6th Ferrying Group, Air Transport Command.

In 1943, Ms. Erickson flew 8,000 miles in the course of ten days, leaving LB in a P-51 "Mustang," which she delivered to Evansville, IN...and on the next day picked up a P-47 "Thunderbolt", which she delivered to San Pedro, CA. She then took off from LB in a C-47 which she delivered to Fort Wayne, IN. and was thereafter assigned another P-47 to be delivered to San Pedro.

The Wright-Patterson Air Force military web site states in part:

"Her logged time for these days is not available. On the basis of the type of aircraft involved and the mileage as given, she may be estimated to have piled up at least forty hours -- as much as one of the 2nd Ferrying Group WASPs could have hoped for in a full month. For these flights, Miss Erickson was awarded the Air Medal, the only one awarded to a WASP during WW II (note: more medals were awarded after the war)."