Formed in September of 1942, the WAFS were a group of female pilots hired to fly ferry fighter and bomber planes to their final destination before they headed overseas to battle for the U.S. Army during WWII. Originally, only 27 women performed this duty. This select group was known as "The Originals."
The women pilots freed up male pilots for service on the ground. The WAFS were formed prior to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and the Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD). Combined, the female pilots totaled more than 1,000. On Aug, 5, 1943, the WFTD and WAFS were combined into a WASP organization.
LeValley, 90, currently a resident of Sterling House Maryville, a Brookdale Senior Living assisted living community in Tennessee was recently honored with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor awarded by Congress for her contribution and service.
LeValley, is one of "The Originals," of which only three are alive today.
Born in Boston, LeValley grew up in Marblehead, Mass. She graduated from high school in Winchester, Mass. in 1938. In the article she reminisces how she was fascinated by planes even as a small child, "as a child, she remembers running to a window in her home to listen to the thunder of the airplanes flying low over her house."
"It was just exciting," she said. "Women didn't get to fly back then."
After high school, LeValley took flying lessons, and, after achieving a license, she began to teach others to fly.
She said she wishes she had kept the telegram she received listing the qualifications needed to become a ferrying pilot. Some of the qualifications were age, number of cross country flights, and certification to fly a 200hp plane.
LeValley remembers being very delighted to get the telegram. She didn't really know what she was going to be doing, but she was extremely excited to be able to fly several different kinds of planes she never would have been able to afford to fly, and get paid to do it.
Through the WAFS, she was able to fly all over the United States and Canada, but could only fly so far into Canada because they didn't have facilities for women.
According to LeValley, during WWII there were Congressmen that didn't even know about this special group of women pilots; they were somewhat of a secret.
"I feel very honored to receive the Congressional Gold Medal," said LeValley.