One WASP made an emergency landing after an engine failure only to discover someone has stuffed rags into it. Gertrude with husband Henry Silver. She planned to fly the plane to New Jersey during the following days, but WASPs were required to make stopovers at night to avoid flying during those hours. An extensive search was undertaken but was unsuccessful. "It doesn't take much to become disoriented, stall, and down she goes.". "For someone I believe was an introvert and not very confident, she overcame a lot to become a WASP, and then she wasn't afraid to show intelligence and excellence," Whitall said. CONCLUSION It was 13 feet, 4.5 inches (4.077 meters) high. As a WASP, Gertrude was finally unchained from the ailment that nagged every part of her being for almost 30 years. Searches of the area have not produced any evidence, however. She hopes her search helps inspire others to look for other missing pilots. But her real name at the time of her disappearance was Gertrude Tompkins Silver. She was raised as the youngest child in their family and had a stuttering problem when she was young. Despite an extensive ground and water search no trace of Gertrude or the aircraft were found. She was never found. Gertrude is the only member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) still missing in action after World War II. The military planes of Tompkins'era did not have black boxes. [5] Following the death of her boyfriend, who took her flying and later died while flying for the Royal Air Force, Gertrude applied to the WASP program. The military initiated an extensive search for Gertrude and her plane, but no evidence of a suspected crash was ever discovered. After she disappeared, flight plans for each pilot were required, rather than a group plan. Her path to the WASPs was unusual. Gertrude returned to WASP duty two days after the wedding; she and Henry never saw each other again. We think there was confidence when she was flying, her sister mused, and she overcame her stuttering.. The P-51D is "unforgiving," and a pilot must stay five steps ahead, Whittall said. She apparently departed from Mines Field at approximately 4:00 p.m. that day, but her flight records were lost and there is no recorded time for her takeoff. "Her husband was taking care of his niece because his sister had died. She was not wearing her engagement or wedding rings when she departed for Texas, nor did she use her married name. and 46 inches of manifold pressure, and 375 miles per hour (604 kilometers per hour) at War Emergency Power, 3,000 r.p.m with 67 inches of manifold pressure (5 minute limit). Several hours after she landed, Duncan noticed that her stutter was gone. Dr. Ruth Adams June 12, 1917 December 16, 2005 Class: 44-W-2 Training Location: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.) She raised goats for a time and toured gardens in Italy and England beforemoving from Summit to New York City. Fellow WASP and aviation superstar Jacqueline Cochran found that sugar had been poured into Davis gas tank, causing the crash. The military initiated an extensive search for Gertrude and her plane, but no evidence of a suspected crash was ever discovered. It was five days before anyone realized Tompkins was missing. Any time off we probably spent together. Gertrudes life changed again when she was finally allowed to solo in a Mustang. She reported to Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, where famed female aviator Jacqueline Cochran began training women for flight with the United States' military's approval. Tompkins' beau was later killed while flying for the Royal Air Force during World War II. According to retired aerospace engineer Frank Jacobs, when he was 12 years old, he saw a plane heading into some clouds sputter and spiral into the sea below.
heroines can be found on my website, HERE. ANOTHER SEARCH The P-51D could climb to 20,000 feet (6,096 meters) in 6.4 minutes, and to its service ceiling, 41,600 feet (12,680 meters), in 28 minutes. "Maybe she was struggling to get the canopy to close," Macha said. She was planning on becoming a wife and raising this little girl.". The acts of sending email to this website or viewing information from this website do not create an attorney-client relationship. At the time of her disappearance, Gertrude was allegedly happier than she had ever been in her life. More stories of American. WASPs were frowned upon by many of their male counterparts; they were regularly mocked, disrespected, and shunned. The call to Macha kick-started their several search efforts for Tompkins and her P-51D. She remained focused on being a WASP. During their searches, they located a U. S. Air Force (USAF) T-33 jet trainer missing since October 15, 1955. She departed from Mines Field (Los Angeles International Airport) for Palm Springs, on October 26, 1944, flying a North American P-51D Mustang destined for New Jersey. She returned to work at Smooth-On Inc. with her father and lived in the New York City, New York area in the 1930s. There was no radar to monitor Tompkins journey, and there was no flight planfor her. The engine drove a four-bladed Hamilton Standard Hydromatic constant-speed propeller with a diameter of 11 feet, 2 inches (3.404 meters) through a 0.479:1 gear reduction. )Planes flown: AT-6, AT-17, UC-78. The WASPs were not combat pilots. "I called him," Whittall said. Was it mechanical failure? The atmosphere was heavy with resignation and not happiness, her sister said of the wedding. It haunted him for nearly seven decades. [3], Gertrude Vreeland Tompkins was born October 16, 1911, in Jersey City, New Jersey, the daughter of Vreeland Tompkins and Laura Tompkins (ne Towar). Assigned to the 5th Ferrying Group, 601st Ferrying Squadron,destined for New Jersey. Gertude V. Tompkins had joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots (commonly called the WASPs) 12 November 1943 and trained at Avenger Field, Sweetwater Texas, as a member of Class 43-W-7. Finally, her failure to report to her first stop was noted. Flying had completely transformed Gertrude, eliminating her stutter and replacing her shyness with bold confidence that surprised all who knew her. After graduating with flying colors in Sweetwater, Gertrude was eventually 1 of just 126 WASP chosen to attend Advanced Pursuit School (the Armys top gun training school where only the best male pilots trained prior to combat) and she learned to pilot fighter planes (or pursuit as they were called at the time) like the Thunderbolt and Mustang. She challenged herself.". The team brought in dozens of volunteers, experts from various fields, and high-end equipment to scour the seas. The P-51D was the predominant version of the North American Aviation World War II fighter. Sadly, it wouldnt be the most absurd conclusion. Thats when they realized Gertrude was gone. It took four days for the group to make their destination. Fellow WASP Mickey Axton believes that Gertrude may have sung her radio procedures to make sure she passed. Gertrude married Army Technical Sergeant Henry Mann Silver in September 1944.Henrys sister died after giving birth out of wedlock and he was preparing to adopt her child in 1944. Tompkins flew into a fog bank, and that was the last time anyone saw her and her plane. Tompkins' sisterElizabeth Whittall wrote a book, "From There to Here," chronicling their childhood. It haunted him for nearly seven decades.. Tommy Tompkins was scheduled to make an overnight stop at Palm Springs, California. On a cloudy day in October of 1944, she and 39 others were tasked with ferrying a fleet of Mustangs from California to New Jersey. Gertrude Vreeland Tompkins was born at Jersey City, New Jersey, 16 October 1911. Her father supported the idea. He eventually died during a war mission, and while she grieved his loss, she refused to say goodbye to flying. Macha said technology like that is a "quantum leap from the world of the mid-1940s." Thick skin was an absolute must, but it couldnt save them from the most disturbing actions taken against themsabotage. Gertrudes absence went unnoticed for days. Gertrude took private flying lessons, then joined the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) shortly thereafter. The young couple had a necessarily short courtship because of the war, but they appear to have been in love. After she disappeared, flight plans for each pilot were required, rather than a group plan. In September 1944, just months before she disappeared, she secretly married Henry Silver. Planes flown: PT-19, BT-13, AT-6, BT-15, B-25, C-47, PT-17 Assigned bases: New Castle Army Air Base (Wilmington. The P-51D with a V-1650-7 Merlin had maximum speed at Sea Level of 323 miles per hour (520 kilometers per hour) at the Normal Power setting of 2,700 r.p.m. Gertrude spent much of her childhood struggling with a stutter. It was an experience like none other! She was assigned to the 601st Squadron, 555th Air Transport Command, as a Civilian Pilot. Did she deliberately run away from her marriage? During, Hilton Forrest Carter Jr. June 30, 1928 May 6, 2020 Hilton Forrest Carter Jr. as born June 30, 1928, in New Orleans, Louisiana the first of two sons born to Helton Forrest Sr. and, Copyright 2022 - CAF RISE ABOVE | All Rights Reserved | Privacy/Terms of Use, Inspiring young people to RISE ABOVE adversity using, Six Guiding Principles for the Tuskegee Airmen. What exactly happened to Tompkins and where her remains are is still a mystery. Gertrudes family is still working to solve the mystery. Read more of her story here: https://abcn.ws/2vdvicw. By Desiree Kocis Updated August 19, 2021 Save Article. Others believed that Gertrude may have crashed in the mountains near Palm Springs, a theory that Macha has never discounted. Furthermore, they were adamant that she would never have done anything to compromise an aircraft. Gertrude Tompkins (Mrs. Harry M. Silver) was listed as Missing, Presumed Dead. There have been countless searches for Tompkins since she disappeared 75 years ago. "There have been parts of my life that have been impacted in ways I never expected," Whittall said. Afternoon winds tend to hit 10 to 15 mph, causing choppy water. Gertrude "Tommy" Tompkins Silver (October 16, 1911 disappeared October 26, 1944) was the only Women Airforce Service Pilots member to go missing during World War II.[3]. Marriage by WASP was frowned upon and she may have been afraid she would lose her job. Unfortunately, Mike was killed in action in May 1941. Two days after they wed, Tompkins returned to California. Stanley was a member of Eagle Squadron 71, made up of American pilots who volunteered to fly against the Germans for England before America entered World War II and after he returned to England to fight,Gertrude began taking flying lessons. Her loved ones believed that she developed an interest in flying after his death. There has never been any evidence uncovered to suggest that Gertrude survived after 1944. The military planes of Tompkinsera did not have black boxes. She never arrived at Palm Springs and due to reporting errors, the tower and air traffic controllers had no copies of her flight plans for the day she was not reported as missing until October 30, four days after her presumed disappearance. Gertrudes former landlorda man who had long held unrequited feelings for Gertrudeasked her to marry him. Men were known to stuff items into the womens engines and fuel tanks, pour acid into their parachute packs, and even slash their tires so they would blow out during or right after takeoff.
She hated school because she was relentlessly teased, so she did just enough to scrape by. Tompkins lived in Virginia for a year before attending the Ambler School of Horticulture (now part of the University of Pennsylvania). Search efforts lasted for 30 days and covered everywhere from the waters of the Santa Monica Bay to the peaks and valleys of the San Bernardino mountain range. Prior to take off, Gertrude and two other WASPs encountered cockpit hatch issues. [5] Gertrude attended Ambler School of Horticulture and moved to New York City following her graduation. The plane left from a little strip called Mines Field, today known as the Los Angeles International Airport, bound for a three-day journey to New Jersey, where it would be placed on a cargo vessel and shipped to Great Britain to fight World War II's final battles in Europe. There has never been any evidence uncovered to suggest that Gertrude survived after 1944. When he was 12 years old, Frank Jacobs saw a plane heading into some clouds, sputter and spiral into the sea below. Gertrude Tompkins Silver was tasked with ferrying the plane to the east coast.
Gertrude's family members met airplane archaeologist G. Patric Macha in the 1990s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gertrude_Tompkins_Silver, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7986762/gertrude-vreeland-silver. As for the WASPs, their fight did not end with the war. The WASPs received the same primary, basic and advanced flight training as their U.S. Army Air Force male counterparts. Local history:Teaneck's Elston Howard made history as first African-American NY Yankee, among other awards, For subscribers:American Dream's forgotten past: Meadowlands' swamps were saved by local environmentalists. The WASPs were disbanded not long after Tompkins went missing. [4], She departed from Mines Field (Los Angeles International Airport) for Palm Springs, on October 26, 1944, flying a P-51D Mustang destined for New Jersey. Dozens of WASPs were flying all over the country, and the processes for keeping track of them were inefficient. Gertrude was scheduled to fly a P-51 Mustang fighter plane from Mines Field in Inglewood, California (now the Los Angeles International Airport, or "LA X") to Palm Springs, California on October 26, 1944. "We've eliminated sites where she could be, and the good news is we have found a couple of planes that were missing," Whittall said. She took off toward the ocean. A photo of a similiar aircraft is posted below this case summary. The fighter could also carry a 1,000 pound (453.6 kilogram) bomb under each wing in place of drop tanks, or up to ten rockets. Seven decades went by before they were allowed to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Geni requires JavaScript! It took another 30 years for WASPs to be recognized as active-duty armed service members, which allowed them to receive veterans' benefits. Gertrude Tompkins Silver was the only WASP listed as MIA (Missing in Action) during WWII. "It took a highly qualified pilot to manage those aircraft," Macha said. Female pilots were rare then, Macha said. Macha believes that her aircraft crashed in the shallow water of Santa Monica Bay and is buried underneath layers of sand. Macha immediately knew whom Whittall was talking about and told her he had been waiting for someone to call him. Classmates from 43-W-7. The heavy haze that day? She was one of 38 WASP pilots who died in service during World War II.
with the United States militarys approval. It was a single-seat, single-engine fighter, initially designed for the Royal Air Force. She never arrived. P-51Ds were notoriously unforgiving, so even the slightest moment of distraction could have turned fatal, and the clouds wouldnt have done her any favors. NEW LIFE OR SUICIDE [5], In January 2010 search efforts to locate the possible crash site in Santa Monica Bay were unsuccessful.[4][6][7][8]. The material and information contained on these pages and on any pages linked from these pages are intended to provide general information only and not legal advice. Marjorie was born in Ionia, Lillian Jay Glezen Wray Dec. 9, 1913 August 4, 2013 Class: 44-W-9 Training Location: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.) Gertrudes family members met airplane archaeologist G. Patric Macha in the 1990s. Gertrude married Henry M. Silver in September 1944. 
Later, while diving in Santa Monica Bay with another team, Gates found the wreckage of an old ship and a World War II-eraoxygen cylinder from a B-25 bomber that crashed in 1946. The pilot, Silver, a 34-year-old New Jersey native nicknamed Tommy, had spent more than 500 hours in the air and had a reputation for being able to handle fighters like the P-51s, some of the Army's fastest aircraft. Gertrude took private flying lessons, then joined the Womens Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) shortly thereafter. They never saw each other again. She was never seen again. Gertrude "Tommy" Tompkins Silver (October 16, 1911 disappeared October 26, 1944) was the only Women Airforce Service Pilots member to go missing during World War II. WASPs were not valued for their sacrifice during World War II, with the creator, famed aviator Jacqueline Cochran, lobbying for it to be made a women's service within the U.S. Army Air Force, according to the Army's website. Gertrude's family sent her to live with a family on a farm in West Virginia during her adolescence. Planes flown: PT-17, BT-13, AT-6, PT-19 Assigned bases: Goodfellow Army Air Field (San Angelo, Tex.) Her parents hoped that the new surroundings would help her overcome her social withdrawal and poor school performance. Her father adored Henry and thought of him as a son. On October 26, 1944, she took off from Mines Field in Los Angeles, tasked with ferrying a P-51 Mustang to the east coast. Sonar imagery showed an object buried in the general vicinity in 2001. Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian female. Despite an extensive ground and water search, no trace of Silver or the aircraft were found. Tompkins later fell in love with a pilot, who would take her flying, and she began learning herself, Whittall said. Gertrude attended horticultural school afterwards and raised goats for a period of time. All rights reserved. The film will chronicle the search for Gertrude Tompkins Silver. "That is the ultimate goal.". "It's been a living history for my family and my son. It took nearly 30 years before the military acknowledged them as having been active-duty armed service members. All through training, Gertrude stuttered, and tried to keep to herself to hide it, but after her first flight in the shiny, silver P-51, which blazed across the sky with its 1,500 horsepower engine at over 400 MPH she never, ever stuttered again. At the only all-female military base in U.S. history, she trained for 24 weeks, with 180 hours of flight time, 30 hours of simulated flight training, 5 hours of physical training each week, and 180 hours of instruction in navigation, communication, weather, aircraft, and engine, and Air Transport Command procedures. "She was just really proving what she could do. Gertrudes case remains unsolved. She apparently departed from Mines Field (Los Angeles International Airport) for Palm Springs, on October 26, 1944, flying aNorth American P-51D-15-NA Mustang serial number 44-15669. Really sharp girl. The North American Aviation P-51D Mustang remained in service with the United States Air Force until 27 January 1957, when the last aircraft were retired from the 167th Fighter Squadron, West Virginia National Guard. used it to focus a new search effort. She is the only WASP who is still missing. He had known Gertrude for several years prior to their wedding and some believed that she was still mourning for her lost aviator at the time of their marriage. The military searched close to 30 days for her, looking fruitlessly in the nearby mountains and bay. Perhaps the most famous act of sabotage was the one that killed Betty Davis. Flying allowed Tompkins to overcome her stutter. When Tompkins never showed, the two other pilots thought she had encountered further canopy problems and turned back to Mines Field. MECHANICAL FAILURE 400 rounds of ammunition were provided for theinner pair of guns, and 270 rounds for each of the other four guns, for a total of 1,880 rounds of ammunition. Gertrude fell in love with Stanley Kolendorski, an American aviator who was killed during World War II in the early 1940s. She met Macha over 20 years ago after reading a book of his. Nearly 40 WASPs died in service during World War II, but only one went missing in action (MIA). By then, she was working for her fathers company. He had known Gertrude for several years prior to their wedding and some believed that she was still mourning for the her lost aviator at the time of their marriage. PP. Daughter of Vreeland Tompkins and Laura T. Tompkins
Unfortunately, any real answers cant be had until both she and the plane are recovered. VIDEO: Divers boost efforts to find a WW2 pilot whose plane went down in the line of duty.Play null. Each woman had a civil pilots license and at least 200 hours of flight time. She was not reported as missing until October 30, four days after her presumed disappeatance.
Another discovered that their flight controls had been intentionally loosened, resulting in some coming off mid-flight. Gertrude arrived at primary training in May 1943. Not A Trace Has Been Found (Plane & Pilot Mag; Aug. 19, 2021), James W. Ure, Seized by the Sun: The Life and Disappearance of World War II Pilot Gertrude Tompkins (2017), Kaitlyn Kanzler, The 75-year search for a missing WWII pilot from NJ continues (NorthJersey.com; Sept. 30, 2019), P-51D-15-NA Mustang Serial Number 44-15669 (Pacific Wrecks). It was cloudy in California on Oct. 26, 1944,the day New Jersey resident andWomen Airforce Service Pilot Gertrude Tompkins went missing while delivering a P-51D Mustang fighter planeto Newark in the midst of World War II. The story was untrue, as there is no record of any pilot fitting Gertrude's description who was discovered in the years proceeding 1944. The P-51D was 32 feet, 3.5 inches (9.843 meters) long, with a wingspan of 37 feet (11.278 meters). Gertrude Tompkins was a shy girl with a severe stutter and love for goat farming. Marianne Verges' 1991 book concerning WASPs, On Silver Wings, claimed that Gertrude's remains were located inside her crashed aircraft years after her disappearance. In 2010, all the WASP, including Gertrude, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The marriage came as a surprise to her family members, who believed that she may have felt sorry for him at the time. Gertrudes life would change forever in late 1940 or early 1941, when she was in her late 20s. When Whittall spoke to other WASPs about her great-aunt, they couldn't believe her description of an introverted, stuttering young woman. Macha believes that her aircraft crashed in the shallow water of Santa Monica Bay and is buried underneath layers of sand.