Esther Blake is remembered as a woman who changed the United States Air Force forever. Esther McGowin Blake was born in Escambia County in Alabama on July 7, 1897. Growing up in the United States in the early 1900s was hard for a woman. Despite the hard work and activities of women who wanted a change and the support of political parties, women still didn’t have many rights in 1900, especially within the government. Women had a stereotypical role in American society. The typical part was either staying at home taking care of the children, midwives, teachers, or domestic service workers. So growing up, everyone expected Esther to be just like everyone else, but she hopped off the typical bandwagon of a woman of that time and defied odds.
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Blake was determined to free men who worked desk jobs so they could fight in the war which would also help her sons come back home. When the war ended, it was no surprise to her sons that their mother had enlisted while they were away in combat. Esther Blake had experience with basic training because of her involvement in the Women’s Army Corps. So at the Cynthia Smith / Maxwell Air Force Base and the Air University History Office, she did secretary and clerical work in Florida, Georgia, and Alaska. During this time, women were not allowed in combat. At the end of World War II, about 2 percent of the military was made up of women doing jobs such as typists, clerks, and mail sorters. When she retired in 1954, from the Air Force, she worked with the civil service in Montgomery, Alabama at the Veterans Regional …show more content…
Widnall, who was the 18th Secretary of the Air Force during the years of 1993-97. She also the very first woman who took the oath of office as the secretary of any armed forces in America. Or Major Nicole Malachowski, who in 2006, became the first woman pilot on the Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying team. Both of these successes can be thanked by Air Force Staff Sgt. Esther McGowin Blake. She honored all women by making a change and standing up for women's’ rights. It’s been said that it is truly never easy being the first to do something. Esther Blake left a legendary trail which made it achievable for other women to follow her success. Her success in the Air Force freed the opportunity to support women's futures to serve the armed forces with courage and pride. Because of Esther Blake, the USAF is better and changed because of her work. Staff Sergeant Esther Blake's courage to serve her country and the duties she contributed to the Air Force will forever live on in women of today's Air Force. Day after day, USAF women characterize themselves and give honor to those who have served before them by working on the jobs that matter to all in America by performing in all professional legislative, technical and secretarial
Blake was determined to free men who worked desk jobs so they could fight in the war which would also help her sons come back home. When the war ended, it was no surprise to her sons that their mother had enlisted while they were away in combat. Esther Blake had experience with basic training because of her involvement in the Women’s Army Corps. So at the Cynthia Smith / Maxwell Air Force Base and the Air University History Office, she did secretary and clerical work in Florida, Georgia, and Alaska. During this time, women were not allowed in combat. At the end of World War II, about 2 percent of the military was made up of women doing jobs such as typists, clerks, and mail sorters. When she retired in 1954, from the Air Force, she worked with the civil service in Montgomery, Alabama at the Veterans Regional …show more content…
Widnall, who was the 18th Secretary of the Air Force during the years of 1993-97. She also the very first woman who took the oath of office as the secretary of any armed forces in America. Or Major Nicole Malachowski, who in 2006, became the first woman pilot on the Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying team. Both of these successes can be thanked by Air Force Staff Sgt. Esther McGowin Blake. She honored all women by making a change and standing up for women's’ rights. It’s been said that it is truly never easy being the first to do something. Esther Blake left a legendary trail which made it achievable for other women to follow her success. Her success in the Air Force freed the opportunity to support women's futures to serve the armed forces with courage and pride. Because of Esther Blake, the USAF is better and changed because of her work. Staff Sergeant Esther Blake's courage to serve her country and the duties she contributed to the Air Force will forever live on in women of today's Air Force. Day after day, USAF women characterize themselves and give honor to those who have served before them by working on the jobs that matter to all in America by performing in all professional legislative, technical and secretarial