I mentioned earlier that my assignment was the proving ground command. The
Proving Ground Command had some WASP pilots down there. I think they had six or
seven, if I'm not mistaken. They were living in the Nurses' quarters because
there were no quarters for females except nurses. General Grant S. Gardner, a
fine old gentlemen, was the Commander and General down there. And I went to him
and I said, "Sir I would like to go down and talk to the WASPs and select a
couple." He said, "I know," and smiled, he said, "I've already been told by
Washington that. 'He can go down there to look at those girls all he wants
to.'" And of course, they had a head nurse down there, a Lieutenant Colonel.
Her name was Potskill.
I went down there after supper. General Gardner said he had already talked
to Colonel Potskill and she would be expecting me. And so I went down there at
5:30 or 5:45 and I knocked on the door and Potsy met me and she said, "We've
been expecting you." And she said, "Come on in, I'm going to call the girls
down into the sitting room and you can talk to us." They came down and I
introduced myself. And I said, "I'm looking for two girls that want to learn
the B-29 airplane." No reaction. I said, "Let's start out this way. I would
like to get two twin engine pilots. How many have flown twin engines?" I think
Dora, Didi and one other had held up their hand. I said, "Who would like to fly
this airplane?" And Dora, Didi were the only two that held up their hands. I
said, "Okay, fine. That's enough for me. Pack your clothes and get ready, we're
going to Birmingham, Alabama tomorrow morning."
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