Local Women who Served in WWII Travel to DC as a Part of Central Valley Honor Flight

Dozens of local World War II veterans are back home after a trip of a lifetime to Washington, DC. The Central Valley Honor Flight returned home Wednesday night after a three-day trip to the Nation’s Capital. The trip was paid by donations from the CVHF, and it was many of the veterans’ first time traveling to Washington, DC.

Though the group consisted of a majority of men, there were five women who served in the war.

Vonnie Martini, who is 92-years old and from Fresno, served as a nurse for the Navy. She said on Monday as the group was welcomed by a large clapping crowd in Maryland, "I’m honored, I love it!"

"There’s certain things that women can do, that men can’t do," stated Martini.

And perhaps, World War II would not have been won, without the help of the American women.

Martini said, "People tried to talk you out of going out to the military. They said, ‘You can’t do that, you can’t do this’, well I knew there was something that I could do!"

On Wednesday, Martini and the CVHF veterans walked through the Women in Military Service for America Memorial located at the Arlington National Cemetary.

It was then Martini recalled some of the somber times during the war, "Losing friends and losing and some coming back so injured and all. It was an experience I’ll never forget."

Other women part of this CVHF trip shared the same sentiment.

Bonnie "BJ" Gardner is 88 and from Clovis. She said, "At the time I got in, the war with Japan was going rather badly. We were losing lots of territory."

As part of the CVHF, the 68 veterans who attended visited the National World War II Memorial. Gardner said there, "I’m proud to be a woman and I don’t like any, I don’t like being treated any different from the guys."

"I entered the WAVES, which was an acronym for Women’s Auxiliary Voluntary Emergency Service, and our contribution was to do something that would relieve a man for active duty," said 90-year old Evalyn Rockwell of Fresno.

Many women were asked not to go to war, but to join the military to fill in for the men while they were overseas. Rockwell was greeted at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum by many people wanting to shake her hand and say thank you to her. Rockwell said it was a privilege to serve, and she doesn’t know quite what to say when people thank her.

"By the dozens! I’ve just been so impressed with it!" stated Rockwell.

The five women in this CVHF group also included 93-year old Ethel Anderson of Porterville, and Evelyn Harp of Madera. They have paved the way for modern day females to serve in the military. Martini, Gardner, Rockwell, Anderson, and Harp also got to lead the welcome home march on Wednesday when the flight arrived in Fresno. A reminder that women can do, and they will.