UW-Oshkosh To Award Honorary Doctorates

In the early 1960s, the United States was trying to play catch-up to the Soviets in space travel... after Yuri Gagarin became the first human sent into space in April 1961. Part of that effort put 13 female American pilots alongside their male counterparts in the astronaut training program.

The women not only endured the same tests as the better-known "Mercury 7" male astronauts did, they passed and -- in some cases -- even outperformed the men. They suffered through sensory deprivation and tests gauging how long they could keep body parts submerged in near-freezing water, according to the Washington Post.

But, just days before the group was to depart for their spaceflight simulation tests in Pensacola, FL the women were told that NASA wouldn't be requiring their services after all.

"I think we all wanted to punch somebody," said Beatrice "B" Steadman, 80, one of the 13. "I wanted it so bad I could taste it, practically."

Hopefully, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh will make that bitter pill a bit easier to swallow. Inspired by Martha Ackmann's 2003 book "The Mercury 13: The Untold Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight," communications instructor Jane Wypiszynski went to Chancellor Richard H. Wells with an idea to honor the women.

All 13 women will be honored Saturday night during graduation ceremonies with honorary Doctorate of Science degrees with Ackmann serving as keynote speaker.

Receiving degrees are: Myrtle "K" Thompson Cagle, Geraldyn "Jerrie" Cobb, Jan Dietrich, Marion Dietrich, Mary Wallace "Wally" Funk (shown at right), Jane "Janey" Briggs Hart, Jean Hixson, Gene Nora Strumbough Jessen, Irene Leverton, Sarah Lee Gorelick Ratley, Bernice "B" Steadman, Geraldine "Jerri" Sloan Truhill and Rhea Allison Hurrle Woltman.

"Isn't that neat?" said Jerri Truhill."We're not used to that. We're just used to rejection."

"The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh is proud to recognize the accomplishments of the Mercury 13 women, whose drive and determination paved the way for the generations that followed," said Chancellor Richard H. Wells.

In 1963, Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, didn't go up until 1983.

George Low, director of space missions in the 1960s, explained at the time the women lacked military test pilot experience, but were not allowed be test pilots back then. Letting them use training equipment would cut down on the men's time, he said and, besides, there were enough men on the waiting list for astronaut slots.

Truhill told the Associated Press she and her friends believe American traditions of women as teachers and stay-at-home mothers simply caught up with them. The male astronauts referred to the women as "98 pounds of recreational equipment," she said.

She said she still remembers going to her father at age 4 after her first plane ride and telling him she wanted to fly. He replied that if she worked hard, she could be a stewardess.

"You don't understand the male attitude back then. We were stepping on some giant egos," she said.

Wypiszynski assigned Ackmann's book to her freshman students in the fall of 2005. The students could hardly believe what they were reading.

"They couldn't believe there was a time when women didn't go up in space," Wypiszynski said. "They were appalled."

"Those women were severely wronged," said freshman Matt Miles, 19, after he read the book.

"They were the pioneers. They're wonderful role models for women to look at," said Susannah Sandrin, director of the university's Women and Science Program, which focuses on recruiting women into science programs and making courses more gender friendly. "They helped kind of break stereotypes of what women can do."

Rhea Woltman has worked as a charter pilot and an Alaskan bush pilot. She describes her age as "I won't see 75 again," and said she feels that she does not deserve a doctorate.

"I'd rather be flying the spaceship, but that didn't happen. This is next best. I'll take it," she said.

Truhill is now retired from flying and living in Richardson, TX... and still loves to gaze at the stars and wonder...

"It just fills you with, I don't know what, to want to go see what's out there," she said. "I tell all the girls it's your turn to take it and run with it because you've got every advantage in the world."

FMI: www.uwosh.edu, www.nasa.gov