Hazel I Bliss
Military
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FRE 8015
Corporal Hazel Bliss of the Women's Army Corps with a bomber crew of the 392nd Bomb Group and a B-24 Liberator (serial number 44-50505) nicknamed "Pallas Athene- The GI Jane". Passed for publication 12 Feb 1944. Printed caption on reverse: 'A W.A.C. Christens A Liberator. To honour their khaki-klad sisters, the W.A.C.S. - members of the crew of a Liberator, operating from a British base, painted on their ship the W.A.C. insignia - the Greek Goddess of Wisdom, Pallas Athene and named the 'plane G.I. Jane. (G.I. stands for Government Issue and has become the American slang for Army personnel). The original "G.I. Jane" - Cpl. Hazel I. Bliss of Portland, Oregon, performed the christening ceremony. The plane, until now only known by its call letter, V for Voctory[sic], belongs to a Liberator group which bagged 45 enemy aircraft in less than a six month period. Keystone Photo Shows:- Cpl. Hazel Bliss with mebers[sic] of the crew of "G.I. Jane" gives the OK sign. JW/F. Keystone. 26.' Censor no: 304781. On reverse: Keystone Press Agency, US Army Press Censor ETO and US Army General Section Press & Censorship Bureau [Stamps].
Roger Freeman Collection
IWM, Roger Freeman Collection
Hazel Bliss served as a switchboard operator for 2nd Air Division HQ.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Headquarters
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: Women's Army Corps 2nd Air Division
- Service Numbers: A-200081
- Highest Rank: Major
- Role/Job: Women's Army Corps
Aircraft
- Aircraft Type: B-24 Liberator
- Nicknames: Pallas Athene
- Unit: 392nd Bomb Group 578th Bomb Squadron
Places
- Site type: Military site
Events
Event | Location | Date | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Enlisted |
Portland, OR, USA | 29 March 1943 | |
Portland, OR, USA | |||
Born |
Oregon, USA |
Revisions
ContributorLucy May
Changes
ContributorLucy May
Changes
Sources
Brought in information from duplicate record. Source:
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / Listing from E. Cohen & SECOND AIR DIVISION by Turner Publishing Company, D790.A2S45, 1998, page 210
ContributorAAM
Changes
Sources
Drawn from the records of the National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, Savannah, Georgia / http://www.b24.net/support/bnames.html