Smithsonian Identifies First Women to Fly Combat Missions

Decades after flying their combat missions in near anonymity, the women agreed to be named in an article published in the museum's 'Air & Space Quarterly.'

Kimberly Johnson

Thursday, January 04, 2024 at 04:41 PM ET

Verified

Three of the first U.S. women to fly combat missions, including Joy Dean, were Hornet pilots. [Courtesy: Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum]

Key Takeaways:

The identities of the U.S. military's first female combat pilots, who flew missions in the mid-1990s, have finally been released decades later.
These five Navy pilots, including Lt. Kimberly “Face” Dyson who completed the inaugural mission in November 1994, previously kept their names private to prioritize their missions over individual recognition.
Their stories and names were revealed in the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum's *Air & Space Quarterly*, detailing their combat flights in Iraq and Bosnia and Herzegovina after the 1993 lift of the combat exclusion law.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The names of the first female pilots who flew combat missions for the U.S. military have finally been released, decades after their missions ended.

“The women had kept their identities quiet for that time out of a desire to focus on the importance of the missions and not the individuals,” the Smithsonian National Air & Space museum, which had a hand in identifying the pilots, said in a statement. “The flyers agreed to be named in an exclusive article in the just-released winter 2024 issue of museum’s Air & Space Quarterly magazine, which was based on interviews with the women.”