Mariana Drăgescu
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Mariana Drăgescu
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Cmd.av. Mariana Drăgescu
(pictured, 2nd lt) |
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| Born | 7 September 1912 Craiova |
| Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Bucharest |
| Allegiance |  Romanian Armed Forces |
| Service/ |
Romanian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1940-1955 |
| Rank | Comandor (OF-5) |
| Unit | White Squadron |
| Battles/wars | The Second World War |
| Awards | Order of the Star of Romania, Order of Aeronautical Virtue, Order of the German Eagle |
Marie Ana Aurelia (Mariana) Drăgescu (7 September 1912, Craiova – 24 March 2013, Bucharest) was a Romanian military pilot and aviator during World War II. She was the last surviving member of the White Squadron, a team of female aviators who flew medical aircraft during World War II.[1][2] Romania was the only country in the world to allow women to pilot medical missions during the war.[3]
Drăgescu received her pilot's license in 1935 when she was 23 years old.[2] She became one of the few women in the world to hold a license at the time.[2] In 1938, with the threat of conflict growing in Europe, Drăgescu was invited to join a new, all-female aviation team which would become the White Squadron.[3] The other four women to join with her were Virginia Duțescu, Nadia Russo, Marina Stirbey, and Irina Burnaia.[3]
The contributions of Drăgescu and the other women of the White Squadron to the history of Romanian aviation were ignored during the country's Communist era, but have received a more appropriate estimation in recent years, following the Romanian Revolution of 1989.[2]
Mariana Drăgescu died on 24 March 2013, at the age of 100.[2]
References
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