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Ten Reasons Why Maggie Gee Deserves To Be Honored
- Maggie Gee bravely served her country during WWII as one of only two Chinese American Women's Airforce Service Pilots. WASP like Maggie Gee were the first women to fly for the US military. She and the WASP later received the Congressional Gold Medal for their service. The Congressional Gold Medal and the Presidential Medal of Freedom are the highest civilian honors in the United States. Maggie Gee is in the company of other extraordinary Congressional Gold Medal recipients, such as George Washington, Charles Lindbergh, Howard Hughes and the Tusekegee Airmen.
- She was a veteran. We should honor our veterans and call attention to their important service.
- She was an East Bay native who became inspired to fly as a child when her family spent weekends watching planes take off at the Oakland Airport.
- Maggie Gee spent her entire life serving her country and her East Bay community. After the war, she worked as a physicist at Lawrence Livermore Laboratories. She was also active in many local civic organizations.
- After WWII, the WASP's records were sealed for over 30 years. Their country forgot about them. They deserve to be remembered. Renaming a major airport for a WASP would help preserve the WASP legacy.
- Currently there is not a single major airport in the United States named for a woman, let alone a woman of color. Visibility matters. Women and girls (and men and boys) deserve to see women honored in the public space.
- Asian Americans are also woefully under-represented among landmarks. Representation matters.
- Oakland has a rich cultural history. What better way to celebrate that rich history than highlighting the life of Maggie Gee, an accomplished East Bay native?
- Oakland prides itself on being unique. This is a perfect way to highlight the amazing contributions of this East Bay native.
- Over 13 million travelers passed through Oakland Airport in 2017. Naming the airport for Maggie Gee would give the airport an unmistakable sense of place. (https://www.oaklandairport.com/ten-year-high-lifts-oakland-international-13-million-passengers-2017/)
