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The 10th annual celebration of the Women Veterans Historical Project was recently held in the Cone Ballroom, Elliott University Center of UNCG, for 100 female veterans who came from across the state for this yearly event.

This special luncheon is free for all female veterans and $10 for guests.

Some veterans came in wheelchairs, some had canes, others were quite spry. They were all of one spirit and greeted each other with great joy and warmth, remembering the past when they were young and had once served our nation.

UNCG Chancellor Linda P. Brady welcomed the veterans and their guests. She said UNCG has a long tradition of honoring the achievements of women.

Young women and men from the Air Force ROTC of N.C. A&T presented the colors as we silently stood to honor our flag.

Representing periods from World War II to the present, Beth Ann Koelsch, curator of the Women Veterans Historical Project and organizer of the luncheon, asked the veterans from each branch of service, including the Nurses Corps and the American Red Cross, to stand and be recognized for their many contributions.

Retired Lt. Col. Katheryn Wirkus of the U.S. Air Force, and a 1974 UNCG graduate, was the main speaker.

In full dress uniform, she discussed "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants," recalling her 27-year career in the Air Force and the events leading to her decision to join the military.

As an early childhood development major at UNCG, Wirkus said she had not been prepared for her career with the Air Force, which changed her life and took her all over the world. Her transformation from being a schoolteacher to serving in the military and feeling comfortable with her decision was a gradual one.

She said 1976 was the first year women were given the opportunity to attend service academies. Today, across all services, 15 percent are women. Women have been given great opportunities, the same as men, to excel in the military, as shown by Gen. Ann Dunwoody, who was recently named as the first woman to achieve four-star general rank.

Wirkus was named the first full-time Air Force Reserve program manager at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Greensboro female veterans in attendance and their periods of service were:

• World War II veterans: Grace Allen, Jean Bright, Delia Faber, Ruth Garrett, Sarah Greenlee, Jessie Howard, Henrietta Ingram, Alva Honeycutt, Elna Jones, Dorothy Jordan, Harriet Kabat, Sylvia Swink, Kathryn Wakefield, Winona Walker and Jean Woods.

• Korean War veterans: Grace Alexander, Juanita Johnson and Joycestance Malcolm.

• Vietnam veterans: Sandra McGauvran.

• Veterans of other service periods: Theresa Strohmer, Cathy Sykes, Anna Kalar and Portia McCracken.

Grace Alexander, who achieved the rank of lieutenant commander in the Navy, said, "Much was expected of us. After serving our country, we returned home to raise and nurture families, find civilian work or return to finish our education."

Alexander spent most of her Navy career at the Pentagon in Washington, working under the chief of naval operations.

World War II veteran Ava Honeycutt also spent time in Washington, working in Navy communications. She recalled how important the GI Bill was to her and other veterans. She used the GI Bill to complete her education and receive her degree from Pfeiffer College. Later, she became an academic adviser at UNCG.

The Women Veterans Historical Project at UNCG documents the contributions of women in the military since World War I. The collection offers a wide range of information about women in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines, and nurses in every branch of the military as well as the Red Cross.

The Women Veterans collection began because so many of the alumnae of the Woman's College of the University of North Carolina, the former name of UNCG, were veterans of World War II. During the reunion of the class of 1950, the idea for the collection was born.

This was the first veterans' luncheon planned by Koelsch, who became the new curator of the Women Veterans Historical Project in February . "At our Web site," Koelsch said, "people can view over 1,000 photographs and read over 200 oral history transcripts."

Uniforms, recruiting posters, letters and diaries may also be viewed. The Web site is http://library.uncg.edu/dp/wv/ .

As the program came to a close, it seemed appropriate that the first song by Martha and the Moodswingers was "Sentimental Journey." Several couples from the Piedmont Swing Dance Society even danced the jitterbug.

Wirkus pointed out there are now 23.5 million veterans, of which 1.7 million are women.

"Much appreciation goes to these women, who went before us and paved the way for today's women in the military," she said.

Contact Peggy Longmire at rlongmire@triad.rr.com or 288-9040.