This Military Service Page was created/owned by
A3C Michael S. Bell (Unit Historian)
to remember
Severson, Helen Jo Anderson, 2nd Lt.
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Helen and Peggy Seip were only 11 days away from graduation and were thinking about their next assignment as Air Transport Command ferrying pilots. They were with their instructor in an AT-17 on a flight from Sweetwater to Big Springs to practice radio navigation. Helen was flying under the hood at the time of the accident. An accident investigation blamed the crash on stuctural failure. Later that evening, some of their classmates gathered around a vine that Margaret and Helen had planted in March. It now covered the rear wall of a barracks.
Helen was born in Marvin, South Dakota. She graduated from Summit High School as the 1936 class valedictorian. She got her B.A with honors in Political Science from South Dakota University. Helen had received her Masters Degree in Library Science from University of Illinois and learned to fly in her spare time.
At South Dakota State University, she completed Civilian Pilot Training. She managed the Urbana Municipal Airport and became a member of the CAP.
Helen was married to a pilot, Capt. Robert Severson, who was shot down over Germany. Robert had volunteered for this mission after the death of Helen Jo.
