Shreya Gupta
October 24, 2020
Millie Bailey, WWII veteran and American civil servant is seen checking boxes off her bucket list on her 102nd birthday, by going skydiving in Maryland on 22nd October 2020.
(Source : coffeeordie.com)
While age knocks on Millie Bailey’s door, she asks it to wait yet again, letting adventure have its way with her life. Millie Bailey was the first Black woman to join the Army during WWII, a time when women were not even considered capable of being in the forces. An inspiration to many and a local superhero, she’s led a memorable life and continues adding to the thrill. The World War II veteran celebrated her 102nd birthday by skydiving while assisted by a tandem skydiving instructor.
She describes skydiving as something she always thought would be thrilling and told CBS Baltimore that she’d wanted to try it at least once.
Bailey was born in Washington DC in 1918 and joined the U.S. Women’s Army Auxiliary in 1947. She retired from her senior post in public services in 1975, according to CBS Baltimore. She has contributed immensely to the society’s betterment by raising tens of thousands of dollars for county schoolchildren and so many other social causes.
To repay her and honour her, a few community leaders gathered in a small ceremony in Columbia, officially naming a park by the lakefront 'Bailey Park'. This park comprises land transferred from the Howard Hughes Corporation to the county. The WWII veteran absolutely deserves this huge honour after all that she’s done for the society.
She told CBS Baltimore post her jump what she felt about the honour. Her exact words were “I’m happy that I’ve been able to do the things I’ve done in the community and in the state”.
Millie not only is an inspiration for women across the globe, she’s also a powerful figure for the African American community, having spoken about the struggles she had with racism all her life and how some people in the Army were discriminating against her, while others made her their own. With a life well spent, Millie is still firm on her feet, living her dreams.
Sources : (BaltimoreCbiSocial, EnNewsner, CBS Baltimore)
Edited by : Shreya Gupta