Mariana Drăgescu

Mariana Drăgescu
Cmd.av. Mariana Drăgescu (pictured, 2nd lt)
Born	(1912-09-07)7 September 1912 Craiova
Died	24 March 2013(2013-03-24) (aged 100) Bucharest
Allegiance	Romanian Armed Forces
Service/branch	Romanian Air Force
Years of service	1940-1955
Rank	Comandor (OF-5)
Unit	White Squadron
Battles/wars	The Second World War Siege of Odessa (1941) Battle of Stalingrad
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 piloted medical aircraft during World War II.^[1][2] Romania was the only country in the world to allow woman to pilot medical missions during the war.^[3]

Drăgescu during a medical flight in World War II.

Drăgescu received her pilot's license in 1935 when she was 23 years old.^[2] She became one of the few woman 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