Faith Hallock: The Pilot
Written by: Korey C., Lisa G., Kyle M., and Barbara S.
In order to create an “airforce”, the U.S. took college seniors and
trained them how to fly. In 1936, Faith thought of becoming a pilot.
When she was a senior in college she joined the Civil Air Patrol. Faith
also learned to fly during the winter on a frozen Lake Champlain in
Vermont. She went to school at the American Airlines Academy, and on
March 20, 1940, she received her Pilot’s License. Faith learned how to fly
a crosswind landing on skies (a very hard landing, also on Lake Champlain)
without any choice. Because of this, she got very high physics grades.
When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, she was on the radio in Albany. Faith
was not surprised when the U.S. entered World War Two.
When Faith was in school, she was told to take a flying class. When
she first learned to fly, it was on skies. Only 200 women took the flying
classes. Out of her class, she was one of only two women to pass. She
did not fly off an air craft carrier or go into any battles, for they did not
let women in them. She loved to fly, but it had its ups and downs to it,
like the hard times, and the happiness of the war ending. Life during
the war was hated very much, so people were very glad to see it over
with. Faith, with her toddler, didn’t go back to work after it, not right
away anyway. She went back to work with the company she first worked
with after about two years. After that career, she became a parole
officer for the Elmira Correctional Facility. A tough job for many, but
quite sufficient for a former woman pilot. Her last flight as a pilot being
in 1949, she has long since been retired and thinks it is an expensive
“sport” to be involved in.
In conclusion, we think that the war has made a great impact
on Faith’s life, and it was probably devastating. She said that if
she could go back in time and do something different she
wouldn’t have been married, but I might have been dead
right now. All we can do is say thanks for her help winning the
war.
There are only so many people still alive from World War
Two today. One of them, Faith Hallock, was part of the Civil Air
Patrol. We met her at Horseheads Middle School on March 28,
2001. Even though she is now 82 years old, she can still
remember the war many years ago. Faith flew in twenty-three
missions of different assortments. We received many interesting
stories about her and her life before, during, and after World War
Two.
In order to create an “airforce”, the U.S. took college
seniors and trained them how to fly. In 1936, Faith thought of
becoming a pilot. When she was a senior in college she joined
the Civil Air Patrol. Faith also learned to fly during the winter on
a frozen Lake Champlain in Vermont. She went to school at the
American Airlines Academy, and on March 20, 1940, she received
her Pilot’s License. Faith learned how to fly a crosswind landing
on skies (a very hard landing, also on Lake Champlain) without any
choice. Because of this, she got very high physics grades.
When Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, she was on the radio in
Albany. Faith was not surprised when the U.S. entered World War
Two.