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In December of 1944, the military decided that the WASP's services were no longer needed and told them to go home. This was heart breaking to Ringenberg, she didn't have a life back home. All of her friends were off getting married and settling down while she was serving. She had more in common with the male pilots than her old friends. She decided to get her teaching license and taught flying lessons, as much as possible, at the Fort Wayne Airport.
Margaret Ray Ringenberg grew up on a small farm in Hoagland, Indiana. She first sparked an interest in flying when her, her father, and her mother received the opportunity to fly in an airplane.
Margaret knew that she wanted to take on a career in flying. She took flying lessons and in 1940 she obtained her pilot's license. Obtaining this at age 21, she was just in time to apply to become an original WASP (Woman Air force Service Pilot). She served as a co-pilot of bigger planes because she was an inch too short of being the actual pilot. She was, however, able to be the pilot of several training planes.
Afterwords,
WASP's often took on dangerous missions, such as being used as target practice for antiaircraft batteries and airborne gunners. WASP's were also unappreciated, if a WASP was killed or hurt they wouldn't receive medals and weren't often recognized.
Margaret gave motivational speeches at the Airforce Academy to female cadets. She also talked to children about never giving up on their dreams. She questioned herself often, but realized that she just wanted to make a difference. She thought that if she reached out to one child, all of the time she spent motivating everyone would be worth it.
Gradually, Margaret began to miss flying more and more. She came across a cross-country women's air race known as the Powder Puff Derby. She entered the race at age 72. Sadly, Ringenberg didn't win the race, but she said that it wasn't about winning because she wasn't in it for the trophy.