Women pilots flying combat missions over Afghanistan

Associated Press WriterABOARD THE USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (AP) -- After flying an attack mission on Afghanistan, Lt. j.g. Sara said Tuesday she didn't think she and other women pilots should be singled out for attention -- or that what she was doing was historic.

Indeed, little attention has been focused on women fighter pilots and weapons' officers during the war on terrorism, even though it is only the second major U.S. military campaign since the Navy decided to allow women to fly combat aircraft in 1993. Kosovo was the first.

"I've never thought that it was a big deal that I was an aviator, I just go out there and do my job," said Sara, 25, from Billings, Mont. "I don't like to see women singled out, basically."

For security reasons she can only be identified by her first name -- and her call-sign, "Goalie."

Sara, who was surprised by media requests to interview her, said she is proud of the example the United States has set by allowing her to fly combat missions.

During the 1991 Gulf War, women sailors flew combat support missions, earning a lot of press coverage and sparking debate about women in combat, especially after a woman helicopter pilot was captured by Iraqi forces. Now women fly the most advanced fighter aircraft, bombing Taliban and al-Qaida targets while under anti-aircraft fire.

Women sailors were first allowed to train as pilots in 1976, and were selected to fly cargo and surveillance planes.

Cdr. Diana Cangelosi of Wilmette, Ill. was one of the first women to join the Navy specifically to be a pilot in 1981 and chose to fly a spy plane.

Under the military's security rules, commanding officers can be fully identified if they choose.

Cangelosi started out flying the EA-3 and eventually flew EP-3 spy planes.

"I flew the most (combat oriented) thing women were allowed in fly in my time," Cangelosi, now the officer in charge of the Combat Direction Center on the USS Roosevelt. "What they are flying now is a bit more exciting."

Cangelosi, 46, has reached a rank where she no longer flies, but she enjoys her present assignment in charge of directing the ship's defenses. "Frankly, this is a cooler job because it involves weapons' systems," she said, with a glimmer in her eye.

The Roosevelt has been flying night attacks for almost a week, launching U.S. Navy F-14 Tomcat fighters, EA-6B Prowler surveillance planes and Marine Corps FA-18C Hornet attack jets to bomb Taliban and al-Qaida targets in Afghanistan.

The planes, airborne for 5 to 8 hours at a time, are refueled by both Navy and U.S. Air Force tanker planes and directed by air controller and surveillance aircraft, many of them also flown by women.

Sara, a trained F-14 pilot, works as the fighter jet's navigator and weapons' officer, directing laser-guided bombs and missiles on to their targets.

Cangelosi said she was "very proud" of and envied the new women fighter pilots.

"Things have changed a lot in 20 years," she said.

Sara praised women like Cangelosi, who she said paved the way and set an excellent example for women to follow.

"I've always felt very comfortable being a female in the aviation community ever since I walked into flight school," Sara said. "There aren't many of us, that's true, but I think (all of) our personalities mesh, otherwise we wouldn't be in this job."