Edith Clayton Keene was born on 19 December 1920 in Townsend, Broadwater, Montana. Her parents were Newton K and Ruth Verona Foster Keene. She had four sisters, Winona, Frances, Edwina, and Hope. Her father was born in Montana and was an odd job laborer. Her mother was born in Iowa.

She enlisted in the Army Air Forces and served as a Second Lieutenant with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS). She entered AAF flight training on 9 August 1943 at Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas, and graduated on 11 February 1944.

She had been stationed at Hondo Army Air Field, TX and Moore Army Air Base in Mission, TX, and was assigned to training cadet navigators, towing targets, and ferrying. She was killed on 25 April 1944 during a routine flight in AT-6C #41-32847 when it crashed near Mission, Texas, due to a structural failure of the aircraft.

On 26 April 1944 The Pomona Progress Bulletin reported: Local Girl Victim in Air Mishap-Parents in Pomona Learn of Death; Stationed at Moore Field

First Pomona service woman to be killed in the war, Edith Clayton Keene, 23, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Newton Keene, 120 E. Kingsley avenue, was the victim of an airplane accident Tuesday afternoon at 2:40 o’clock near Moore Field, Mission, Texas. Miss Keene was a pilot in the WASP, Women’s Air Force Service Pilots.

According to an Associated Press dispatch, Miss Keene was killed in a training plane during a routine flight, Lieutenant Robert E. Kuenstler, Victoria, Texas, parachuted to safety.

After winning her wings as a pilot in the WASP in February, the Pomona girl was assigned as the pilot of twin-engine planes flying students at the army air corps advanced school for navigators in Hondo, Texas. Shortly afterward, she was reassigned to her former post, Moore field, and was stationed there at the time of the fatal accident.

Born December 19, 1920, in Townsend, Montana, Miss Keene came to Pomona in 1927. She was educated in Pomona schools and after graduating from the junior college, received her degree as bachelor of science and arts from the University of California at Los Angeles. Miss Keene was a teacher at Coronado before she entered the WASP in August, 1943.

The Pomona WASP earned her private pilot’s license in Pomona under the Civil Aeronautics authority. She was one of the first graduates of the WASP stepped-up program which offers women pilots additional hours of flying time, intense study in navigation and other training as ferry pilots. Her class was the first to go into uniform.

Besides her mother and father, Miss Keene is survived by four sisters, Mrs. Carl Haworth, 120 E. Kingsley avenue; Mrs. Forest Gary, Roscoe; Mrs. W. R. Ivarson, Lemore; and Mrs. J. T. Downing, San Bernardino. There are also a nephew and two nieces.

Funeral arranges are in charge of Todd Memorial chapel.

On 28 April 1944 The Pomona Progress Bulletin reported:

Funeral services for Edith Clayton Keene of 120 E. Kingsley avenue, who lost her life in an airplane crash Tuesday afternoon near Moor Field, Mission, Texas, will be held from the Todd Memorial chapel, 570 N. Garey avenue, at 3:30 o’clock Monday afternoon. Rev. Harry G. Earle, pastor of the Trinity Metholdist church, will officate. Interment will be made in Pomona cemetery.

The body will arrive via Southern Pacific Saturday morning.

She was one of the thirty-eight World War II WASPS that was killed while in the service of their country.

2Lt Edith Clayton Keene was awarded the following commendations: ★ United States Aviator Badge ★ World War II Victory Medal ★ American Campaign Medal ★ Army Presidential Unit Citation and the ★ Army Good Conduct Medal.

A grateful nation honors her service and keeps her memory alive.

This story was created by researching numerous records. These included census records, military application for headstone, World War II Army Enlistment Record, Findagrave.com, Newspapers.com articles, Honorstates.org, etc.

This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project (see www.storiesbehindthestars.org). This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories?

Joanne King-Contributing Author-Stories Behind the Stars