PLEASANT HILL, Iowa — A Vietnam Veteran is honoring two Iowa World War II Veterans with a bike ride from Iowa City to Sweetwater, Texas.
The ride is lasting 26 days spanning over the entire month of September. The bicyclist’s name is Larry Ritland, and he’s bringing recognition to two Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Ritland had discovered the two Iowans who died in WWII while visiting the National WASP WWII Museum in Sweetwater, TX. He saw the two names: Beverly Jean Moses and Gleanna Roberts.
“I thought I knew a little about World War II, but I’ve never heard of this program or the women who died,” said Ritland. “…so I decided to start asking people and nope, hadn’t heard.”
WHO 13 News caught up with Ritland at the Oakwood Cemetery where Moses is buried. Ritland and his wife placed 38 flags around her burial grounds to honor the 38 WASPs who died during WWII.
“She was 21 when she died. She was flying out west, she’d been finishing her training, and she was based out of Las Vegas. She was doing a training flight with a lieutenant that was the pilot, and she was the copilot, with four other crew members on board. But the flight never came back.
Blank Park Zoo’s new member needs naming, they want your help “They found the plane pancaked into the mountain, everybody was dead,” said Ritland. “Now the difference is these five other people on board were members of the old Army Air Corps…so the five male crew members, they had insurance money for their parents, they got the Gold Star, they had a flag draped coffin military funeral. Beverly Jean Moses got nothing because she was a civilian.”
Moses and Roberts, who is buried in Sharon Center, motivated him to get some type of recognition for the women who served. He sent letters to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ office who passed it along to Iowa Veteran’s Affairs.
On Thursday, there will be a proclamation reading for Moses and Roberts. September 5, 2024, will be Gleanna Roberts and Beverly Jean Moses Day in the state. Ritland will be there before he continues his ride down to Texas, along with some family members from both women.
Ritland had been campaigning for this to happen since February 15 of this year.
“This is actually the easy part. Some of the hardest parts was getting some of the paperwork lined up, planning the route, takes time and effort,” said Ritland. “We wanted to bring awareness to these two women and the entire program that’s been pretty much forgotten.”
Ritland’s wife tags along with him. She rides in the truck and parks 10-15 miles ahead of him and reads a book until Ritland comes riding up. She has water and snacks ready to go for him at each break. And Ritland says that his wife is a heck of a picnic packer.
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