March 9, 2026

Screenings of the film, Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story at the Military Women’s Memorial

The Military Women’s Memorial in Arlington, Virginia will soon offer free screenings of Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story as well as offer DVD copies of the film in their gift shop.  The memorial features a stunning WASP display and pays tribute to America’s servicewomen, past and present.   For more information, please visit their website.

March 9, 2026

Review of Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story

Film Threat has rated the film 9 out of 10, stating: “Both entertaining and informative, Hausle has created a lively look at Nadine Ramsey’s extraordinary life…” and “…has broad appeal for everyone interested in the history of the war…”

March 9, 2026

Awards for Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story

The Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema that ran from March 3 through 8 in Idyllwild, California has awarded the recent film Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story three awards, including Best Sound Design Feature, Best Editing Feature and the Audience Choice Award!

February 12, 2026

Award Nominations – Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story

The jury of the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema has nominated the recent film Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story for four awards, including Best Cinematography in a Documentary, Best Screenplay in a Documentary, Best Documentary Feature and Best Director in a Documentary.

Congratulations to Steven Barber, Matthew Hausle, Jay Miracle and the whole team at Vanilla Fire Productions!

Tickets are available for the festival that is running March 3 through 8, 2026 in Idyllwild, California.

March 1, 2026

Upcoming – Raquel Ramsey to present virtual lecture on Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story

On Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. EST, the MacArthur Memorial will present a free virtual lecture by Dr. Raquel Ramsey on her co-authored book-turned-film, Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story.

Dr. Ramsey will discuss the life of Nadine Ramsey, one of the only Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) to fly in wartime skies during WWII. Nadine rose from a childhood in Kansas during the Great Depression to break gender barriers in the history of American flight to become a leader in her field, serving as a pilot, instructor, and one of the few women to fly a fighter plane during WWII.

Dr. Raquel R. Ramsey is the widow of Col. Edwin P. Ramsey, 26^th Cavalry PS who led the Last Mounted Horse Cavalry Charge in U.S. Army history and Commander of the East Central Luzon Guerilla Forces as he fought four years behind enemy lines. Col. Ramsey graduated from Oklahoma Military Academy in 1937 and from OU College of Law in 1952 after returning from the war. Ed Ramsey passed away last March 7, 2013 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on June 28, 2013. Ed and Raquel were married for 34 wonderful years. Dr. Ramsey retired on June 15, 2013 after 50 years in the Education profession from Beverly Hills Unified School District where she was a teacher and Coordinator of the English Language Program for 23 years. She also taught English at the Yeshiva University High Schools of Los Angeles and International School in Manila. She has also been an instructor in several subjects at the University of Santo Tomas, where she obtained her degrees. Raqui, as most people know her, has been actively engaged in several military organizations with Col. Ramsey like the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society, The U.S. Cavalry Association and on June 6, 2015 became an honorary cadet at the Oklahoma Military Academy where her husband is in the Hall of Fame. In 2018, she received the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of her husband at the PSHS reunion.

Dr. Ramsey is the Executive Producer of “NEVER SURRENDER: THE ED RAMSEY STORY” by Vanilla Fire Productions which premiered on Nov. 13, 2016 at the Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance. She has been involved with the promotion of her husband’s book, “Lieutenant Ramsey’s War” which was published in 1990 and just completed his sister’s book, “TAKING FLIGHT: THE NADINE RAMSEY STORY” which will be published in the fall of 2020 by the University of Kansas Press. Raqui now carries Ed and Nadine’s legacy, doing book signings and media appearances nationwide. She completed the documentary with Vanilla Fire Productions again as Executive Producer of “TAKING FLIGHT: THE NADINE RAMSEY STORY” for a Premiere on Nov 16, 2025 at the Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum of Tolerance in LA. Screenings will be held in many Museums and Libraries all over the U.S.

This virtual presentation will include a Q&A session. This event is free and open to the public. To register, please visit:

https://streamyard.com/watch/QdaPZdGSN3ry

Jennifer Cottle
Education Manager
MacArthur Memorial, Norfolk VA

September 25, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

Reflections could have been titled An Improbable Life.  Raquel Ramsey was born Raquel Ramirez in the Philippines a year after the end of World War II.  The country was only just beginning a long journey back to prosperity after the devastation inflicted upon it by Japan.  The Philippines had lost one million of her 17 million people.  A good portion of Manila, the country’s capital city, had been destroyed.

Both sides of Raquel’s family had suffered terribly during the war but by the time Raquel was born there was optimism for the future.  She was welcomed into a loving family with an older brother, Paul.  However, Raquel was only five months old when her mother died.

By the time Raquel was a little girl she found support and love in the Catholic Church.  Having lost her own mother, she found comfort and solace in her devotion to Mother Mary.  Throughout her life Raquel has been sustained by that devotion.

Raquel feels it was her faith and devotion that brought her to her husband, Ed Ramsey.  That she would meet and marry Ed Ramsey seems not only improbable but miraculous.  Ed was one of America’s most decorated heroes in WWII in the Philippines.  His story is the stuff of legends.  He was one of a handful of American soldiers who did not surrender at Bataan but went into the bush.  He spent three years leading a guerilla campaign against the Japanese forces, wreaking havoc with Japan’s attempts to pacify the Philippines and supplying critical intelligence to Gen. MacArthur.  By the end of the war Ed had been promoted to lieutenant colonel and been decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart.

After the war Ed graduated from law school and went to work for Hughes Aircraft.  He spent much of his time in the Far East, especially the Philippines.  He often stayed at the Manila Garden Hotel.  It just so happened that Raquel’s older brother, Paul, worked at the hotel and he came to know Ed.

On a New Year’s Eve, Ed was relaxing in the lounge and listing to the band that was playing for the evening’s festivities.  In walked Raquel.  Paul introduced her to Ed.  It was love at first sight.  Improbable to be sure.  Ed was nearly 30 years older, had been married and divorced, and had grown children.  No matter.  She was head over heels in love with him and he with her.  A year later they were married at Don Bosco Catholic Church, an architectural landmark in Makati, one of Manila’s neighboring cities.

Once back in the United States, Ed thought Raquel should get to know her new country in a good, old fashioned American way—through a road trip.  Driving a motorhome, they covered thousands of miles and visited dozens of states.  They also crossed into Canada.  They would take many such road trips.  They would also take trips overseas, travelling by planes, trains, riverboats, and ships.

Energetic and well educated, Raquel didn’t idle away her hours between vacations but went to work teaching English, eventually at Beverly Hills High School.  She also helped motivate Ed to turn a manuscript he had written about his guerilla days in the Philippines into a book.  It was published in 1990 as Lieutenant Ramsey’s War and launched with great pomp and circumstance at the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles.  Two decades later Raquel had a book she had written published, Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story.  Nadine was Ed’s sister and a WWII WASP pilot.  Made of the same stuff as Ed, she survived a horrific crash after the war and fought her way back through serious injuries to fly again.

Though not without sorrow and pain, Ed and Raquel’s life together might be called charmed.  They were madly in love, travelled the world, had admirals and generals for friends, met dignitaries and celebrities, and were together for 43 years before Ed died.  In Reflections, Raquel recalls this life and thanks the Lord for showering her with blessings.

– Roger McGrath

September 25, 2025

Taking Flight Production Team with Raqui

This photo of Raqui with the Vanilla Fire production team was taken at Raqui’s home in Los Angeles early in the process of making the film.

September 24, 2025

Taking Flight – Recording Session 

Steven Barber, Director/Producer at Vanilla Fire Studios (the team that has put together the upcoming film, Taking Flight – The Nadine Ramsey Story) shared some photos from a recent recording session with Jacqueline Bisset who is narrating the film.

September 19, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

A long-time family friend of the Ramsey’s recently contacted Raqui about her memoir and had this to say:

Raqui:

I can’t remember if I emailed since I read your book some time ago.  I learned much about you that I didn’t know.  Most striking was the loss of your mother when you were an infant.  Your faith clearly sustained you growing up and also clearly sustains you to this day.  We had one priest and two nuns in my family a generation back.  The Church was a critical component to Irish families then.

I enjoyed Reflections thoroughly but also got a bit melancholy reading it.  How can it be 35 years since I was standing at the reception in the Philippine Consulate on Wilshire or 12 years since we back at Arlington for Ed’s burial–and all those years ago for all the grand Raqui events between.  And I do mean grand Raqui events, which were some of the best and most memorable of my life.  There was one great coincidence I think I mentioned to you, which occurred at one of Ed’s birthday bashes.  You seated Susan and me at table with Mike and Gretchen Wayne.  You had no way of knowing that my older brother and Mike were friends from their days of serving together in the Air Force.  Did Mike and I have a lot to talk about!

You are truly “the guardian of Ed’s legacy.”  Reflections is your love letter to Ed and a testament to Mother Mary.  I see where you got much of your strength.

Reflections reminded me of all your travels with Ed, although I didn’t know of the motorhome adventure.  That you kept a journal cracked me up.  The Energizer Bunny recording everything!

BTW, you mention a Dr. Riley.  One of my grandmothers was a Riley.  Her family was from County Mayo, Ireland.  She was a pretty redhead, who was very sharp and talented.

How all this life has passed by so quickly is beyond my comprehension.

– Roger

September 20, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

This is a story about a Philippine born Lady who met Ed Ramsey, an older American businessman and former Army Horse Cavalryman, at a party in Manila and was asked for a dance. It was love at first sight for both of them. She was a PH.D educator and Ed was a Hughes Aircraft representative. and former WWII Horse Cavalryman who was never captured in the Philippines.

Reflections tells the story in an unusual but very likable way. Along with paragraphs one after another it was told in a variety of clippings, photos, press releases , poems, musical scripts, and short stories. (Go to page 2 and you are singing Some Enchanted Evening) You meet the Ramsey’s page after page. They marry, move to California, and have an interesting happy life. She becomes a high school counselor and he a very active family man and veteran cavalryman.

Raqui’s book leads us through how she made her husband’s book Never Surrender into a fine seller and a movie. She also made her sister-in-law Nadine Ramsey’s book into a movie about her life as a P-38 ferry pilot and instructor in WWII in her book Taking Flight. Nadine was one of a few remaining WASP’s benefiter for veteran’s pay for her effort’s with the help of Senator Goldwater.

Now it is Raqui’s turn. This loving widow and family booster has now published an excellent book of her life with a movie soon to come called REFLECTIONS. It tells all the activities and travels she and her husband had getting together with ex-military and business friends all over the country. Every summer when Raqui had time off from her school duties, they travelled the US on a huge motorhome. My wife and I had a wonderful time with them when they showed up in our front yard. We had met the Ramsey’s through one of my airline flight attendants’ and was married to the Army’s Attaché in Manila who was now stationed in DC.

There are many examples of Raqui’s writing style. See page 34 to see how they were married for 34 years and chose the lyrics of the song You Light up my Life to describe their love.

I strongly recommend reading this very wonderful book about the last WW2’s Horse Cavalryman’s wife and family which will soon be made into a movie to match her husband’s and sister-in-law’s. Enjoy!.

– Lt Col Thomas A. Duke USAF (Ret)

September 12, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

A heartwarming story of true love, unyielding faith, and boundless devotion. Her blessed Mother Mary, the love for her country, her family, and her beloved and amazing husband is truly an inspiration to all!

– James Gebhard

September 5, 2025

Appearance in California Educator magazine

An outline of Dr. Ramsey’s book Reflections appeared in a recent issue of California Educator magazine.

September 4, 2025

Appearance in KANSAS! Magazine

An outline of Dr. Ramsey’s book Reflections appeared in a recent issue of KANSAS! magazine.

August 26, 2025

Appearance in RSU’s Guidon

An outline of Dr. Ramsey’s book Reflections appeared in the Rogers State University publication Guidon this month.

August 26, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

For many of us, there’s no cookie-cutter definition of the word “love” and no bounds for the creative impulses it inspires. In “Reflections,” Raquel Ramsey employs poetry, song, short story, and prose to express her steadfast love for her husband, family, faith, and country.

Writing of her life’s gifts and setbacks, Ramsey reveals the power and boundless nature of love, which, as the poet Maya Angelou has written, “jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.”

With Reflections, Ramsey has reached her destination.

– Shelly Kale, editor, “Lieutenant Ramsey’s War: From Horse Soldier to Guerrilla Commander” and “Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story”

August 19, 2025

Aviation for Women, digital publication July-Sept 2025

The official publication of Women in Aviation International outlines Raquel Ramsey’s most recent book, Reflections.  See page 12 in the publication here.

August 16, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

“Reflections” on a Life Well Lived

Raquel Ramsey’s first book, “Taking Flight; The Nadine Ramsey Story” (University of Kansas Press, 2020), is the story of an American pioneer family’s life in the early and mid-twentieth century. It is the story of a young woman who found her passion and followed it into the skies before, during, and after World War II. It also tells Nadine’s brother, Edward’s, who rode his horse, Bryn Awryn, into battle in the Philippines during WWII, the United States’ Army’s final calvary charge.Dr. Ramsey’s second book, a memoir aptly titled “Reflections,” expands on Nadine’s and Edward’s stories, and it tell’s Raqui’s own stories of love, friendships, faith, and country. With infinite pride and humility, Raquel Ramsey shares her life’s story. Through photographs and poetry, stories, music, and art Raqui, as her friends know her, finds inspiration in friends, family, and her students during a long career of teaching high school students in the U.S. and the Philippines. By the end we are wrapped in a comforting stole of hope and renewal. Bless you Raqui for sharing your life with us.

– Martha Wolfe

August 1, 2025

Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” featured in Wichita bookstore

ICTBooks in Wichita, Kansas features Reflections

July 17, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

• “[My husband, Ed] took my hand at 3:00 a.m. and said ‘YOU AND ME’ pointing to our wedding photo. I held it tightly and said, ‘get back to sleep.’ I did not realize that he was saying GOODBYE!” Raquel Ramsey’s Reflections is a truly captivating memoir that takes readers on a deeply personal yet universally resonant journey. More than a mere collection of memories, this unusual book is a rich tapestry woven from lived experiences, emotional truths, and profound wisdom, all set against a backdrop of “tropical and magical landscapes” that add an almost ethereal quality to her storytelling.Dr. Ramsey is a seasoned storyteller, educator, and dedicated veterans’ advocate, who brings a unique perspective to her narrative. As the widow of decorated World War II hero Col. Edwin P. Ramsey, her life has been shaped by extraordinary circumstances, from her “island roots” to her impactful work in activism. This diverse background imbues Reflections with a depth and authenticity that is both compelling and inspiring.What truly sets Reflections apart is its ability to seamlessly blend personal anecdotes with broader themes of love, service, and cultural identity. Ramsey’s prose is both intimate and insightful, allowing readers to share her experiences on an emotional level while also gleaning valuable lessons about resilience and the enduring power of the human spirit. She masterfully navigates the complexities of her life, sharing vulnerabilities and triumphs with equal grace, making her journey feel relatable and deeply moving.For anyone seeking a memoir that offers more than just a recounting of events – one that provides genuine reflection, timeless wisdom, and a heartfelt exploration of a life richly lived – Reflections is a tender testament to the power of personal narrative and a beautiful reminder of the enduring impact of love and service.– Tom Cutler

July 12, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

Raquel “Raqui” Ramsey, Filipina widow of Col. Edwin P. Ramsey, 26th Cavalry, Philippine Scout and guerrilla leader in the Philippines after the Japanese attacked there at the same time of its attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, has written a journal-like book about her marriage to him and about her relationship with his sister, Nadine. Ed led an attack against the Japanese in the last cavalry charge in the U.S. Army, and then went out into the jungle and led 40,000 guerrillas until the end of the war. She says he “swept her off of the feet” when they met in Manila years later and were married for 34 “glorious years” before he died in 2013.

She was teaching English at Beverly Hills High School in California at the time of his death, soon retired from the classroom after 50 years and spent her time supporting and promoting this legendary World War II Army officer who received the Distinguished Service Cross for his efforts. Many think it should have been the Medal of Honor for his guerrilla leadership in the Philippine jungle until the end of the war. He wrote about that in “Lieutenant Ramsey’s War.” Raqui has helped with marketing the book since 1990, which continues to sell well, and served as the executive producer of the documentary, “Never Surrender: The Ed Ramsey Story,” that premiered at the Simon Rosenthal Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles on Nov. 13, 2016.

Throughout the years before his death until he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia, and up to the present, Raqui has continued working to keep his memory alive, attending ceremonies and accepting awards while writing poems and collecting many photos and memories that are in her book.

One of her most touching and poignant poems is titled, “I Dream of Ed.” “What is a dream?” she asks. “An illusion created by your imagination; or something that happened a long time ago but reveals itself again in your mind” and continues to remember dreams of

“feel(ing) him beside me, always guiding and helping me face my challenges.”

But Raqui didn’t just face the loss of Ed. He had asked her to write a book about his sister, so she co-wrote Nadine’s story, “Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story,” and is also the executive producer of the corresponding documentary by the same title that is scheduled to premiere at the Museum of Tolerance on Nov. 16 this year, just as Ed’s was nearly 10 years ago.

Nadine was one of the 1,100 flyers in the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) who ferried planes around the United States from 1942-44 for the military, even though these women couldn’t fly outside the country, weren’t given military status, and weren’t given military honors when they died in service, which 78 did. They finally received recognition during the Obama administration after most of them, including Nadine, had died.

With both books and documentary films wrapped up, Raqui then wrote “Reflections” and continues to support the “legacy of Ed and Nadine Ramsey, doing book signings and media appearances all around the country.” Her book is divided into eight chapters: “My Love Story,” “My Devotion to Blessed Mother Mary,” “My Wonderful Life,” “Retirement,” “Love of Country,” “My Mission/My Writing,” “Poems and Verses to Shizuko Greenblatt on her Art” and “My Remembrances of Family and Friends.”

In her book, she shares original poems and stories that express her own feelings and relates stories about family and friends and life with Ed. The many photos reflect these connections and the happiness they all felt about each other.

So this book is truly a catharsis for Raqui, who has given years of her life valiantly preserving her family’s bold and heroic legacies. And now she is poised to look at what’s ahead for her their own story, her own legacy. True to her nature, she also looks to help encourage others.

In conclusion, she says to readers, “Writing this book helped me heal, and I hope it helps you, too, in any adversity you face in life as you handle loss and sorrow with strength from God’s grace and Mother Mary’s intercession.”

• – Ray Elliott    Writer, Editor, Publisher – Tales Press

July 11, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

This book is full of Raqui’s memories—poems, short stories, letters and music as well as some of the different people who have played and continue to play significant roles in her life—a life that is not yet over and continues to be guided by the quote she wrote in her book— “Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but love leaves a memory no one can steal.”

This book is a love story—Raqui’s love for the Blessed Mother Mary who, five months after Raqui’s birth when her birth mother passed away, became Raqui’s mother; her love for the man from another age—Colonel Ed Ramsey—who became her life’s partner; her step-son—Doug Ramsey; her sister-in-law—Nadine Ramsey; Raqui’s birth family; and others to include her countries—the Philippines and the United States. Of those folks, she dedicated the book to Doug Ramsey, Ed Ramsey, and Nadine Ramsey.

The cover of Raqui’s book is amazing! The front cover shows “the Moon, the Rainbow, and Diamond Head in Hawaii which represent the love of Raqui and Ed and the Blessed Mother who saved Ed during World War II to come into Raqui’s life.” The back cover shows “The Treasure Chest that contains all the memorabilia of Ed and Nadine and you discover their legacy. And the Mother Mary and Baby Jesus’ image is on the Sand, like a footprint.”

This book exudes Raqui’s love for her husband, his sister, and her son-in-law. The short stories, poems, letters, songs, paintings, and pictures of family and friends honor her family and friends who brought joy into Her’s and Ed’s lives, and her memories.
This is a very worthwhile read as it exemplifies courage, resiliency, faith, hope, and love.

• – COL (ret) Sam Young, Editor, The Cavalry Journal

July 2, 2025

Upcoming Premier Screening – Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story 

From Executive Producers Raquel Ramsey and Steven C. Barber and narrated by Jacqueline Bisset, this film explores the remarkable life of Nadine Ramsey. Its worldwide premiere is being held at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 16, 2025 at 7PM.  Attendees may park and view the premiere free of charge.

More information, the movie trailer and tickets are available on the Museum of Tolerance web site.

June 21, 2025

Review – Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” 

Reflections, personal narrative, creative storytelling, and history are all part of Raquel Ramsey’s poignant memoirs. Raqui has traveled the country to share the story of her late husband, Colonel Edwin P. Ramsey, who made history in the last U.S. cavalry charge in World War II. Ed’s sister, Nadine, also served as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots. Raqui’s writing is full of love and devotion as she honors their lives, and pays tribute to her extended family.

• – Lisa Shapiro

June 15, 2025

Raquel Ramsey’s new memoir “Reflections” has been published

May 14, 2025

Article publication

An article about the imminent release of Raquel Ramsey’s memoir “Reflections” has been published in Illinois’ Ford County Chronicle by Mr. Ray Elliott.  Link here.

April 19, 2025

Upcoming film about the life of Nadine Ramsey to premiere in November 2025

Vanilla Fire Productions, in collaboration with Raquel Ramsey, is preparing to launch their new film, “Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story” in November 2025.  The premiere is scheduled to be shown at the Simon Wiesenthal Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles on November 16.   Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.  In the meantime, here is a link to the trailer for the film:

November 29, 2024

Raquel Ramsey’s upcoming memoir “Reflections” highlighted in Awee Abayari’s publication, Across the World

November 2024 Issue of “Across the World”                         

November 24, 2024

Raquel Ramsey writing to Elizabeth Booker from Literary Aviatrix:  “Thanks for your wonderful invitation to participate in these book discussions in 2025. I enjoyed the discussion of my book, TAKING FLIGHT: THE NADINE RAMSEY STORY this November and meeting other authors and participants who wrote reviews of my book in FB and in your website like Becky Condon. “

May 31, 2024

Scott AFB Recognizes Aircrew with Copies of Taking Flight

During a recent Continuing the Legacy ceremony at Scott AFB in Illinois, the Scott Huyser Chapter President and Vice President of the Airlift/Tanker Association presented copies of Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story to two pilots, Major Heather Denny and Captain Naomi Shaak, and Aircraft Loadmaster A1C Claire Loemker.

January 1, 2024

August 2023 issue of WASP Tales

On behalf of the National WASP WWII Museum, author Julia Lauria-Blum submitted an article about Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story.  Click the cover image for the full article.

October 16, 2023

September 2023 issue of The Quan 

The biography, Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, was listed in an article entitled New Books about the World War II Experience within the September 2023 issue of The Quan.

New Books About the World War II Experience  (PDF)

Cover Page of The Quan Sept 2023  (PDF)

October 14, 2023

Jay Wertz book sales at the Central Coast Airfest

Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, was among the volumes for sale by Mr. Jay Wertz during the Central Coast AirFest held October 14 and 15 at the Santa Maria Airport in California.

June 22, 2023

Taking Flight Book Added to NASA Library 

The biography, Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, was recently added to the official Air & Space Library of NASA.

February 9, 2023

Authors of Taking Flight Make Virtual Presentation 

Co-authors Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand recently spoke to an online audience via Zoom at the invitation of the Pasadena Public Library. Their talk and Q&A session is now available for viewing on YouTube. Click on the viewing window below or click on the following link to view the presentation on YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEpLVZ8D1fo

January 2023

Author of Taking Flight Writes Foreword to New Book 

Taking Flight author Raquel Ramsey was invited to write the foreword to Defenders of the Rock, by Tim Deal. The nonfiction tome explores “sacrifice, courage, and honor in defense of the Philippines during World War II.” The book was published in December 2022 by Bowker. The foreword is mentioned in the member news of Biographers International Organization’s The Insider newsletter (click here for PDF):

January 2023

Taking Flight Co-Authors to Hold Online Book Talk 

Co-authors Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand will be the featured speakers from 5-6pm Pacific time on Tuesday, January 31, 2023 as part of the Pasadena Public Library’s Authors and Their Journeys Series highlighting current book authors. Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story is a biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey, and the online talk will be webcast live over Zoom. To register for the seminar, click here. The upcoming talk is also featured in the January/February edition of PPL’s Off the Shelf newsletter (pictured below).

January 2023

Obituary Marks Passing of WASP Pilot Jean Landis 

Taking Flight author Raquel Ramsey took note of the passing of WASP pilot Jean Landis at age 104 on December 13, 2022. Landis appears prominently in Ramsey’s biography of Nadine Ramsey, a close friend and fellow WASP pilot during World War II. The two women were among only a few dozen WASP pilots allowed to fly the P-51 Mustang fighter plane. Both women also shared in the Congressional Gold Medal honoring the Women Air Service Pilots’ contributions to the World War II effort. To read the full obituary from the San Diego Union-Tribune, click here. Pictured below: Landis training to become a pilot, and (right) cover of “Jean Landis: WASP Pilot”, a biography by author Sarah Rickman (who also consulted on the Nadine Ramsey bio).

 November 2022

Taking Flight Now Available in Paperback from University Press

A new paperpack edition of “Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story” has been published by the University Press of Kansas. It’s available for $24.95 on Amazon.  The biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey is co-authored by Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand. Pictured below: front and back pages of the paperback edition.

October 2022

WASP Pilot Nadine Ramsey Featured in Alumni Newsletter

Ninety-three years after she graduated from El Dorado High School in 1929, WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey is featured in the October 2022 issue of the school’s monthly newsletter. As detailed in the book Taking Flight, by co-authors Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand, the pilot “was one of only 26 WASPs to fly the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, a fighter aircraft – and the first woman to own one.” To see a PDF of the newsletter, click here.

October 2022

Taking Flight to Be Released in Paperback Edition

The biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey, by co-authors Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand, will be reprinted in a paperback edition by the University Press of Kansas. That’s according to a report in the October 2022 issue of The Insider, a newsletter of the Biographers International Organization (BIO). No date has yet been set for the launch of the new paperback edition.

September 2022

Taking Flight on Display at Kansas Book Festival

The University Press of Kansas had a presence at the 2022 Kansas Book Festival in September. The press’s booth displayed many of its history books, including the biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey, by co-authors Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand.

September 7, 2022

Nadine Ramsey to Be Honored in Museum’s Wall of Honor

The National Air & Space Museum announced that WASP pilot Nadine”Ramsey will be added to its Wall of Honor as a “permanent testament” to her “commitment to and passion for flight.” The Wall of Honor is located at the Air & Space Museum’s Stephen F. Udbar-Hazy Center. The Center, located in Chantilly, Virginia, near Dulles Airport, includes a large collection of historic aircraft, including the Space Shuttle Discovery, the Concorde, and the Boeing B-29 Enola Gay which dropped the first atomic bomb in World War II.

Certificate of Registry marking the addition of Nadine Ramsey to the Wall of Honor by the National Air & Space Museum.

The Museum’s Wall of Honor is located at the Stephen F. Udbar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.

 August 2022

Women of the Legion of Honor Highlight Taking Flight Author

In Vol. 9 of the newletter put out by the Women of the Legion of Honor, the organization highlighted “love stories” of its members, including Raquel Ramsey, author of “Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story” from the University Press of Kansas.  Ramsey is also the executive producer of the documentary “Never Surrender” about the life of her late husband, Col. Ed Ramsey (the brother of Nadine Ramsey).

August 23, 2022

‘Taking Flight’ On Display at Air Show in Camarillo, California

The biography of World War II WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey was featured and for sale at the Wings over Camarillo Air Show, which just concluded. Attendees were able to purchase the University of Kansas Publications book at the booth of Monroe Publications, led by the company’s president Jay Wertz.

Monroe Publications president Jay Wertz promoted the biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey at the Wings over Camarillo Air Show in August 2022.

Visitors at the Air Show in Camarillo hold up “Taking Flight” and more information about WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey.

May 1, 2022

Attending 80th Anniversary of WASPs at Avenger Field
A new display about World War II pilot Nadine Ramsey was part of the 80th anniversary celebration of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX. On hand was a team from Vanilla Fire Productions (producer Steven Barber and director Matt Hausle), who continued filming a documentary on Ramsey’s story as told in the recent biography, “Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story,” by co-authors Raquel Ramsey (Nadine’s sister in law) and Tricia Aurand. Also attending were Nadine’s nephew Edwin Ramsey, Jr. and wife Monica, who represented the book’s author Raquel Ramsey and other family members. To read the detailed description on the wall display, click here.

Display focused on WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey at the WASP Museum in Sweetwater, TX.

Front-page article on documentary about Nadine Ramsey, now in production, from the Sweetwater Reporter newspaper.

(Left) Photos of Nadine Ramsey and her pursuit plane in presentation; and (right) Monica Ramsey takes in the museum display focused on Nadine’s career in the WASP.

Documentary producer Steven Barber in front of WWII-era military aircraft on display during the 80th anniversary celebration at Avenger Field.

Museum bookstore displays the book “Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story” for sale.

Producer Steven Barber poses in front of the WASP aviator statue in the WASP Museum.

Ed Ramsey, Jr., prepares for an interview at the museum for the upcoming documentary feature about his aunt, WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey.

April 4, 2022

Taking Flight Author Talks to National WWII Museum Webinar
Raquel Ramsey, co-author of “Taking Flight”, delivered a webinar lecture to the National World War II Museum, hosted by the museum’s Jeremy Collins. The Museum has now posted an archived version of the webinar on its YouTube channel. The book is a biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey (the author’s sister in law). To watch the webinar, click here.

March 31, 2022

Marking 80th Anniversary of WASP Museum in Texas
The women who flew military planes in World War II, including Nadine Ramsey, will be honored on the 80th anniversary of the WASP on April 28-30, 2022 in Avenger Field, Sweetwater, TX. For more information on registering to participate in this event, click here.

March 20, 2021

Author Raquel Ramsey Speaks at National WWII Museum March 29
Taking Flight co-author Raquel Ramsey will be speaking via Zoom to attendees as part of Women’s History Month celebrations at the National WWII Museum. The event webinar is scheduled for March 29, 2022 at 9:00 AM PST.  To learn more or register for the webinar, visit Webinar Registration – Zoom on the Museum website.

March 20, 2021

Biography of WASP Nadine Ramsey in Museum Bookshop
Raquel Ramsey’s book Taking Flight is now on sale in the bookshop of the National World War II Museum in New Orleans (pictured). The museum is hosting the concluding seminar of its Women’s History Month celebration with a webinar via Zoom on March 29, 2022 at 9 a.m. PST (see details and link above). To learn more or register for the webinar, visit Webinar Registration – Zoom on the Museum website.

September 13, 2021

Poems in ‘Beyond Haiku” Book Honor WASP Nadine Ramsey
Co-author Raquel Ramsey publishes a selection of haiku in a new anthology of poetry by and about female pilots. “Beyond Haiku: Women Pilots Write Poetry” was published September 13, 2020. It’s available on Amazon.

September 7, 2021

Taking Flight Book Featured on West Texas Podcast
Co-author Raquel Ramsey was interviewed by Floyd Miller of the West Texas Tribune to talk about her new biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey. Listen to the interview on It’s Everything West Texas podcast.

August 18, 2021
Commemorative Air Force Webinar with Raquel Ramsey
In a presentation to the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Warbird Tube webinar series, “Taking Flight” co-author Raquel Ramsey is interviewed by CAF’s Leah Block. Click on video link below to watch the archived  webinar on YouTube.

August 1, 2021
Book Talk at Texas Women’s University
“Taking Flight” co-authors Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand participate in a Book Talk organized by Texas Women’s University about their new biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey. Click on video link below.

 March 28, 2020
Aviatrix Book Review Features Interviews with Taking Flight Authors
In a question-and-answer virtual interview for the Aviatrix Book Review website, editor Liz Booker speaks with Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand, co-authors of the new biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey. Video of interview is also available on YouTube (click below).

January 31, 2020
Aviator Nadine Ramsey Led a Daring Life of Adventure
In a feature story for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, columnist Rich Archbold talks with author Raquel Ramsey about her new book on the life and World War II service of her sister-in-law and WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey.

December 6, 2020
Up in the Sky: Paying Tribute to Pilot Pioneer
In the Books section of the San Diego Union-Tribune, writer Seth Combs interviews co-author Raquel Ramsey about Taking Flight and the career in aviation of her sister-in-law Nadine Ramsey, one of only 303 women pilots who flew U.S. military fighter planes during World War II.

September 2021
Nadine Ramsey in Women’s Memorial
Nadine Ramsey was an inaugural member of the Women’s Memorial that opened in October 1997, just eight months following her passing in February 1997.

August 2021
Women of the Legion of Valor on Career of Nadine Ramsey
The latest quarterly newsletter of the Women of the Legion of Valor (WLOV) highlights the University Press of Kansas biography of WWII WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey. Co-author Raquel Ramsey is a member of the WLOV organization.

June 2021
Reading from Taking Flight Featured at BIO Conference
The Biographer’s Craft newsletter highlights 10 readings by authors featured during the Biographers International Organization (BIO) Conference 2021, including BIO member Raquel Ramsey, co-author of “Taking Flight”, who also participated in a roundtable of first-time biographers.

Spring 2021
Guidon Highlights “Taking Flight” Biography
The newsletter Guidon serves alumni of the Oklahoma Military Academy, now published by Oklahoma-based Rogers State University. OMA is the alma mater of Ed Ramsey, who is prominently featured in this biography of his sister, Nadine Ramsey.

May 2021
Fox Tales Highlights Nadine Ramsey Book
The Association of Naval Aviation’s Two Block Fox Squadron newsletter Fox Tales reports on publication of “Taking Flight”, co-authored by Squadron member Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand.

May 2021
Honoring WASP on Memorial Day
The organization Women in Aviation International is honoring WASP pilots this Memorial Day with a badge to mark their service. Taking Flight author Raquel Ramsey is also honoring her sister-in-law, Nadine Ramsey, with a poem, “Reflections from a Pilot”.

March 2021
Taking Flight
In the 2021 edition of the Beverly Hills High School alumni publication, BHHS Highlights, the magazine reports that “former ESL teacher Raquel Ramsey writes book on trailblazing female pilot.”

March/April 2021
WAI Authors Connect
In the magazine Aviation for Women’s March/April issue, the publication of the Women in Aviation International Conference features the lineup for its annual “WAI Authors Connect” virtual symposium with authors of recent aviation-related books, including Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand’s “Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story”.

March 2021
The Lady Buys a Lightning: Final Takeoff
Steve Blake looks back at the story behind WASP aviator Nadine Ramsey’s purchase of a P-38 surplus fighter plan after the war, and the plane’s eventual crash. The story appears in the P-38 National Association’s Lightning Strikes! magazine.

March 2021
Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
Publication of the biography Taking Flight was featured by editor Awee Abayari in the March 2021 edition of the publication The World Speaks.

March 2021
Aviation History Magazine Reviews “Taking Flight”
In a review of the Nadine Ramsey biography, former HistoryNet managing editor Nan Siegel recounts highlights of the pilot’s successes and setbacks as one of the few women to fly military fighter planes during World War II.

February 2021
The Story of a WASP
 In its Pilot Briefing section, AOPA Pilot magazine’s February 2021 issue highlights the new biography of World War II pilot Nadine Ramsey.

February 2021
Q&A with Raquel Ramsey in The Biographer’s Craft
The newsletter of the Biographers International Organization posts a question-and-answer interview with Taking Flight co-author Raquel Ramsey in its February 2021 issue.

February 2021
Chronicles Magazine Reviews Nadine Ramsey Book
In a two-page review of the new book Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, writer Roger McGrath recounts the WASP pilot’s trials and tribulations. “Her story should serve as an inspiration to all, especially to those who comes from less-than-ideal circumstances and face seemingly insurmountable obstacles.”

February 2021
AOPA Pilot Magazine Highlights Publication of Taking Flight
In its monthly Bookshelf article, AOPA Pilot editor Julie Summers Walker reports on publication of Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, about the WASP pilot’s life before, during and after World War II.

January 2021
Family Stories of Courage
In its December/January issue, California Educator reports on the book Taking Flight co-authored by longtime Beverly Hills teacher and administrator Raquel Ramsey. The book, co-written with Tricia Aurand, tells the story of Nadine Ramsey, “who helped clear the flight path for today’s female combat and commercial aviators.”

January 2021
Military Officer Magazine Takes Note of Taking Flight
The journal of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) referenced publication of Taking Flight on its list of new books by MOAA members. Co-author Raquel Ramsey is an Auxiliary Life Member of the association.

December 16, 2020
Cavalry Journal Reviews Taking Flight
Col. Samuel R. Young, US Army (Ret.) and editor of The Cavalry Journal, lauds the biography of WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey, noting that her “story is also the story of women and military aviation, the efforts to gain veteran’s status and benefits for WASP members, and recognition of their service by the federal government.”

December 1, 2020
WAI Connect Highlights New WASP Biography
In its official newsletter, the association Women in Aviation International (WAI) noted in Member News the recent publication by Raquel Ramsey of “a book about her sister-in-law, WASP Nadine Ramsey. Nadine helped clear the flight path for today’s female combat and commercial aviators.”

December 1, 2020
Ramsey Presents to Los Angeles-Area Aviators
In Vol. 7, No. 12 of Wings News, published by the Wings over Wendy’s organization of aviators in the L.A. area, publisher Ed Reynolds reports on the Nov. 30 Zoom presentation made by Taking Flight co-author Raquel Ramirez. Her talk and Q&A are also archived as streaming video.

December  2020
Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
On its front page, the West Texas Tribune monthly publication showcases a new biography of Nadine Ramsey, who trained for wartime service in the Women Airforce Service Pilots at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.

November 9,  2020
Kansas Press Highlights Young Readers of Taking Flight
The University Press of Kansas took to its Kansas Press account on Instagram to showcase kids Cristian and Olivia Rose Ramirez looking at photos in the biography co-authored by Raquel Ramirez and Tricia Aurand.

November 5,  2020
Mt. Soledad Memorial to Honor WASP Pilot Nadine Ramsey
In 2021 La Jolla’s Mount Soledad Memorial Association will add another plaque to its memorial wall, honoring Nadine Ramsey’s wartime service ferrying military aircraft across the country.

November 2020
CMSA Rundown Publishes Book Review of Taking Flight
Phil Spangenberger, an editor at True West magazine, reviewed the book about WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey for the CMSA Rundown, the journal of the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association.

November 2020
CMSA Welcomes Taking Flight Author as National Sponsor
In its journal, the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association (CMSA) announces its newest national sponsor, Raquel Ramsey, co-author of Taking Flight and executive producer of the documentary Never Surrender about her late husband and former Cavalry officer, Edwin P. Ramsey.

Fall 2020
Air Racing Association Highlights “Taking Flight” Biography
In Golden Pylons, the official journal of the Society of Air Race Historians, Kevin Grantham writes about the new biography of former air racer and WASP pilot Nadine Ramsey.

October 20, 2020
Vanilla Fire Productions Delays Filming on Taking Flight Documentary
Taking Flight co-author Raquel Ramsey met with filmmakers from Los Angeles-based Vanilla Fire Productions, and agreed to suspend further shooting on their forthcoming documentary based on the book Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming is expected to resume in 2021

October 17, 2020
Philippine Scouts Heritage Society Publishes Book Review on Taking Flight
Bataan Diary author Chris Schaefer calls the new book “a great read,” noting that co-authors Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand invite readers “on an extraordinary journey” through terrible setbacks and then remarkable successes. “This is a woman who lived life on her own terms,” notes Schaefer.

October 9, 2020
Taking Flight Featured on Southern Sense Talk Radio
South Carolina-based Southern Sense radio host Annie Ubelis interviewed Raquel Ramsey on the conservative talk-radio service, with the live and archived simulcast video now streaming via Facebook. (Fast forward to 50:00 for the segment on Taking Flight]

October 8, 2020
Author of WWII-Era Novels Has Praise for Taking Flight
In a book review published on Ray’s Blog and Amazon, novelist Ray Elliott (Iwo Blasted Again) offers his own take on the story of a WASP pilot in World War II. He notes that Taking Flight is both Nadine Ramsey’s story and also the “story of women’s fight for equal treatment as pilots and how these women overcame discrimination and contributed greatly to the war effort.”

September 24, 2020
From Balloons to Drones Website Reviews Taking Flight Book
In a book review for the From Balloons to Drones website, air-power historian Dr. Brian Laslie calls Taking Flight an “incredibly personal and poignant account of one family’s successes and sacrifices during the Second World War. This book should find a home on the shelves of air power scholars, but a much wider audience will also enjoy it. Ramsey’s story might be hers alone, but it is indicative of all the women whose service to the US and broader Allied war effort should not be overlooked.”

August 31, 2020
Kansas Press Promos Upcoming WASP Biography on Instagram
The University Press of Kansas (UPK) used its Instagram Kansas Press account to tip off readers to the Sept. 3 publication of Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, by Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand.

Below are some of the latest reviews for Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, published by University Press of Kansas, on September 3, 2020.

Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
Reviewed in U.S. Naval Institute’s June 2021 issue of Proceedings magazine by Lieutenant (junior grade) Charlotte Asdal, U.S. Navy

The engine sputtered as she neared the airfield in Newark, New Jersey. Nadine Ramsey quickly radioed the tower and deftly maneuvered her P-51 Mustang onto the tarmac moments before the engine cut out. She was piloting the pursuit aircraft cross-country from California for shipment to the front in Europe. Ramsey had no time to let the close call rattle her…

Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
Reviewed in June 2021 by Clint Goodwin, Commander, US Navy (Retired) and author of four novels, including War to War. 

Dr. Raquel Ramsey and Ms. Tricia Aurand deliver a heartfelt story about one woman’s dogged determination to do what she loves most: fly high in the sky. What a pleasure it was to read Taking Flight, The Nadine Ramsey Story. It is a wonderful homage to a time when America’s heart and soul connected with patriotism and the desire for all walks of life to defend life and liberty…

Taking Flight
Reviewed in May 2021 by Col. Samuel R. Young for the CSMA Rundown magazine. 

If you have read the history of the family of siblings Ed and Ramsey, you know they have an amazing heritage. If you have read the book “Lt. Ramsey’s War” and/or seen [the documentary] “Never Surrender: The Ed Ramsey Story”, you know Ed’s exceptional accomplishments as a cavalry commander and guerrilla commander in World War II… Reading “Taking Flight”, you quickly learn Nadine was an exceptional pioneer woman aviator…

Taking Flight
Reviewed by Lt. Col. Thomas A. Duke, USAF (Retired), in the Spring 2021 issue of the Daedalus Flyer magazine. 

As a pilot, I was curious to know about women military pilots in World War II, and read “Taking Flight” by Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand. This book not only chronicles the life of Nadine but also tells the story of 1,830 pilots admitted to military life as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) who ferried military airplanes through the war  and their dedication and struggle to be recognized for their contribution to the war effort…

Taking Flight
Reviewed by Lt. Col. Thomas A. Duke, USAF (Retired), in the Spring 2021 issue of the Daedalus Flyer magazine. 

As a pilot, I was curious to know about women military pilots in World War II, and read “Taking Flight” by Raquel Ramsey and Tricia Aurand. This book not only chronicles the life of Nadine but also tells the story of 1,830 pilots admitted to military life as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) who ferried military airplanes through the war  and their dedication and struggle to be recognized for their contribution to the war effort…

Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
Reviewed by Jay Wertz in Book Review for the March 2021 issue of the CMSA Rundown magazine. 

It is refreshing… to read an account in which the facts are accurately portrayed while the themes of change and progress are introduced throughout. Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story is one such work… The book is a biography set against the broader backdrop of the 20^th century’s most dynamic period…

A Story of Determination and Success
Reviewed by Chris Shaefer*, Author, Bataan Diary in the March 30, 2021 commemorative edition of the Philippine Scouts Heritage Society.

I highly recommend Taking Flight for two reasons: the personal story of three extraordinary people and what made them tick; and the story of women pioneers in American aviation.  It’s a great read…

Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
Reviewed by Ray Elliott and published in Crossroads, the magazine of the Marines Memorial Club, in its Spring 2021 issue.

Nearly 1,100 women answered the call to service as pilots ferrying planes across the United States from early 1942 until the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was disbanded in 1944. During this time, the women had to overcome the discrimination they faced because of their gender. Nadine Ramsey was born in 1911…

Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
Reviewed by Steve Blake, and published by Lightning Strikes! magazine of the P-38 National Association in its March 2021 issue.

This is a well written and well researched biography of a remarkable person, woman and pilot. Co-author — and P-38 National Association member — Raquel Ramsey holds a Ph.D. in Education and the book’s subject is the sister of her late husband Ed, who in World War II was a US Army cavalry officer and a hero of the early Philippine Islands campaign…

Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
Reviewed by Nan Siegel* and published by Aviation History magazine in its March 2021 issue.

Nadine Ramsey dropped out of high school to work as a secretary, helping support her family in the aftermath of her father’s suicide. But the blossoming aviation industry of 1930s Wichita, Kan., soon inspired the energetic redhead to a new, and at first secret, objective: flying…

Middle American Aviatrix
Reviewed by Roger D. McGrath*, published in the February 2021 issue of the Chronicles Magazine

Taking Flight tells the remarkable tale of a courageous woman, Nadine Ramsey, who survived a difficult childhood to become Kansas’ first female commercial pilot, a World War II WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilot), an instructor of male fighter pilots, and a crusader for WASP veteran status…

Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story

Reviewed by Sig Unander, published February 14, 2021 on Facebook.

Looking for an interesting read to alleviate pandemic-induced boredom? Fellow author Dr. Raquel Ramsey recently published TAKING FLIGHT, a fascinating biography of her distinguished sister-in-law Nadine Ramsey, a pioneering aviatrix whose flew far above and beyond any glass ceiling…

American Women Establishing Their Place in Aviation History
Reviewed by Col. Samuel R. Young* for The Cavalry Journal and Amazon on December 16, 2020

If you have read the history of the family of siblings Ed and Nadine Ramsey, you know they have an amazing heritage. If you have read the book Lieutenant Ramsey’s War and/or seen the video Never Surrender: The Ed Ramsey Story, you know Ed’s exceptional accomplishments as a cavalry commander and guerilla commander in World War II…

Book Review: Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
Reviewed by Phil Spangenberger* and first published in the November 2020 edition of the journal CMSA Rundown 

Here’s an interesting read, while not about horses or the west, it certainly relates to CMSA’s “family of friends,” who are passionate about family, love of country, and have the courage to embrace a sport that takes both skill and grit! Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story, tells the true tale of a young woman’s courage in the cockpits—and on the tarmac—of our nation’s World War II military aircraft, and of her lifelong efforts in clearing the runway for today’s female aviators, not only as commercial fliers, but as combat pilots as well…

One of the Often-Forgotten Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II
Reviewed by Ray Elliott* on October 8, 2020 on Amazon and Ray’s Blog

Nearly 1,100 women answered the call to service as pilots ferrying planes all across the United States from early 1942 until the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was disbanded in 1944…

#Book Review: Taking Flight: The Nadine Ramsey Story
Reviewed by Dr. Brian Laslie* for the website From Balloons to Drones on September 24, 2020

As an air power historian, I sometimes wonder what histories and stories have been over told and which have not been told enough. There are times where I feel like certain aspects of air force or air power history have been given enough treatment, and then there are those stories that are clearly due more attention. This book falls decidedly into the latter category…

November 2021
Air & Space Smithsonian

September 2021
Aviation for Girls

August 2021
Wings over Wendys

June 2021
Wings over Wendys

May/June 2021
Aviation for Women

May 1, 2021
Wings News

May 2021
Smithsonian Air & Space

April 2021
Philippine Scouts Heritage Society

March 2021
Smithsonian Air & Space

January-February 2021
Aviation for Women

January 2021
Military History 

January 2021
Aviation History

January 2021
AOPA Pilot 

January 2021
World War II Magazine 

January 2021
California Educator  

December 2020
Cavalry Journal

December / January 2020
Oklahoma Today  

Winter 2020
Kansas! Magazine

November 2020
CMSA Rundown

September 2020
University Press of Kansas (flyer)