The Minister of National Defence Corneliu Dobritoiu promoted Marie-Ana-Aurelia (Mariana) Dragescu to retired commander. Ms. Dragescu was a pilot in the medical squadron aka 'Escadrila Alba' [White Squadron], who turns 100 today.
Ms. Dragescu is the only woman-pilot who fought in WW2 on both fronts and was involved in saving the life of over 1,500 troops.
During a short but touching ceremony, when Ms. Dragescu was decorated with Emblem Onoarea Armatei Romaniei [Honor of the Romanian Military], minister Dobritoiu said that it is a great honor to participate in the celebration of the centenary of this living legend of the Romanian aviation.
'I believe that everyone knows of the White Squadron, the Romanian aviation unit of aircraft used for medical purposes, flown by women-pilots. At the time, our country was the only one that owned such an aviation unit /.../ After the Crimean campaign you were the only woman-pilot on the Western Front but, despite that, you did your duty to the country with outstanding courage and commitment', the defence minister said.
Corneliu Dobritoiu declared he was proud, on the one hand, to be contemporaneous with retired commander Mariana Dragescu and, on the other hand, that, along with many generations of Romanian pilots, he could benefit from the expertise and precious advise of one of the most long lived Romanian pilots.
Today's ceremony was attended by the chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant General Stefan Danila, the chief of the Air Force Staff, Lieutenant General Carnu Fanica, the president of the National Association of Romanian War Veterans, General (Ret.) Marin Dragnea, representatives of the Romanian and Italian Aeronautic Associations, friends and relatives.
x x x
Marie-Ana-Aurelia (Mariana) Dragescu began flying a double control aircraft in 1935, being the seventh woman to get a pilot's license in Romania. In 1937, she worked at the Royal Air Club and later, in June 1940, at the Ministry of Naval and Air Transport, as a pilot. She was mobilized in 1941, went to the front as member of the Escadrila Sanitara, aka the White Squadron and participated in the war on both fronts to the last day.

MoND Press Office