Betty Heinrich Berkstresser was born May 12, 1919 in Houston, Texas. She was a native Houstonian and graduate of the University of Houston. She jumped at the chance to learn to fly after a university math professor asked her, “Would you like to be a pilot?” She immediately enrolled in the Civilian Pilot Training program, took her flight training at Hobby Airport, and began adding hours to her logbook. She was accepted into the WASP Class 43-W-4 at Avenger Field Sweetwater, Texas. Betty’s favorite was the AT-7 in which she flew over 500 hours.