Sally Murphy

Sally D. Murphy (born January 11, 1949) is a retired colonel who served as a United States Army Aviator. She was the first female U.S. Army helicopter pilot to graduate from flight school at Fort Rucker, Alabama on June 4, 1974. She served as a leader for units within the 330th Army Security Agency Company, 1st Infantry Division, the 62nd Aviation Company, and the 78th Aviation Battalion. In 2009, Murphy received the U.S. Army Freedom Team Salute Veteran Commendation to commemorate her 27 years of service and her place in military history. Biography Early life Sally Dale Stonecipher was born in Wichita, Kansas and grew up in Overland Park, Kansas. She attended Shawnee Mission West High School, graduating in 1967. Stonecipher then attended Kansas State College of Pittsburg, receiving a master's degree in History in December 1972. A month after graduation, she joined the United States Army. Military career At the beginning of her career in the army, she attended an 11-week orientation course Army's Women Army Corps (WAC) program for women officers at Fort McClellan, Alabama in 1972. She also had previously attended the Military Intelligence School at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Following completion of the course, Murphy then entered into the Aviation School when it opened its ranks to women.