7 minute read
Flight Of Four Lands On Arthur Ashe Stadium Court
Flight Of Four Lands On Arthur Ashe Stadium Court
By CAPT Joellen Drag-Oslund, USNR (Ret.)
It’s “Oh Dark Thirty” on September 2nd, 2023, and I’m one of a handful of active duty and former military members exiting our shuttle van at the President’s Gate at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing, NY. Our very long day at the U.S. Open tennis is about to begin for what will become one of our most thrilling and memorable experiences ever.
On Saturday of Labor Day weekend, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) celebrates "LT Joe Hunt U.S. Open Military Appreciation Day." LT Hunt graduated from the Naval Academy and is the only tennis player in history to win the U.S. National Boys’, Junior, Collegiate and Men’s Singles titles. He won the U.S. Nationals in 1943 while on leave from the Navy. Two years later, he died in service to his country when his fighter plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
Throughout this year’s U.S. Open, the USTA commemorated and celebrated "50 Years of Equal Prize Money" for all its tennis competitors. And for their Military Appreciation Day, they also saluted "50 Years of Women Flying in the U.S. Navy."
Each year, the U.S. Open invites veterans from all the U.S. military branches to watch day and evening session matches; participate in pre-match coin tosses; take part in a tennis clinic in Arthur Ashe Stadium; and other opportunities on-site. Upon our arrival, we were escorted through the players locker room and down the same hall that the players walk through to reach the Arthur Ashe Stadium Court.
When we emerged on the court, the experience was a lot to take in and we all had to pause for a moment and pinch ourselves to be sure we were really there. We were then joined by Joe Hunt, LT Hunt’s great nephew, and treated to a 90-minute tennis clinic.
I was honored to be joined by RADM Shoshana Chatfield (SH-3, CH-46D, MH-60S) and LTs Julia Baily (MH-60S, CMV-22B) and Audrey Mackovjak (F/A-18E) to tell our stories as Navy women pilots, past and present. It’s worth noting that the LTs were also Naval Academy graduates and former members of the varsity tennis team.
After the clinic and breakfast in the players lounge, we ventured out onto the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. With them wearing their summer whites and flight suits, and me in my 50+ year old Navy leather flight jacket, we attracted a lot of attention and interest. We were proud to interact directly with hundreds of guests and to
be seen by thousands of spectators. Everyone we met and spoke with was very interested to hear of our experiences, ask questions about today’s Navy, and thank us for our service.
For the rest of the day, we were hosted by Brian Hainline, USTA Chairman and President, and met several Board Members, other USTA leaders from around the country, and distinguished guests. RADM Chatfield and I were warmly received as we presented remarks to over 200 guests at lunch and dinner.
Other engagements included an opportunity to meet with and answer questions posed by tournament referees and umpires, several of whom were veterans. LT Baily and LT Mackovjak were the stars of that meet and greet. We also met with veterans, military families and military support groups Black Veterans for Social Justice, Blue Star Families, Four Block, Hope for the Warriors, and Zero Mills in the Veteran's Suite and a photo op at the Artur Ashe statue on the Tennis Center grounds.
The Navy's "50 Years of Women Flying in the U.S. Navy" celebration was a perfect complement to the USTA's theme "Commemorating 50 Years of Equal Prize Money," an achievement championed by Billie Jean King in 1973. Board members of the USTA were so inspired by the Navy presence and our remarks, they rearranged the schedule for Labor Day to make a meet and greet with Billie Jean for RADM Chatfield and me.
Getting to meet BJK was incredible--a brave and tenacious trailblazer in her own right and a hero of mine. We fought different but parallel battles in the 70's and she is still a force to be reckoned with as she approaches 80 years old. She was so gracious, funny and generous with her time.
The highlight of meeting Billie Jean for me was sharing a tennis connection. As an 11- or 12-year old, she played in a tennis tournament against my mother, who was then in her early 30s and a mother of five. BJK remembered that Long Beach City Tennis Tournament as the first time she played against adults. Much to my mother’s chagrin, Billie Jean won handily. A further connection happened when my mom also played a mixed doubles exhibition match with Bobby Riggs, a few years after Billie Jean defeated him in the famous “Battle of the Sexes” Match in 1973.
Our wonderful day concluded with the four of us back on the stadium court to be introduced at the evening session of the LT Joe Hunt Military Appreciation Day Opening Ceremony which was broadcast to 180 countries around the world and on the USTA domestic digital network. In her remarks, RADM Chatfield thanked the USTA for inviting the Navy to attend Military Appreciation Day, and for naming it after a true Navy Legend. She honored LT Joe Hunt who took home the highest achievement in tennis and gave his life serving our country, and Billie Jean King for fighting to equalize prize money for women and men. They are just two of many whose shoulders we stand on, both in tennis and military service. RADM Chatfield closed by offering warm well wishes to the USTA Tennis Family and the family of LT Joe Hunt, and by remembering the many men and women serving all over the world as they stand watch in defense of our freedom.
And with that, the same shuttle van that landed us on the National Tennis Center at “Oh Dark Thirty” that morning delivered us back to our hotel, a bit weary but still hovering out of ground effect from the magnificent experience. The four of us agreed that it was truly an honor and privilege as Women Naval Aviators to represent our Navy and tell our stories on a day that we will never forget.
On a closing personal note, I am always thrilled to meet today's incredible women aviators like Julia and Audrey and RADM Chatfield. It is not often that the trailblazers in history get to see the positive results and impact of their struggles, much less to be honored for those milestones and to meet the very people who have been able to follow and succeed in their footsteps.
I am so incredibly blessed to be one of those pioneers. I can hardly describe how it feels; thrilling, gratifying, humbling and overwhelming - but even those words can barely capture it. Today's Women Naval Aviators embody all the hopes of those who came before and my heart soars to the sky with each and every one of them that I meet. They are living the dreams the "First Six" of us envisioned 50 years ago!
V/r, CAPT Joellen Drag Oslund, USNR (Ret.)
Woman Naval Aviator #4
Woman Navy Helicopter Pilot #1
NHA 2023 CAPT Mark Starr Pioneer Awardee
NHA Lifetime Member #487
