WASP Helen Snapp Represents Wings Over Miami Air Museum
WWll WASP Helen Snapp
On November 9, 2009, WASP Helen Snapp was the guest of The Betsy Hotel on Miami Beach for lunch and participation in the Lennon Educational Bus Tour’s Salute To Veterans.
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus is a non-profit mobile recording studio that travels the United States and Canada over 11 months a year giving students a chance to write and record music, as well as produce professional quality video and photography.
Wings Over Miami Air Museum was asked to help out the Veterans Project by locating one of the South Florida WASPs and inviting her to participate in their event. On very short notice, Ms. Snapp was invited and consented to being ushered to Miami Beach to the wonderful Betsy Hotel, a partner in the project.
At an amazingly energetic 91 years old, Helen charmed everyone with her humor and stories throughout lunch. Following lunch she was escorted over to the bus to begin recounting her memories about her time serving as a WASP.
The Lennon Bus has all the things a techie and musician could wish for including bunk beds for the crew. The interior of the huge bus is divided into two separate recording studios. The front studio offers the chance to participate in the creation of multi-media projects, while the back studio is a more traditional set-up for bands. It also allows for the recording of concerts and special events from the bus. Additional components of this space include an assortment of guitars, keyboards and drums.
As the recording began, Helen took a seat under the bright lights and was told all about the project’s history. She then related stories and insight about her life as a young woman pilot and as a WASP while a team of video engineers recorded her. The filming went on for about 30 minutes and a happy, but tired Helen was returned to her escort for her ride home.
The footage of Helen will be incorporated into a documentary honoring our veterans. The Lennon Bus engineers currently are editing and creating footage from of all the interviews, music, letters and photographs they have collected throughout the tour.
To learn more about The Lennon Educational Tour Bus and The Betsy Hotel:
The John Lennon Educational Bus Tour and The Betsy Hotel
Miami