▁her ▁to ▁sk ate . ▁James ▁became ▁a ▁speed ▁sk ater . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁she ▁competed ▁in ▁the ▁Pennsylvania ▁Sk ating ▁Association ' s ▁championship ▁meet . ▁ ▁James ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁ear n ▁a ▁commercial ▁license ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁flight ▁instruct or . ▁James ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁woman ▁flight ▁instruct or ▁to ▁gradu ate ▁from ▁the ▁Buff alo ▁Aer onaut ical ▁Institute . ▁She ▁married ▁one ▁of ▁her ▁students , ▁George ▁" D ink " ▁Martin ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 . ▁Three ▁months ▁after ▁she ▁was ▁married , ▁she ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Women ' s ▁A ux ili ary ▁Fer ry ing ▁Squadron ▁( W AF S ). ▁James ▁received ▁a ▁tele gram ▁on ▁September ▁ 9 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁request ing ▁that ▁she ▁report ▁to ▁the ▁New ▁Castle ▁Army ▁Air ▁Base . ▁James ' ▁husband ▁was ▁also ▁called ▁to ▁the ▁war ▁effort ▁and ▁was ▁sent ▁over se as ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁bom ber ▁pilot . ▁He ▁would ▁eventually ▁be ▁listed ▁as ▁missing ▁in ▁action ▁and ▁declared ▁dead ▁by ▁the ▁Army . ▁James ▁wouldn ' t ▁learn ▁the ▁full ▁story ▁of ▁Martin ' s ▁death ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁when ▁she ▁met ▁the ▁tw in ▁sons ▁of ▁the ▁man ▁who ▁pulled ▁his ▁body ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁plane ▁w reck age . ▁Martin ▁was ▁killed ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁during ▁a ▁mission ▁flying