Esther McGowin Blake, the first enlisted woman in the United States Air Force, died on October 17, 1979.
Esther McGowin Blake died on October 17, 1979, at the age of approximately 82. She passed into history as a revered figure in United States military annals, remembered primarily for her groundbreaking status as the first enlisted woman in the United States Air Force, a distinction she earned on July 8, 1948.
Her death came more than three decades after her historic enlistment, a period during which the role of women in the U.S. military expanded dramatically — from auxiliary and support positions to eventually include combat roles, command positions, and every rank of military leadership. Blake lived to see much of this transformation, which she herself had helped set into motion.
Following her death, Blake's legacy continued to be honored by the Air Force and military historians. Her story — that of a mother who enlisted after her sons went to war, and who later became the literal first woman to formally join the Air Force — has been retold in numerous historical accounts, official Air Force publications, and commemorative materials. In 1987, the Air Force further memorialized her by naming a dormitory at the Senior Non-Commissioned Officer Academy in her honor, ensuring that new generations of airmen and airwomen would learn of her pioneering contributions. Her life remains a touchstone for discussions of women's integration into the U.S. armed forces.