Air Force Removes Content on First Female Thunderbird Pilot Amid Controversy

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Air Force has removed numerous online publications that celebrate the achievements of female aviators, including content highlighting retired Colonel Nicole Malachowski, the first woman to fly with the Thunderbirds demonstration team. This action, taken to comply with federal directives mandating the elimination of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) content from government websites, has sparked significant backlash.

The deletions were first noticed by Malachowski herself when links to her stories, some of which had been prominent on military websites, were found to lead to error messages. One notable article titled “A Life in Flight for First Woman ‘Thunderbirds’ Pilot” is now inaccessible. “When you click on that link, it’ll literally say ‘404 page not found,’” Malachowski told 9NEWS.

Representatives from the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina, where Malachowski commanded the 333rd Fighter Squadron, confirmed the removals were conducted to align with recent guidelines issued from the Trump administration. These guidelines have prompted similar actions across multiple federal agencies.

Malachowski, who served in the Air Force for 21 years, criticized the decision, asserting that it erases vital historical contributions of service members and veterans. “You’re good enough to serve but not good enough to be remembered,” she said. “It’s been really just shocking to me to see that we would censor the historical fact and contributions of service members.”

Other removed content includes “Women Airforce Service Pilots” (WASPs) of World War II and profiles of pioneering figures such as Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, the Air Force’s first female fighter pilot. The systematic removal of such significant historical records has raised concerns among current and former military personnel about the preservation of history.

Malachowski emphasized the importance of acknowledging past barriers faced by women and minorities in the military. “There was indeed a time when women and minorities could not serve in our military. For us to act like those barriers never happened is to completely ignore our history,” she stated.

In response to the backlash, an Air Force spokesperson indicated that the branch plans to restore purely historical content after reviewing it for compliance with the new directives. This situation has given rise to a broader discussion about censorship and the implications it holds for American history and education.

Despite the ongoing changes, Malachowski described the current situation as “un-American,” expressing concern that this trend of censorship could lead to a slippery slope. “It’s not about one article or one group’s story being erased. It’s about censorship, and censorship is a slippery slope that our country cannot go down,” she said. “I can’t believe that something like this is happening in the country whose uniform I wore.”