30 octobre, 2006 22:01

The most decorated female veteran in U.S. military history now has a post office decorated with her name.

The newly refurbished Covina post office was renamed Saturday for Lillian Kinkela Keil, known as the "Airborne Florence Nightengale."

Keil, who died last year, flew 425 combat evacuation missions in World War II and the Korean War, bringing aid and comfort to 10,000 wounded soldiers. She received 19 military medals and ribbons.

Keil's family was on hand at Saturday's ceremony, along with U.S. Rep. Hilda Solis, U.S. Postal Service representatives and members of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts where she was active later in life.

Keil had lived in Covina since her honorable discharge from the Army in the mid-1950s. She continued her nursing career in San Gabriel Valley hospitals while raising her family.