Arts & Entertainment

Vintage Bomber Girls Drop In for Military Veterans

The Bomber Girls, a group of vintage pinup models from Dunedin and Tampa Bay, are trying to bring smiles and awareness to U.S. military veterans this Memorial Day.

This Memorial Day, Devin Lawrence is dressing in retro military attire and styling her hair with victory rolls.

Wearing makeup worthy of a pinup model, a beige, button-down, mock uniform shirt and a matching military envelope hat, Lawrence will slip into her heels for some photographs and fundraising.

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She and her Bomber Girls play vintage dress-up at events as a small token of their appreciation for U.S. service members.

"It's amazing how something so small can be so rewarding," she said. 

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Lawrence, 27, of St. Petersburg, is part of a Tampa Bay-based network of about 11 vintage-enthusiasts who call themselves "The Bomber Girls."

They volunteer for military organizations as World War II-era pinup models, frequenting events such as Largo's Memorial Day Family FunFest (today, May 27) and homecoming ceremonies for Honor Flight West Central Florida, an organization that provides all-expense paid flights for World War II veterans to visit Washington, D.C.

They're able to raise money and awareness for the military organizations by posing for photographs and selling stickers, T-shirts, dog tags, hand-held American flags and other "Bomber Girls" swag, all of which is not only American-made, but mostly produced by U.S. veteran-owned companies, said Dunedin member Dixie Ross.

"That was really important," Ross said. "Those little American flags — to sell that when it's made in China, that's just not right."

One hundred percent of the profits are given to the military organization.

Since launching as a nonprofit in the fall, the girls — who hail from Dunedin, Tarpon Springs, New Port Richey and as far away as Tampa and Manatee County — have been busy lighting up the faces of U.S. veterans throughout Tampa Bay and Florida. 

"To see the look on their face when they see girls that looked like the girls from when they were in World War II," Lawrence said, "it's almost indescribable the feelings that they get ...."

Some of The Bomber Girls' most rewarding moments have been with Honor Flight. Seeing the looks on the veterans' faces makes it all worthwhile. 

"They're so cute and so funny," Ross said. "They're surprised when they come home, they don't know there's a big homecoming there with people and signs, and then they come down the line and they see us." 

It wasn't long after Lawrence's first experience with Honor Flight that she decided to launch the nonprofit with co-founder Natalie French, 32, of Parrish. The group was awarded 501(c)(3) status about six weeks ago.

To date, Honor Flight has sent more than 700 aging vets to the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Memorial Day weekend is a busy one for Lawrence.

The Bomber Girls are scheduled to be in Lakeland Ranch and Largo. Lawrence and the other girls must travel long distances and be in the Florida sun on back-to-back days.

But to bring a smile to a veteran's face is the least they can do, Lawrence explained.

"To them, it means the world," she said.

Upcoming Events:

  • Memorial Day: Memorial Day Family FunFest at the Armed Forces History Museum in Largo (Monday, May 27) and the Tribute to Heroes Memorial Parade in Lakeland Ranch (Sunday, May 26)
  • Fourth of July: Gulfport's Fourth of July Community Parade
  • Veteran's Day: Two Honor Flights homecomings

Want to Help?

  • Schedule The Bomber Girls: Contact Pinups@TheBomberGirls.org.
  • Volunteer: The Bomber Girls are strictly volunteer and completely unpaid. Male and female volunteers are welcome. Volunteers must go through an application and interview process and pass a background check. If interested, contact Devin Lawrence, volunteer coordinator, at Devin@TheBomberGirls.org.
  • Donate: The Bomber Girls are always looking for sponsors. Contact Pinups@TheBomberGirls.org.
  • "Like" them on Facebook: The Bomber Girls 

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