Petition to rename Oakland airport after 'Maggie' Gee

Many people may have never heard of Margaret "Maggie" Gee. But that could soon change thanks to Tiffany Miller. She created a change.org petition to rename Oakland International Airport after her grandmother's friend. 

"If people can fly into Oakland and say I'm going to Maggie Gee Airport and then wonder to themselves, who is Maggie Gee. I'm going to look her up. I'm going to Google her on my phone," says Miller.  

Gee was born in Berkeley. During World War II, Gee and Miller's grandmother, Elaine Harmon, were part of the Women Air Service Pilots or WASP.  

A group of more than 1,000 civilian women whose job it was to ferry aircraft's, transport equipment and fly target planes so male cadets could have gunnery training.  

"That basically meant taking up a small airplane and towing a target behind her and allowing soldiers that were in training to shoot live ammunition at her plane," says Miller. 

The airport is owned by the Port of Oakland. Back in May, Miller went before the only people who can make the change. The port's executive director and commissioners to tell them her proposal.  Miller says although there are other famous women the airport could be named after. Gee is one she feels is most suited. 

"Amelia Earhart, while she is amazing and did take some important flights out of the Oakland Airport.  She was not a native of the Bay Area," says Miller.  

Gee died in 2013, Miller has this book written about her.  In the book, it tells about when Gee was a child. She and her family would go to Oakland Airport and watch planes take off.

"Wouldn't it be amazing for the airport that inspired her to become a pilot, for that airport than to be named after her," says Miller.  

If the airport's name is changed, Oakland would be the first and only major international airport named after a woman.  Miller says as of now she hasn't heard back from any of the port officers.

However, she's hoping her online petition will help.