Chief Warrant Officer Teresa Burgess (far left) and Sgt. Leilani Aho (far right) of the Washington National Guard were among the women who flew a historic, all-female helicopter mission in Iraq on Christmas Day.

Also pictured: Staff Sgt. Michelle Smith (second from left), Chief Warrant Officer Angie Barros (third from right) and Capt. Andrea Ourada of Minnesota (fourth from left); Capt. Phoebe Inigo (third from left) and Sgts. Crisaron Voeuth (fourth from right) and Michelle Aina (second from right) of Hawaii.

On Christmas Day in Iraq, two crews of American women -- including two from Washington state -- made history.

From a military press release:

LSA ANACONDA, Iraq - While their families, children and friends back home sat down for Christmas Eve dinner, two all-female UH-60 Black Hawk crews woke up early Christmas morning and began preparing for a rare and important mission.

Female Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment spent their Christmas Day executing a 100 percent female-run flight mission. From the intelligence briefings in the morning, to the two four-woman flight crews, all the way to the fuel teams, the mission consisted of only women.

The two helicopter crews flew over Baghdad picking up VIPs and transporting a general and several soldiers during a general aviation support mission.

"Women in the military have overcome some huge barriers," Chief Warrant Officer Angie Barros is quoted as saying in the release. "I believe this mission will be an eye opener, but unfortunately, I'm afraid the stereotypes will always be there. It's how our society was brought up. Even at the end of 2007, [we're considering this] an historic event."