WASHINGTON, D.C. -- It came 67 years late, but on Wednesday the United States Congress honored the American women who served in World War II as WASPS, or Women Airforce Service Pilots.

They flew planes during World War II but weren't considered "real" military pilots.

About 200 women who served as WASPS were on hand to receive the long-overdue award.

Thirty-eight WASPS were killed in service in World War II. But they were long considered civilians, not members of the military, and thus were not entitled to the pay and benefits given to men.

They were only afforded veteran status in 1977 after a long fight. It's estimated that about 300 of the more than 1,000 WASPs are still alive.

Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., along with Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., and Susan Davis, D-Calif., led the push in Congress to get the women recognized.

Hutchison noted at the ceremony that when the unit was disbanded in 1944, many of the women had to pay from their own bus fare home from an airfield in Sweetwater, Texas. When some died on duty, it was fellow female aviators who helped pay their funeral expenses, she said.

One of those receiving the honor Wednesday was 89-year-old Sylvia Schwartz Granader, who lives in Beverly Hills, Michigan.

She said many of the friends she made while flying have passed away.

But Granader was surprised with the ceremony that was held on Capitol Hill.

"Oh my goodness, it's unreal because you've got to realize not only myself but all the women that I was with, we flew because we liked it, I mean we had no idea about medals," Granader said.

Despite the danger they faced and the difficulties they had to overcome, many of the WASPS had fond memories of the camaraderie they shared.

"It was fun coming into a strange airport and having the mechanics say, 'Where's the pilot?"' said Dorothy Eppstein, 92, of Kalamazoo, Mich.

The Congressional Gold Medal was awarded in 2000 to the Navajo Code Talkers and in 2006 to the Tuskegee Airmen.