Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)
The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) were a pioneering group of female civilian pilots who served in the United States military during World War II. Formed in 1942, the WASP program aimed to address a shortage of pilots by enabling women to fly non-combat missions, such as ferrying aircraft and transporting equipment. Despite their significant contributions, including flying many types of planes like B-26 and B-29 bombers, WASP members were not officially considered military personnel and faced numerous challenges, including funding issues and the lack of military resources.
The program, which saw over 1,100 women trained, was disbanded in 1944 as the war effort shifted and male pilots returned to the ranks. Many women, including notable figures like Jacqueline Cochran and Nancy Love, fought for recognition and integration into the military, but their efforts were largely overlooked until decades later. In the 1970s, former WASP members advocated for acknowledgment, leading to their eventual recognition as veterans in 1977 and the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009. Today, the contributions of WASP are honored at the National WASP WWII Museum in Texas, celebrating their vital role in aviation history and women's progress in the military.
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Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)
Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was a group of female civilian volunteers who served as pilots in the US military during the country’s involvement in World War II. Although the women in the group flew under the command of military generals, they were not considered part of the military themselves. The women flew many types of planes, including B-26 and B-29 bombers. Most of their missions included ferrying airplanes from one place to another. Some of the women who led the group hoped that the WASP would eventually become part of the military, but the program was disbanded in 1944 as the end of the war loomed and men began to push women out of positions that they wanted for themselves. Eventually, members of WASP were recognized by the federal government for their contributions.
Background
Aviation and airplanes played an important role in World War II, which began in September 1939 with the German invasion of Poland. Even before the United States entered the war in 1941, Germany, Great Britain, Japan, and other combatants had all used airplanes and bombers in the conflict. In December 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, and the United States was compelled to enter the war. Programs had started prior to this to train male pilots in case the country became involved in the conflict. However, after the United States began fighting, it discovered that it needed more trained pilots. Allowing women to take part in military operations was unthinkable to many men at the time; however, several women saw the need for trained pilots and realized that many civilian female pilots could fill the role.
Overview
Two female civilian pilots, Jacqueline Cochran and Nancy Love, independently developed the idea of allowing women to serve as pilots for the military. Cochran was determined to get female pilots into the war effort. She wrote a letter to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt explaining that the government should allow female pilots to fly military support missions, which would free male pilots to take part in combat missions. Pilot Nancy Harkness Love had a similar idea. She wrote to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Olds and told him that she found dozens of trained female pilots who could fly ferrying missions. Although Olds was interested in the suggestion, the idea was turned down by his superiors.
While the United States was turning down the idea to form female ferrying squads, Great Britain, which also had a shortage of male pilots, started using female pilots by the middle of 1941, after losing many pilots during the 1940 Battle of Britain. The British program was a success, and women’s contributions to the war effort were extremely important. Cochran studied the British program because she felt that it could help convince American officials to do the same.
In 1942, both Cochran and Love submitted more proposals to create female flying squads. The women used the British program as evidence that the United States could greatly benefit from such a program. Cochran sent her proposal to General Hap Arnold. Although Arnold had originally turned down the idea of creating such a program, he had changed his mind. Love sent her ideas to Colonel William Tunner. Both proposals were eventually approved, and the women started two separate groups. Love and Cochran recruited other women who were already pilots with many hours of flying experience. The military gave the women no resources for training or supplies. Women even had to purchase their own uniforms.
Eventually, Love and Cochran’s squads combined to become WASP. Even then, the program had almost no budget, and the women stayed in run-down motels. Although the women endured difficult conditions, they stayed in the program because of their love of flying. Some women who saw the program being discussed in the media enrolled in school to obtain pilot licenses so they could take part. Women from all over the country came to train in Texas between November 1942 and December 1944. More than 1,100 women were involved in the program. Although the program gave many women an opportunity to fly and serve their country, the program banned Black pilots from taking part, as the US military remained segregated until 1948. Some Black female pilots still applied to the program, but their applications were rejected. The program did have a small number of women of color, including several Asian American pilots and one Native American pilot.
The women in the program flew to more than 120 bases around the country, mostly flying ferrying flights, which meant that they moved aircraft around the country. Sometimes they moved newly built airplanes from factories to the airfields or transported equipment and personnel. They also moved gunnery targets and other equipment. Some female pilots even helped test airplanes and shoot live ammunition. Although WASP’s record was as good as or even better than male pilots’ safety records, thirty-eight women died as part of the program. Because the women were not officially part of the military, the US government did not pay for their funerals or to send their remains home. Often, fellow female pilots raised money to help send the fallen pilots home.
Many members of WASP believed that their program would eventually be adopted into the military. However, by the middle of 1944, the war was beginning to slow down in Europe. When male pilots were needed less in Europe, they requested to have the jobs that WASP had filled, in order to continue serving in desirable flight roles within the military. The military did not want to displace women with men, so it decided to disband the program entirely. The final class of the program graduated in late 1944. After the program ended in December, the women were told to go home. They were not given any official send-off or recognition for their service.
In the 1970s, the US Air Force announced that it would allow the “first” female pilots in its ranks. Members of WASP were extremely upset at the dismissal of their work. Former members of WASP petitioned members of Congress about the issue. In 1977, the WASP were granted military status. In 2002 the National WASP WWII Museum was built in Sweetwater, Texas, to honor the WASP efforts and contributions. In 2009, the women were honored with the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest and most distinguished award Congress can award to a civilian.
Bibliography
Cochrane, Dorothy. “Flying on the Homefront: Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).” Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, 20 May 2020, airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/flying-homefront-women-airforce-service-pilots-wasp. Accessed 5 May, 2021.
“Establishing the Women's Airforce Service Pilots.” PBS, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/flygirls-establishment-womens-airforce-service-pilots/. Accessed 5 May 2021.
Frisbee, John L. “Valor: The WASPs of World War II.” Air Force Magazine, 1 Nov. 1995, www.airforcemag.com/article/valor-the-wasps-of-world-war-ii/. Accessed 5 May 2021.
“History: Origins and Achievements of the WASP.” National WASP WWII Museum, waspmuseum.org/history.html. Accessed 5 May, 2021.
Stamberg, Susan. “Female WWII Pilots: The Original Fly Girls.” NPR, 9 Mar. 2010, www.npr.org/2010/03/09/123773525/female-wwii-pilots-the-original-fly-girls. Accessed 5 May, 2021.
“WASP Awarded Congressional Gold Medal for Service.” Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Defense Media Activity, 6 July 2009, www.jbmdl.jb.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/245236/wasp-awarded-congressional-gold-medal-for-service/. Accessed 31 May 2024.
“WASP History.” Texas Woman's University Libraries, twu.edu/library/womans-collection/collections/women-airforce-service-pilots-official-archive/history/. Accessed 5 May, 2021.
“WASP: Women Flyers of World War II.” EAA, www.eaa.org/eaa-museum/museum-exhibits/featured-exhibits/wasp-women-flyers-of-world-war-ii. Accessed 5 May 2021.
“Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of WWII.” National Women’s History Museum, 23 Apr. 2019, www.womenshistory.org/exhibits/women-airforce-service-pilots-wasps-wwii. Accessed 5 May, 2021.
“Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).” US Army, www.army.mil/women/history/pilots.html. Accessed 5 May, 2021.