Women Air Service Pilots: Female WWII Pilot History
Nancy Harkness Love
In May 1940, Nancy Harkness Love wrote to Lieutenant Colonel Robert Olds, Head of the Plans Division of the US Air Corps headquarters requesting an opportunity for women to contribute to the war effort in the air.
Love had learned to fly at the age of 16 and was known as the Flying Freshman at Vassar College. After college, she continued her career as a test pilot. An advocate for female pilots, she asked Lt. Col. Olds to consider 49 well qualified female pilots for a new project. She proposed that as the war was ramping up in Europe, women could help transport aircraft from factories to bases in the US. Lt. Col. Olds agreed to submit a plan to integrate civilian female pilots into Ferrying Command.
But, General Hap Arnold, the head of the Army Air Force, turned it down.
Jacqueline Cochran
Arnold had already promised another famous female aviator, Jacqueline Cochran, not to act on any proposal for women joining the US army air force that did not make them commissioned officers commanded by other women.
Jacqueline Cochran had been a famous racer. She’d set records in speed, distance, and altitude. By 1938, she was considered to be one of, if not THE, best female pilot in the world. Since the US had not yet become involved in the war, Cochran was volunteering her assistance to the RAF in England as well as recruiting and training female pilots.
Women’s Flying Training Detachment
Once the US entered the war, Cochran appealed to Eleanor Roosevelt and Hap Arnold. As pilot shortages in the US grew problematic and Arnold acknowledged the success of female pilots in England, he agreed to approve the Women’s Flying Training Detachment on September 15, 1942.
Trainees had to be between 21 and 35 years old and have 200 hours of flying already. The age requirement was eventually lowered to 18 and the flight time to 35 hours. The women began training in Houston where they were required to undertake 23 weeks of training and log 150 hours of flight time.
As time wore on, the program evolved and became more intensive requiring 30 weeks and 200 hours of flight time and their training grounds moved to Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.
But Nancy Harkness Love hadn’t given up her idea for a female ferrying squadron, and again appealed to Lt. Col. Olds. Olds, who now oversaw Ferrying Command, and worked closely with Love’s husband who was the Deputy Chief of Staff, again worked on a plan for integrating female pilots.
In September 1942, at the same time Cochran’s Women’s Flying Training Detachment was founded, Nancy Harkness Love led the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron.
Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron
The Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron was created with Air Transport Command. Female pilots were recruited for the program. They were required to have a commercial license and 500 hours of flying time. Many of Cochran’s Women’s Flying Training Detachment flew for the WAFS. Women in the squadron were assigned to ferry aircraft and trainers across the US.
Women’s Airforce Service Pilots Are Founded
On August 5, 1943, the two organizations merged and the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots were born. The group was commanded by Nancy Love, and was led by the first class of Cochran’s pilots, better known as the Guinea Pigs.
Training continued at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX, setting out new classes of female pilots. Women lived in wooden barracks called bays and lived up to six to a room. The female pilots were required to undertake the same rigorous primary and advanced training as the male Army Air Corps pilots.
Over 25,000 women applied to join the WASPs, and a little over 1,000 were accepted into the program.
WASP duties included ferrying planes, towing gunnery targets and transporting equipment and personnel. THey were stationed at over 100 bases throughout the US and delivered thousands of planes.
While the WASPS never saw combat, the planes they towed were used in live ammunition practice and even ferrying flights could be fraught with dangers that resulted in injury and even death. But their service was critical, freeing up male pilots for combat on the front.
In June 1944 Hap Arnold sought to designate the WASP as official military members, giving them long overdue recognition for their contributions. Cochran had always been an advocate that they would be separate corp headed by a woman like the WAC, WAVES and other military groups. But concerns emanated throughout – accusations of high cost, threats to male civilian pilots, and other issues complicated the appeal. Congress denied the application in a narrow defeat, citing the nearing of the end of the war among other reasons.
WASPs Are Disbanded
In December 1944, Arnold declared the disbandment of the WASPs and the official last day of their service would be December 20th.
Hap Arnold spoke on the event:
“The WASP has completed its mission. Their job has been successful. But as is usual in war, the cost has been heavy. Thirty-eight WASP have died while helping their country move toward the moment of final victory. The Air Forces will long remember their service and their final sacrifice.”
Despite their service, WASPs did not receive military honors or veterans benefits. They would not receive veteran’s status for another 30 years, in 1977, one year after Nancy Harkness Love had passed away.
WASPs Receive Congressional Gold Medal
In 2009, the WASPs were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their service in WWII. 300 remaining members were alive to receive the honor.
