Elementary EDUCATION
In 1943 there were many men that left to go fight overseas during World War II (2). While the men were gone, the United States had problems finding people to fly airplanes around the country.
Jacqueline "Jackie" Cochran
A lady named Jackie Cochran had the answer to this problem. She said, “Let women fly the planes!” Now, back then, men did not let women do a lot of things because many men felt like women could not fly, work, or be brave.
Jackie chose to prove them wrong. She put a group of women together called the Women Air Force Service Pilots or WASP for short.
NANCY HARKNESS LOVE
GENERAL "HAP" ARNOLD
Jackie had help from General Hap Arnold and a lady named Nancy Love. The three of them gathered women who already knew how to fly and trained them to fly planes to bases all over the United States. These women stepped up to help their country. This initial example of good citizenship helped during the war because it allowed more men to go overseas to fight for freedom in other countries.
Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX
At Avenger Field in Sweetwater, TX, 1074 women graduated from the WASP program. They were in classes for about 6 months. In their classes, they had to learn math, physics, maps, charts, navigation, weather, communication, first aid, and other things that would help them fly the planes across the United States.
Dora Dougherty, Col. Tibbets, and DeeDee Moorman
Another way the WASP showed good citizenship during the war was by helping to train men on an airplane called the B-29. This airplane was rough and tough, and if you didn’t know how to fly it, it could catch on fire and crash. Most of the men were too scared to fly the B-29. They nicknamed it the Widow Maker.
Two women stepped up to help and show bravery when their country needed them. Their names were Dora Dougherty and Dorthea “DeeDee” Moorman. In 1944, they learned how to fly the B-29 in only 3 days! The two women flew the planes with Col. Paul Tibbets from Alabama to New Mexico to show the male pilots how to safely fly the plane.
THE WORLD FORGOT THE WASP
Sadly, in December of 1944, when men started to return, the WASP program ended so the men could have their jobs back, and all the women were told to go home. Most of them stayed home to take care of children and others went back to jobs that women were allowed to do such as cooking and cleaning. The world forgot the WASP existed.
THE WASP GAIN VETERANS' STATUS
In 1977, our country began to remember the WASP again. The women were given veteran status, and their story was no longer kept a secret. Because Jackie, Nancy, Dora, Deedee, and all the other WASP showed good citizenship during World War 2, the United States was able to help other countries win their freedom, and years later women were allowed to join the air force.
We remember
The WASP fought for more than their country. They fought for justice and equality, and they proved that women can fly, work, and be brave as well as anyone else can.