The Legacy of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots

"Frankly, I did not know in 1941 whether a slip of a young girl could fly the controls of a B-17 in the heavy weather they would naturally encounter in operational flying. Well, now, in 1944, more than two years since the WASP first started flying with the Air Forces, we can come to only one conclusion: It is on the record that women can fly as well as men."[1]

- General H. Hap. Arnold, father of the Air Force and creator of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). 

Women's Airforce Service Pilots

Photo from the Library of Congress

            In September 1939, as Germany invaded Poland, life changed for the entire world. While it would not be until December 1941 that the United States officially entered the war, the effects of impending war hit the American people much early. The U.S. slowly ramped up wartime production and implemented programs to train young adults in special skills like flying. By the time the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Americans were ready to do anything necessary to defend their homeland and defeat the enemy. For many, this meant using their skills and talents to help the war effort. In record numbers, men and women left the comfort of their homes to defend their country. Some put their college dreams on hold to join the workforce, and even more rushed to join the military to impact the war effort directly. World War II changed the trajectory of America, propelling it to superpower status. More importantly, World War II altered the trajectory of thousands of women's lives, pushing them into uncharted territory with newly acquired skills. Surprisingly, these women enjoyed the freedom of working outside the home and joining the workforce or the military. 

 

2 WASP in the cockpit of an aircraft
Photo from the Library of Congress

The Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) fall into these categories. Some of the older pilots were wives and mothers who felt called to help with the war. Many of the other women postponed their college ambitions to join the WASP, and most of the women hoped that the promise of militarization would come true so that they were no longer civil servants but members of the military. Like most Americans, the WASPs wanted to do their part for the war effort and were fortunate enough to combine that with their love of flying. While the WASPs proved that women could fly and handle military responsibilities as well as men, their time abruptly ended. In December 1944, the WASPs and their dreams of militarization were disbanded.  

          Scholars have debated whether World War II was a watershed event for women in America. While some agree that the war opened doors for women giving them new and exciting opportunities, others said that the war was merely a reprieve from their current realities and that, in the end, nothing changed. The decades after the war were fraught with turmoil and growing restlessness. The opportunities many experiences during the war showed women could do more. For many women, a growing discontentment welled up inside, waiting for change to emerge. The WASPs were no exception to these feelings of discontentment. Several of the WASPs used their position and skills learned during the war and their adventurous spirits to continue forging new paths. Although continuing in aviation was not possible for the WASPs, this did not stop them from finding new career paths. Many of the first women in various fields emerged among these highly skilled and trained women. For a group of forgotten women, the WASPs used their skills, talents, and gumption to advance their careers in a time hostile to career-focused women. These women became role models for younger generations and opened the door for all women to succeed in their chosen career fields. 

The wings of a WASP class 4
Photo from the Library of Congress

            This dissertation will focus on celebrating and championing these remarkable women and their experiences. While a lot of research has been done covering the WASPs' time during the war or in the 1970s as they fought for veteran status, the years in between are often overlooked. Over the last few years, hundreds of research hours have been spent researching the WASPs and their outstanding achievements. More recently, the focus has changed to what the women did after the war. The author is married to an Army pilot and has seen the effects of these pioneering WASPs and how their efforts have paid off. The military was once closed off to women and, throughout the last few decades, has evolved to allow women to serve and open all jobs to them as well. Today, women fly every aircraft in the military, serve in combat, and command at all levels. Often, history shines a light on only specific stories that highlight a few significant achievements. These women represented in this dissertation are only a few examples of women who continue to defy the odds and forge a path forward during uncertain times. Not everyone who makes incredible advancements in history has their story told. Uncovering and revealing these remarkable stories brings history to life and is necessary to influence future generations to continue to strive for more. Without pioneers like these women, the achievements and advancement seen in America today may not have happened or have progressed at a much slower pace than they did.

            Was World War II a watershed event for women? The answer is yes, for those willing to make changes and forge forward. Was World War II merely a minor interruption in the lives of women? The answer is also yes, for those who wanted it to be. History is complicated but analyzing and following the path of those who took the opportunities presented to them and continue to push the boundaries of acceptable careers for women needs to be celebrated.

[1]           Victoria Pope, "Flight of the WASP: the Women Airforce Service Pilots Seemed Strange and Exotic to World War II America," American Heritage, (Spring 2009): 65.