Short Term Impact

WASPs made a difference in WWII.

“There was an alarming shortage of pilots at the beginning of the war, and we delivered more than 12,000 aircraft in the two years we operated."

~ Lucile Doll Wise, WASP Class 43-W-7 (Shannon Collins, "Female World War II Pilot Proud to be a WASP.")

"The announced inactivation of the WASP on 20 December 1944 will have a pronounced effect on the ability of the Ferrying Division to meet its commitments and to deliver pursuit type aircraft...The loss of the women pilots in the Ferrying Division will effect a definite hardship upon the operation of the Groups."

~ Bob Edward Nowland, Commander ATC Ferrying Division, Memo to Gen. Arnold, November 1, 1944 (Molly Merryman,  Clipped Wings: The Rise and Fall of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of World War II.)

“[The WASPs] did the job. And I don't know how we could have gotten people to fly B-29 airplanes without them.”

~ Paul Tibbets,  Director of Operations, 17th Bombardment Operational Training Wing (Very Heavy) (National Women's History Museum, "Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of WWII.")

"We are winning this war--we still have a long way to go--but we are winning it.  Every WASP who has contributed to the training and operation of the Air Forces has filled a vital and necessary place in the jigsaw pattern of victory."

~ Henry "Hap" Arnold, Commander USAAF, WWII ("Address by Gen. Henry H. Arnold, Commanding General to WASP Graduate Class, December 7, 1944.")

Yet they were disbanded before the war ended.

Many WASPs felt betrayed and unappreciated, but many also wanted to continue serving.  Some even offered to work without pay. They were denied. 

“We were disbanded five months before the war ended. There was a whole field of planes waiting to be flown. But the guys weren’t checked out to fly all those different kinds of planes. They only knew the one fighter plane they’d been trained on. We flew everything and had flown them throughout the war. We offered to stay on and fly for $1 a month. But, there was political hanky-panky…So, it was all over for us.”

~ Ginny Hill Wood, WASP Class 43-W-4 (Alexander Dolitsky,  Allies in Wartime:  The Alaska-Siberia Airway During World War II.)

Information about the WASPs was classified; their stories were silenced. 

"In 1944 we were advised, we heard 'ordered,' to act like 'ladies' and keep silent."
~ Ann Darr, WASP Class 43-W-5 (Ann Darr,  "The Long Flight Home.")

"In the last twelve to fourteen months of our service in World War II, an edict came down from headquarters that there was to be no publicity and no media interviews or anything about the WASPS or by the WASPS."
~ Madge Rutherford Minton, WASP Class 43-W-4 (Molly Merryman,  Clipped Wings: The Rise and Fall of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of World War II.)

Some WASPs found opportunities to stay in the sky, but most left flying behind.

"I started writing to companies and airlines, trying to get a job as a pilot and I never heard ‘no’ said in so many different ways."

~ Bee Haydu, WASP Class 44-W-7 (Shannon Collins, "WASP Pursued Love of Flying, Fought for Women Vets’ Recognition.")

Their stories were not forgotten however.  Pilots, politicians, and officers now knew what women could achieve.  

"You and more than 900 of your sisters have shown that you can fly wingtip to wingtip with your bothers. If ever there was any doubt in anyone's mind that women can become skillful pilots, the WASP have dispelled that doubt.  I want to stress how valuable I believe the whole WASP program has been for the country.  We know that you can handle our latest fighters, our heaviest bombers; we know that you are capable of ferrying, target towing, flying training, test flying, and the countless other activities which you have proved you can do. So, on this last graduation day, I salute you and all WASP.  We of the Army Air Force are proud of you, we will never forget our debt to you."

~ Henry "Hap" Arnold, Commander USAAF, WWII ("Address by Gen. Henry H. Arnold, Commanding General to WASP Graduate Class, December 7, 1944.")

"[The WASP's] very successful record of accomplishment has proved that in any future total effort the nation can count on thousands of its young women to fly any of its aircraft."

~ Henry "Hap" Arnold, Commander USAAF, WWII, Letter to all WASPs regarding deactivation, October 1, 1944 (American Experience, "Official WASP Correspondence.")

The program's impact on the WASPs themselves was undeniable.

Sadly, regardless of their performance and sacrifice, and despite kind words and personal praise, and even though it was acknowledged they had done identical work to servicemen, WASPs were not considered members of the armed forces, and not eligible for service benefits.  When they asked to be, a new fight began.

Columnist Drew Pearson led opposition to the WASPs.  Joined by veterans and pilot groups, he claimed women were taking men’s jobs.

“Congressmen are up in arms over Arnold's efforts to sidetrack the law by continuing to use the WASPs while more than 5,000 trained men pilots, each with an average of 1250 flying hours remain idle...Fact is that the government has spent more than $21,000,000 training lady fliers primarily at the behest of vivacious aviatrix Jaquelin [sic] Cochran...Magnetic Miss Cochran seems to have quite a drag with the brass hats and has even persuaded the air forces' smiling commander to make several secret trips to Capitol Hill to lobby for continuation of her pets, the WASPs."

~ Pearson, Drew. "Washington Merry-Go-Round:  Arnold Faces Congress Uproar Over Use of WASPs.”  Leader-Telegram. Eau Claire, WI.  August 5, 1944.

"Suspicion points to Mrs. Roosevelt as influential in efforts to advance the WASPs, women fliers, at the expense of thousands of trained civilian pilots and instructors who possess much more experience in the air." 

~ "First Lady's Hand is Seen."  Worcester Gazette. Worcester, MA.  June 7, 1944.

“How about some of these 35-hour female wonders swapping their flying togs for nurses' uniforms? But that would be downright rub-and-scrub work -- no glamor there!”

“Probably it is the sentimental softness of the American men in regard to their women. In colleges, the smooth, good-looking gals can get A’s without a lick of work; and in the armed services it may be that dimples have a devastating effect even on generals.”

“Experienced male fliers, with more than 2,000 hours in the air, may soon be cleaning windshields and servicing planes for glamorous woman flyers who only have 35 hours of flying time.  This is a glamorous and unnecessary duplication.”

~ James Morrison, US House of Representatives, Remarks recorded in the Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 78th Congress Second Session.  Volume 90, Part 9.  March 24, 1944-June 12, 1944. United States Government Printing Office.  Washington, DC.  1944.

President Roosevelt, Gen. Arnold, and Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, supported the WASPs.

Even WASPs' parents joined the fight.

“I have been reading with much interest the articles on the WASPs, and their so-called glamour. I have a daughter in the WASPs and if the life she leads comes under the head of glamour, Mr. Webster is dead wrong in his definition of the word.

They fly from sun up to sun down every day, check in a hotel at night too tired even to see a movie, and even if they were inclined to do a little night life they have nothing but their flying suits to wear.  Imagine spreading glamour in a bulky jacket, wrinkled slacks, helmets and maybe a decorative parachute for extra appeal.  They live in barracks.  Need I go into detail about this luxurious setting?  These girls were asked by their government to do this job and they are doing their very best.  They are intensely interested in their work, eager to serve wherever they are needed and deeply grateful that they have been given the opportunity to fly.”

~ Mrs. G. W. Featherhoff, mother of WASP Nancy Featherhoff 43-W-6.  "Explaining the WASPs:  Letter to the Editor." St. Louis Globe Democrat.  St. Louis, MO.  May 10th, 1944.

It wasn't enough.  On June 21, 1944, HR 4219, the bill to militarize the WASPs, was defeated.

Their next opportunity wouldn't come until 1977.  This time the outcome would change.

"The 850 remaining [WASPs] who are in need of veterans’ benefits should be given them through the militarization process.”

~ Bee Haydu, WASP Class 44-W-7 Letter to Congress supporting a new militarization bill, 1977 (Shannon Collins, "WASP Pursued Love of Flying, Fought for Women Vets’ Recognition.")

"Many of the women who served their country as Women Airforce Pilots are in the witness room today.  Each of them could tell you essentially the same militarization story of our Army Air Forces experience, what we were told and promised, what we expected, and how the Army Air Forces in fact "militarized" us in every respect of our training and operational duties.

This is the first time the rank and file members of the WASP have had a chance to tell their story. We have waited many years to tell our story."

~ Dora Dougherty Strother, WASP Class 43-W-3 Testimony to Congress September 20, 1977 (Molly Merryman, Clipped Wings: The Rise and Fall of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) of World War II.)

After an intense public campaign, in 1977 Public Law 95-202 officially recognized WASPs as veterans.

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Active duty service of any person as a member of the Women's Air Forces Service Pilots, shall be considered active duty for the purposes of all laws administered by the Veterans' Administration."
~ Public Law 95-202, Section 401. Signed by President Carter, November 23, 1977.

When released in 1982, their record spoke for itself.  Unfortunately, 30 years behind a classified seal blunted its short-term impact.

"The women pilots, subsequent to graduation from the training program, flew approximately 60 million miles for the Army Air Forces; the fatalities were 38, or one to about 16,000 hours of flying.  Both the accident rate and the fatality rate compared favorably with the rates for male pilots in similar work."

"The WASP, according to the overwhelming opinion of station commanders where they were on duty, were as efficient and effective as the male pilots in most classes of duties; and were better than the men in some duties, as for example towing of targets for gunnery practice.  Almost uniformly the WASP were reported eager to learn, willing to work, and well behaved."

"The conclusion of the medical studies is, 'It is no longer a matter of speculation that graduate WASPs were adapted physically, mentally, and psychologically to the type of flying assigned.'"

"Women pilots have as much stamina and endurance and are no more subject to operational or flying fatigue than male pilots doing similar work.  Women pilots can safely fly as many hours per month as male pilots."

~ Jacqueline Cochran (Eisenhower Presidential Archives, “WASP Final Report, June 1, 1945.”)

The publicity of the WASPs' battle for recognition in 1976-1977, information from the WASP's record, and the WASPs' examples set the stage for a greater long-term impact.