Gardner, WASP member, at the controls of a B-26 Marauder Agency overview Formed August 5, 1943 ( 1943-08-05 ) Preceding agencies Womens Flying Training Detachment (WFTD), formed September 1942 Womens Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), formed September 1942 Dissolved December 20, 1944 Employees 1,830 accepted for training 1,074 completed training Parent agency United States Army Air Forces.

Members of WASP became trained pilots who tested aircraft, ferried aircraft, and trained other pilots.

Wasp 11 Free Male Pilots

Their purpose was to free male pilots for combat roles during World War II.

Despite various members of the armed forces being involved in the creation of the program, the WASP and its members had no military standing.

They were pioneering organizations of civilian women pilots, who were attached to the United States Army Air Forces to fly military aircraft during World War II.

On August 5, 1943, the WFTD and WAFS merged to create the WASP organization.

During its period of operation, each members service had freed a male pilot for military combat or other duties.

They flew over 60 million miles; transported every type of military aircraft; towed targets for live anti-aircraft gun practice; simulated strafing missions and transported cargo.

Thirty-eight WASP members lost their lives and one, Gertrude Tompkins, disappeared while on a ferry mission, her fate still unknown.

In 1977, for their World War II service, the members were granted veteran status, 5 and in 2009 awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

Pilot Jacqueline Jackie Cochran wrote to the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, in 1939 to suggest the idea of using women pilots in non-combat missions.

Cochran was introduced by Roosevelt to General Henry H.

Arnold, chief of the Army Air Force, and to General Robert Olds, who became the head of the Air Transport Command (ATC).

Arnold asked her to ferry a bomber to Great Britain in order to generate publicity for the idea of women piloting military aircraft.

Cochran did go to England, where she volunteered for the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) and recruited American women pilots to help fly planes in Europe.

Twenty-five women volunteered for the ATA with Cochran.

The American women who flew in the ATA were the first American women to fly military aircraft.

While in England, Cochran studied the organization of both the ATA and the Royal Air Force (RAF).

This period led to the dramatic increase in activity for the U.S.

Army Air Forces, because of obvious gaps in manpower that could be filled by women.

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To compensate for the manpower demands of the military after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the government encouraged women to enter the workforce to fill both industrial and service jobs supporting the war effort.

George who sent the proposal onto General Henry H.

Arnold. 18 Eleanor Roosevelt wrote about women working as pilots during the war in her September 1 My Day newspaper column, supporting the idea.

General George again broached the idea with General Arnold, who finally, on September 5, directed that immediate action be taken and the recruiting of women pilots begin within twenty-four hours.

Nancy Harkness Love was to be the director of the group and she sent out 83 telegrams to prospective women pilots that same day.

Love started with 28 women pilots, but they grew in number during the war until there were several squadrons.

Requirements for recruits were that they had to be between ages 21 and 35, have a high school diploma, a commercial flying license, 200 horsepower engine rating, 500 hours of flight time and experience in flying across the country.

They received 30 days of orientation to learn Army paperwork and to fly by military regulations.

Afterward, they were assigned to various ferrying commands.

The 4th Ferrying Group was in Romulus and commanded by Del Scharr.

The 5th Ferrying Group was stationed at Love Field and was under the command of Florene Miller.

The 6th Ferrying Group was stationed at Long Beach and commanded by Barbara Jane Erickson.

Stratemeyer that designated Cochran as the director of Womens Flying Training.

On September 15, 1942, Cochrans training proposal was also adopted, forming the 319th Womens Flying Training Detachment (WFTD).

WFTD would be working with the Flight Training Command (FTC).

WFTD was conceived of a program to train more women to ferry aircraft.

On October 7, General Arnold proposed the goal of training 500 women pilots.

By November 3, General Arnold was proposing a maximum effort to train women pilots.

Tunner, in particular, objected on the basis of differing qualification standards, and the absolute necessity of the ATC being able to control its own pilots.

But Cochrans preeminence with Arnold prevailed, and in July 1943 he ordered the programs merged, with Cochran as director.

The WAFS and the WFTD were combined to form the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).

Love continued with the program as executive in charge of WASP ferrying operations.

The formal announcement combining WAFS and WFTD took place on August 20, 1943.

Recruits still had to be between 21 and 35 years old, in good health, in possession of a pilots license and 35 hours of flight time.

Additionally, women were also required to be at least five feet and two inches tall.

Over 25,000 women made application to join the WASP; 1,830 were accepted but only 1,074 completed the training.

The applicants all had prior experience and airman certificates.

Many of the women came from wealthy backgrounds that had afforded pilot training earlier in life, or had husbands who helped pay for their expensive training.

All WASP recruits were interested in serving their country.

Two Chinese Americans, Hazel Ying Lee and Maggie Gee, two women of Hispanic descent, Verneda Rodriguez and Frances Dias, 64 65 66 67 and one known Native American woman, Ola Mildred Rexroat completed the training.

Rexroat was a member of the Oglala Sioux tribe from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

While the total number of black women applicants for WASP training is unknown, several African American pilots made it to the final interview stage, where they were all rejected.

Mildred Hemmans Carter, another African American applicant, was asked to withdraw her application because of her race.

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