Fly Girls Read online

  Williams, Vera S. Wasps: Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II. Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International, 1994.

  Wolff, Scott. “Warrior Wednesday: Lieutenant Colonel Nicole ‘Fifi’ Malachowski.” FighterSweep.com. March 18, 2015. https://fightersweep.com/1670/warrior-wednesday-lieutenant-colonel-nicole-fifi-malachowski/.

  Woolner, David. “The ‘Special Relationship’ Between Great Britain and the United States Began with FDR.” Roosevelt Forward. July 22, 2010. http://rooseveltinstitute.org/special-relationship-between-great-britain-and-united-states-began-fdr/.

  World War II Foundation. “World War II Aircraft Facts.” 2016. http://www.wwiifoundation.org/students/wwii-aircraft-facts/.

  Yellin, Emily. Our Mothers’ War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II. New York: Free Press, 2004.

  Zimmerman, Dwight Jon. “Automobile Factories Switched to War Production as America Entered World War II.” Defense Media Network. February 10, 2012. http://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/automobile-factories-switched-to-war-production-as-america-entered-world-war-ii/.

  Notes

  Main Text

  1. New York Times, “President Opens Fair.”

  2. American Studies at the University of Virginia, “Welcome to Tomorrow.”

  3. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 20–21.

  4. Ibid., 21.

  5. BBC Archive, “Chamberlain’s Declaration of War.”

  6. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 21–22.

  7. Ibid., 21.

  8. Nathan, Yankee Doodle Gals, 17.

  9. Cochran, Report on Women’s Pilot Program, 57.

  10. Ladevich, “Fly Girls.”

  11. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 47.

  12. National Museum of the United States Air Force, “Women Airforce Service Pilots.”

  13. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 51.

  14. Ibid., 108.

  15. Ibid., 330.

  16. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 11.

  17. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 21.

  18. Churchill, “We Shall Fight.”

  19. Woolner, “ ‘Special Relationship.’ ”

  20. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 52.

  21. Cochran, The Autobiography of the greatest Woman Pilot in Aviation History,169.

  22. Ibid., 170–71.

  23. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 52–53.

  24. Simbeck, Daughter of the Air, 111.

  25. Ibid., 30, 37.

  26. Ibid., 76–77, 87.

  27. Ibid., 2.

  28. Ibid., 3–4.

  29. Goodwin, No Ordinary Time, 231.

  30. Ibid., 316.

  31. Zimmerman, “Automobile Factories.”

  32. PBS online, “War Production.”

  33. Goodwin, No Ordinary Time, 291.

  34. History.com, “American Women in World War II.”

  35. National World War II Museum, “By the Numbers.”

  36. Simbeck, Daughter of the Air, 107.

  37. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 109.

  38. Simbeck, Daughter of the Air, 108.

  39. Ibid., 115.

  40. Tindall and Shi, America: A Narrative History, 907.

  41. Atlanta Journal-Constitution online, “World War II: A Timeline.”

  42. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 118.

  43. Roosevelt, “My Day.”

  44. Simbeck, Daughter of the Air, 121.

  45. Ibid., 138.

  46. Williams, Wasps, 71.

  47. Simbeck, Daughter of the Air, 137.

  48. Ibid., 135.

  49. Ibid., 134.

  50. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 127.

  51. Ibid., 128.

  52. Simbeck, Daughter of the Air, 152.

  53. Ibid., 153.

  54. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 145.

  55. Verges, On Silver Wings, 72.

  56. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 16.

  57. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 166.

  58. Ibid., 146.

  59. Williams, Wasps, 115.

  60. Verges, On Silver Wings, 75–76.

  61. Ibid., 77.

  62. Ibid., 79.

  63. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 148.

  64. Ibid.

  65. Williams, Wasps, 51.

  66. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 23.

  67. Ibid., 23–25.

  68. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 154–155.

  69. Ladevich, “Fly Girls.”

  70. Williams, Wasps, 71.

  71. Ibid.

  72. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 161.

  73. Cochran, 353.

  74. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 50.

  75. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 107.

  76. Schrader, Sisters in Arms, 179.

  77. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 165.

  78. Williams, Wasps, 28.

  79. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 15.

  80. Ladevich, “Fly Girls.”

  81. Williams, Wasps, 91.

  82. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 261–62.

  83. Ibid., 257–258.

  84. Ibid., 134–35.

  85. Ibid., 136–137.

  86. Williams, Wasps, 93.

  87. Simbeck, Daughter of the Air, 227–28.

  88. Ibid., 234–35.

  89. Schrader, Sisters in Arms, 108.

  90. Simbeck, Daughter of the Air, 153.

  91. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 52.

  92. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 25.

  93. Rowland, “Pioneer Female Pilot.”

  94. Williams, Wasps, 98.

  95. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 52.

  96. Williams, Wasps, 99.

  97. Mondey, American Aircraft of World War II, 158–59.

  98. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 53.

  99. Williams, Wasps, 99.

  100. Keil, Those Wonderful

  Women, 29.

  101. Williams, Wasps, 102.

  102. Ibid.

  103. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 288.

  104. Schrader, Sisters in Arms, 180.

  105. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 218.

  106. Ibid., 213.

  107. Ibid., 213–17.

  108. Ibid., 218.

  109. Holbrook, “Coastside Woman.”

  110. Pohly, “Mabel Virginia Rawlinson.”

  111. Ibid.

  112. Williams, Wasps, 136–37.

  113. Jean, “Fallen Hero.”

  114. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 232.

  115. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 22.

  116. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 232.

  117. Tekeei, “Fly Girl.”

  118. World War II Foundation, “Aircraft Facts.”

  119. Verges, On Silver Wings, 146–47.

  120. Pisano, Airplane in American Culture, 175.

  121. Kari, interview.

  122. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 184.

  123. Ibid., 193–94.

  124. Ibid., 184, 192–93, 204–5.

  125. Schrader, Sisters in Arms, 181.

  126. Tibbets, interview.

  127. Collins, “Saint Paul–Born ‘Fly Girl.’ ”

  128. Strother, “Women of the WASP.”

  129. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 282.

  130. Ibid., 280–2.

  131. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 59.

  132. Ibid., 88.

  133. Ibid., 61.

  134. Ibid., 2.

  135. Ibid.

  136. Ibid., 101.

  137. Ibid.

  138. Arnold, “End of the WASP Program.”

  139. Yellin, Our Mothers’ War, 161.

  140. Williams, Wasps, 99–100.

  141. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 55.

  142. Schrader, Sisters in Arms, 246.

  143. Schisgall, “Girls Deliver the Goods,” 10.

  144. Life, “Girl Pilots,” 73–81.

  145. Ibid.

  146. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 58.

  147. Ibid., 82.

  148. Ibid., 82–88.

  149. Comm. on Appropriations, H. R. Rep. No. 1606, 10.
/>
  150. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 90.

  151. Ibid., 91.

  152. Keil, Those Wonderful Women, 303–304

  153. Merryman, 100.

  154. Ibid., 23.

  155. Rowley, “Teresa James: Pioneer Pilot.”

  156. Carl, A WASP Among Eagles, 111.

  157. Williams, Wasps, 126.

  158. Rowley, “Teresa James: Pioneer Pilot.”

  159. Williams, Wasps, 133.

  160. Ibid., 41.

  161. Time, “Army & Navy.”

  162. WASP Final Flight (blog), “WASP Betty Jane Williams.”

  163. Deseret News, “Death: Frances Green Kari.”

  164. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 130.

  165. Ibid., 137.

  166. Ibid., 138.

  167. Yellin, Our Mothers’ War, 161.

  168. Williams, Wasps, 136.

  169. Andy’s WASP Web Pages, “Marie Muccie Genaro.”

  170. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 149.

  171. Ibid., 155.

  172. Ibid., 154.

  173. Official Archive Women Airforce Service Pilots, “Assigned Duty Bases.”

  174. American Experience, Fly Girls, “Militarization of the Wasps.” http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/flygirls/peopleevents/pandeAMEX08.html.

  175. Ricci, WASP Newsletter.

  176. Merryman, Clipped Wings, 156.

  177. Wolff, “Nicole ‘Fifi’ Malachowski.”

  178. Buzanowski, “Congressional Gold Medal.”

  179. Ibid.

  180. Rowland, “Pioneer Female Pilot.”

  181. Grosscup, “Fly Girls.”

  182. Fandos, “Equal at Arlington.”

  183. Comulada, “Meet Elaine Harmon.”

  184. Grosscup, “Fly Girls.”

  Sidebar Text

  *Garber, “Night Witches.”

  †US Department of Defense, “Description of Medals.”

  ‡Lemmon, “Missing in Action.”

  §Pantti, “Gender, Politics and Media.”

  Time Line

  Bold indicates WASP event

  1939

  September

  World War II begins in Europe after Nazi armies invade Poland

  Jacqueline Cochran writes letter suggesting women could fly in noncombat roles if needed

  1940

  April–June

  Germany takes over much of western Europe

  Nancy Love writes letter suggesting women could ferry planes in US

  July

  Germany begins air attacks on Britain

  September

  Germany, Italy, and Japan form Axis Alliance

  US Congress begins nation’s first peacetime draft

  1941

  March

  US begins sending aid to Britain

  June

  General Hap Arnold suggests Cochran go to London to observe women military pilots there

  Cochran becomes first woman to fly a military plane across the Atlantic Ocean

  December

  Japan attacks Pearl Harbor; US enters World War II on side of Allies

  Cochran contacts women pilots about flying military planes in Britain

  1942

  March

  Twenty-five American women begin training and flying in Britain under Cochran’s supervision

  June

  After months of losses, US defeats Japan at Battle of Midway

  July

  Air Transport Command begins hiring civilian ferry pilots

  September

  Congress authorizes the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES)

  Nancy Love gets go-ahead to begin ferry pilot (WAFS) training in Delaware

  Cochran gets go-ahead to begin broad training program (WFTD) in Texas

  1943

  February

  WFTD training moves from Houston to Sweetwater, Texas

  March

  Cornelia Fort is first American woman military pilot killed on active duty

  July

  Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) is militarized

  WAFS and WFTD combine to form Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)

  1944

  March

  Congress’s Committee on Military Affairs recommends militarization for WASP

  March–June

  Columnists and male civilian pilots lobby against WASP

  June

  D-Day invasion reduces Allies’ need for pilots

  WASP militarization bill is defeated

  December

  WASP is disbanded without militarization

  1945

  May

  Germany surrenders

  August

  Atomic bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan

  September

  Japan surrenders

  1948

  June

  Women’s Armed Services Integration Act makes women permanent, regular members of the military

  July

  Women in the Air Force are accepted for ground duty only and in limited numbers

  1976

  June

  Women admitted to military service academies and accepted for pilot training

  Former Wasps organize to demand militarization and veterans’ benefits

  1977

  November

  Congress passes and President Jimmy Carter signs bill giving the WASP military status

  1984

  WASP awarded World War II Victory Medals

  2009

  July

  Congress passes and President Barack Obama signs a bill awarding the WASP the Congressional Gold Medal

  Index

  A note about the index: The pages referenced in this index refer to the page numbers in the print edition. Clicking on a page number will take you to the ebook location that corresponds to the beginning of that page in the print edition. For a comprehensive list of locations of any word or phrase, use your reading system’s search function.

  A

  ace pilots, WWI fighter pilots, 83

  African Americans

  migration changes, 39

  in military, 42

  Tuskegee Airmen, 64

  women pilots, 68

  in workforce, 41–42

  Air Force. See United States Air Force (USAF)

  Air Force Academy, 166, 173

  Air Force Cross, 44

  Air Force Reserve, 163, 168

  air taxi service, 101, 111

  Air Transport Command, 89

  air travel

  beginning of, 4

  passenger plane exhibit, 6–7

  airplane types

  AT-6 trainers, 86

  A-24 bomber, 109, 111

  B-17 (See B-17 bombers)

  B-24 bombers, 40

  B-29 Superfortress bombers, 125–126, 127, 129

  B-34 bomber, 97

  BT-13 trainers, 80, 90–91

  C-60 cargo planes, 100

  gliders, 99–100

  jet propulsion engines, 132–135

  P-39 Airacobra fighter, 86, 118

  P-47 Thunderbolt fighter, 85

  P-51 Mustang fighter and fighter-bomber, 85, 87

  Piper Cubs, 106

  PQ-8 drones, 101

  PT-17 Stearman biplanes, 88–89

  PT-19 trainers, 56, 67, 87–88, 93

  T-6 trainer, 172

  target-practice planes, 61

  airplanes

  beginning of, 4

  how they fly, 20, 133

  as weapons of mass destruction, 34

  Allied alliance

  European progress (1943–1944), 82

  Italy invasion, 81

  leaders of, 22

  members of, 22, 37

  Pacific front defeats, 49

  U.S. member of, 37

  All-Woman Transcontinental Air Race, 163

  altitude record, American women flyers, 15

  American Airlines, 6

  Arlington National Cemetery, 175–177

&
nbsp; Army Air Corps

  building resources for, 16

  creation of, 8, 49

  fighter plane escorts, 81–83

  need for planes, not pilots, 21

  noncombat flying jobs, 18, 51

  Plans Division, 19–20

  Women enlistment in, 45

  Army Air Forces (AAF)

  African Americans in, 65–66

  bases and fields (See specific base and field by name)

  casualties, 49, 141

  congressional support for, 138

  flight school closings, 141–142

  flight specialization, 83

  move from air war, 141

  on need for WASP program, 150

  Arnold, Bruce, 165–166, 167, 168–169

  Arnold, Henry “Hap”

  address to last WASP graduating class, 155

  death of, 165

  end of WASP program, 135

  Ferrying Command approval, 51

  flying lessons for, 7

  halting trans-Atlantic flight, 119

  as head of Army Air Corps, 8, 49

  military flying approval, 61

  on need for larger plane, 125

  on need for planes, not pilots, 20

  on need for WASP program, 150, 151

  on pilots for military, 48, 51, 142, 166

  press reference regarding Cochran and, 151

  questioning women pilot’s abilities, 21, 25

  testimony supporting Wasps, 153

  White House aviation awards luncheon, 24–25

  Aryans, defined, 10

  Atlantic Ocean, air flights across, 5, 116–119

  atomic bomb, 129

  Australia

  in Pacific front, 81

  pilots flying with RAF, 21

  automobile plants, 38–39

  Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas. See Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD)

  awards and honors, 24–25, 44, 149, 173, 175

  Axis powers, 2, 22, 33, 35

  B

  B-17 bombers

  attacking Germany from England, 81

  on board bathroom, 121–122

  lost in battle, 115

  Memphis Belle, 153, 154

  Miss Patricia J, 114

  Queen Bee, 46

  size and strength of pilots, 116–117, 120

  as test plane, 130

  training program, 119–122

  B-24 bombers, 40

  B-26 bombers, 123–125