Fly Girls Page 16
for tourists, 29
training program, 30, 48
women flying heavy planes, 25
women volunteering during war, 18, 25–27
women’s jobs after the war, 162
See also airplane types; specific pilots by name
Piper Cubs, airplanes, 106
Plans Division, Army Air Corps, 19–20
Poland, invasion of, 11
Poole, Barbara, 56, 87–88
Porter, Helen, 169–170
Powder Puff Derby, 163
PQ-8 drones, 101
precision flying teams, 170, 174
PT-17 Stearman biplanes, 88–89
PT-19 trainer planes, 56, 67, 87–88, 93
publications on women’s war efforts, 142–148, 151–152
public’s view of women in the military, 147, 148, 151–152, 164
Purple Heart, 44, 149
pursuit planes, 85
Q
Queen Bee B-17, 46
R
racial integration, 66
racial segregation, 39, 65
racism, 10
radar, 19
Ramspeck, Robert, 149
Ramspeck Report, 149–152
Rawlinson, Mabel, 108–111
RCA, 3
records of WASP unit closed by government, 163, 168
redlined planes, 105–106
refueling missions, 173–174
refugee ships, 12
repaired planes, testing, 69
Robertson, Jeanne, 89
Rockwell, Norman, 139
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 17, 18–19, 51, 73
Roosevelt, Franklin D.
address nation about Japanese attack, 35–36
call for citizens to fight, 140
on Churchill’s call for New World help, 23
death of, 129
declared war on Japan, 33, 35
executive order ending automobile production, 39–40
fireside chats, 36
Great Depression, relief during, 2–3
military budget increase, 8
military buildup, 16
at New York World’s Fair, 1, 3
Rosie the Riveter, 139
Russia. See Soviet Union (USSR)
S
sabotage, 111
safety pilots, 101–102
Saipan base, 125–126, 128
scapegoating, 10
searchlight flying, 99
September 11, 2001 terror attack, 34
sexual harassment, 77
Shaffer, Gene, 103–105, 162, 177
Sharp, Evelyn, 56, 80
Silver Star, 44, 149
silver wings, 79
Singapore, 49
size and strength of pilots, 57–58, 69, 116–117, 120
Slade, Shirley, 136, 146
Southeast Asia, Japanese land takeover, 33
Soviet Union (USSR)
Allied alliance, 22
stopped Germans in eastern Europe, 81
women flying squadrons, 26
WWII death toll, 158
SPARs, Coast Guard Women’s Reserve, 140
Spirit of St. Louis (airplane), 5
Star Wars (movie), 167
Steele, Kaddy, 98, 164, 166, 175
stock market crash (1929), 2
strengthening exercises, 120
Strohfus, Betty Wall, 174–175
Strother Field, Kansas, 169
suffrage movement (1848), 161
T
target towing, 97–98, 165
television, introduction of, 3–4
test pilots, 103–105
testing center, 130
Thaden, Louise, 15
“The Girls Deliver the Goods” (newspaper article), 143–144
thrust, 20, 133
Thunderbirds, 170, 174
Tibbets, Paul, 126–127, 129, 153
Time (magazine), 157, 160
totalitarian governments, 2
totalitarianism, 2
Towne, Barbara, 80
trainer planes
AT-6, 86
BT-13, 80, 90–91
PT-19, 56, 67, 87–88, 93
T-6, 172
trans-Atlantic flight, 5, 116–119
truant officers, 107
Truman, Harry, 129
Tunner, William, 51, 106–107, 116, 118
Tuskegee Airmen, 64
two-engine planes, 122
Tyce, Bob, 32
U
U-boats, 12, 81, 98
United States
Allied alliance, 22
North Africa victory, 81
Pearl Harbor attack, 28, 31–34
WWII death toll, 158
United States Air Force (USAF)
Air Force Academy, 166, 173
Air Force Cross, 44
Air Force Reserve, 163, 168
establishment of, 8
Thunderbirds, 170
training women on military aircraft, 166
Women in the Air Force unit, 165
women pilots, 165
women’s jobs in, 165
See also Army Air Corps; Army Air Forces (AAF)
United States Armed Forces
acceptance of African Americans and women, 65–66
expansion of, 37–38
minority groups, 66
precision flying teams, 170, 174
twenty-first century achievements, 149
women pilots acceptance, 173–174
United States Army
Air Corps (See Army Air Corps)
Air Forces (See Army Air Forces (AAF))
Army Nurse Corps, 43–44
Blue Angels, 170
expansion of, 24, 37–38
medals and honors, 44, 149, 173, 175
WFTD (See Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS))
women pilots, 165
Women’s Army Corps, 8, 137, 140
Women’s Land Army, 41
United States Constitution, Nineteenth Amendment, 161
United States Navy
Blue Angels, 170
medals and honors, 44
Navy Nurse Corps, 43–44
WAVES units, 42–43, 137, 140
women pilots, 165
upward lift, 20
USS Shaw, 28
USSR. See Soviet Union (USSR)
V
Veterans Affairs Department, 175–176
veterans benefits, 159, 164, 166, 167, 171
victory gardens, 38
W
WAC (Women’s Army Corps), 8, 137, 140
wage difference, 41, 43, 54
Wake Island attacks, 35, 49
Walker, Mary Edwards, 44
Walt Disney Studios, 79
War Department, 138, 148, 150
war-related businesses, 42
washout rate, 76–77
WASP Military Committee, 167–170, 175
See also Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)
WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service), 42–43, 137, 140
West, Nadja, 149
Westinghouse Electric Company, 3, 139, 162
White House aviation awards luncheon (1941), 24–25
Williams, Betty Jane, 69, 79, 99, 160, 163
Willow Run, Michigan, B-24 bomber production, 40
women
altitude record, 15
awards and honors, 24–25, 44, 149, 173, 175
in combat, 66
expected to give up wartime jobs, 162
flying refueling missions, 173–174
in military, 141
military academies admission, 166, 173
in powerful positions, 149
in space flight, 174
USAF’s precision flying team, 174
in workforce, 41–42, 140–141
Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES), 42–43, 137, 140
Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)
accident and fatality rate, 150
App
ropriations Committee, 150–151
Arnold’s address to last class, 155
attitudes after WASP’s demise, 157–160, 163
Avenger Field training base, 72, 73
barracks conditions, 74
as a civilian program, 72, 91, 110
congressional investigation committee, 149–150
Congressional Medal of Honor, 173
discharge papers, 169–170
end of program, 135, 137–138, 153–154
ferrying planes (See ferrying planes)
flyboy’s fake emergencies, 75
formation of, 72
gaining respect of male pilots, 113
government closes records of, 163, 168
graduation rate, 150
job variety (See job variety for women pilots)
lyrics for familiar songs, 77–78
mascot, 78–79, 127, 174
men lobbying for WASP pilot jobs, 142, 148–149, 152–153
militarizing expectations, 72, 137–138
militarizing request timing, 140–142
military discipline, 167–168
morale at Camp Davis, 111–113
newspaper publication for trainees, 78
non-traditional women’s work, 138–139
official recognition of military service, 171
publicity of women pilots, 142–148
Ramspeck Report, 149–152
reputations rules, 75
reunions, 164
solo pilot recognition, 77
training completion, 76
training requirements, 72
veterans benefits, 159, 164, 167, 171
washout rate, 76–77
See also Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS); Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD)
Women in the Air Force (WAF), 165
Women’s Armed Services Integration Act (1948), 173
Women’s Army Corps (WAC), 8, 137, 140
Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS)
approval for women pilots, 51
background of pilots, 53–54
as a civilian program, 54–55
cockpit training, 56–57
flight uniforms and equipment, 59
ground courses, 56
instructors, 56–57
marching in review with military units, 58–59
merged into WASP program, 72
militarizing expectations, 54
photo of, 80
pilots pulled for combat, 50
qualifications, 53–54
recruits, 51–55
room inspections, 55–56
women pilots recruiting effort, 51–53
Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD)
approval for, 61
Army life training, 71–72
arriving at, 60
backgrounds of trainees, 63–64
as a civilian program, 62, 70
clothing, 70–71
drill instruction, 69–70
instructors, 67–68
merged into WASP program, 72
move to Avenger Field, 60, 72
physical training, 68–69
qualifications, 62, 72
racial diversity, 65
testing repaired planes, 69
training planes, use of, 67
training program, 62–63, 67
women pilots recruiting effort, 62
See also Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)
Women’s Land Army, 41
women’s movement, 161
women’s rights and opportunities, 5
“women’s work,” 138–139
Wood, Betty Taylor, 111
workforce changes, 41, 140
“World of Tomorrow” (N.Y. World’s Fair theme), x, 3–4
World Trade Center, terror attack, 34
World War I (Great War)
ace pilots, 83
devastation during, 11
migration changes, 39
use of airplanes, 4, 7
women volunteering pilots, 18
World War II
Britain’s entrance, 11
causes, 2
deadliest war in history, 158
ground war focus, 141
Hitler’s responsibility for, 10
migration changes, 39
1940 Germany invades European countries, 21
1942 Pacific front defeats and victories, 49–50
1943 Europe and North Africa country’s progress, 81
1943 Pacific front victories, 81
1944 attack on Japan, 125–126
1944 war nearing end, 140
U.S. entrance, 35–37
Wright brothers (Orville and Wilbur)
Arnold’s flying lessons with, 7
first airplane (1903), 4
Orville at Wright Field, 132–133, 153
Wilbur, death of, 132
Wright Field, Ohio, 130–132, 153
Y
Yount, Martin, 144
Z
“zoot suits,” 71
SIMON & SCHUSTER BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS
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Text copyright © 2018 by Patricia O’Connell Pearson
Jacket photograph courtesy of the National Archives (photo no. 342-AF-29183AC)
Interior photographs on pp. x, 5, 8, 10, 20, 22, 161 courtesy of the Library of Congress; photographs on pp. 14, 46, 80, 96, 114 courtesy of the WASP Archive, the TWU Libraries’ Woman’s Collection, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas; photograph on p. 28 courtesy of the National Archives (photo no. 80-G-16871); photographs on pp. 34, 44, 133, 158 copyright © by Thinkstock; photographs on pp. 39, 64 courtesy of the New York Public Library; photograph on p. 41 courtesy of the US National Parks; photograph on pp. 60, 154, 156 courtesy of the United States Air Force; photograph on p. 68 courtesy of the San Diego Air & Space Museum; photograph on p. 129 courtesy of the National Archives (photo no. 243-HP-I-31-2); photograph on p. 136 copyright © by Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Premium Collection/Getty Images; photograph on p. 146 courtesy National Archives (photo no. 208-N-12713); photographs on pp. 149, 165 courtesy of the United States Army; photograph on p. 170 courtesy of US Navy, photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Andrea Perez/Released; photograph on p. 172 by Bill Harmon
Endpaper photograph copyright © by Thinkstock
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Jacket design by Chloë Foglia | Interior design by Hilary Zarycky
Jacket photo courtesy of the National Archives (photo no. 342-AF-29183AC)
Map art by Drew Willis
The text for this book was set in New Caledonia.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Pearson, P. O’Connell (Patricia O’Connell), author.
Title: Fly girls : the daring American women pilots who helped win WWII / P. O’Connell Pearson.
Description: First edition. | New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018. | Audience: Age: 10 and up. | Audience: Grade: 7 to 8.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017011062 | ISBN 9781534404106 (hardcover)
| ISBN 9781534404120 (eBook)
Subjects: LCSH: Women Airforce Service Pilots (U.S.)—Juvenile literature. | Women air pilots—United States—Juvenile literature. | Air pilots, Military—United St
ates—Juvenile literature. | World War, 1939–1945—Aerial operations, American—Juvenile literature. | World War, 1939–1945—Participation, Female—Juvenile literature.
Classification: LCC D790 .P394 2018 | DDC 940.54/497309252—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017011062