Mech
BANNED
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2011
- Messages
- 3,161
- Reaction score
- -5
- Country
- Location
Women Airforce Service Pilots
The female component of the U.S. air forces, known as the WASPs. Three years before the United States entered World War II, one of Americas prominent women pilots, Jacqueline Cochran, suggested that women pilots could serve in noncombat flying roles to free men for emergency war-preparedness duty. Because there was no pressing manpower problem, the Army demurred.
By 1942, however, the supply of aviation cadets could not meet demand. In September 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Cochran director of the Womans Flying Training Detachment (WFTD). Cochrans job was to supervise and coordinate the training of women pilots for assignment to the Womens Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) of the Air Transport Command.WAFSs job was to ferry new fighters and bombers to air bases throughout the United States. In 1943, the WFTD merged with WAFS to form the Womens Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), with Cochran as director and Nancy Love as executive commander.
By 1944, combat losses were below predictions, and large numbers of USAAF pilots were rotating home to take over stateside duties. General Henry H. Hap Arnold, who had gone on record that women can fly as well as men, announced the WASP program would end on 20 December 1944.WASPs were summarily sent home without military benefits. However, on 23 November 1977 President Jimmy Carter signed legislation giving the WASPs veterans benefits more than 30 years after they had been disbanded. WASPs delivered 12,650 planes of 77 different types. They ferried more than 50 percent of all the high-speed pursuit planes. More than 25,000 women applied to WASP; of the 1,830 women admitted, 1,074 graduated.They flew more than 60 million miles; 38 lost their lives in accidents.
Mrs. Cochran.
The female component of the U.S. air forces, known as the WASPs. Three years before the United States entered World War II, one of Americas prominent women pilots, Jacqueline Cochran, suggested that women pilots could serve in noncombat flying roles to free men for emergency war-preparedness duty. Because there was no pressing manpower problem, the Army demurred.
By 1942, however, the supply of aviation cadets could not meet demand. In September 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Cochran director of the Womans Flying Training Detachment (WFTD). Cochrans job was to supervise and coordinate the training of women pilots for assignment to the Womens Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) of the Air Transport Command.WAFSs job was to ferry new fighters and bombers to air bases throughout the United States. In 1943, the WFTD merged with WAFS to form the Womens Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), with Cochran as director and Nancy Love as executive commander.
By 1944, combat losses were below predictions, and large numbers of USAAF pilots were rotating home to take over stateside duties. General Henry H. Hap Arnold, who had gone on record that women can fly as well as men, announced the WASP program would end on 20 December 1944.WASPs were summarily sent home without military benefits. However, on 23 November 1977 President Jimmy Carter signed legislation giving the WASPs veterans benefits more than 30 years after they had been disbanded. WASPs delivered 12,650 planes of 77 different types. They ferried more than 50 percent of all the high-speed pursuit planes. More than 25,000 women applied to WASP; of the 1,830 women admitted, 1,074 graduated.They flew more than 60 million miles; 38 lost their lives in accidents.
Mrs. Cochran.