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Learning Activity: Closer Look- Who Were the Women Airforce Service Pilots?

Album Description

This album is one part of my final Teaching with Primary Sources Internship Project, to see other parts, click the links below: 

  1. Learning Activity: Women in the Military During World War II
  2. Women in the Military Recruitment Posters: Four Corners Activity
  3. Project-Based Learning Activity: "Introduce a WASP" Project 

Closer Look: Who Were the Women Airforce Service Pilots?

This album presents information and primary sources that you can use in your classroom or learning environment to teach about the Women Airforce Service Pilots in World War II. Use these resources with your students to expand their knowledge of women's contribution to the war effort and the pioneering efforts of female pilots during this period. 

Beginnings: Creation of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs)

The Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) program was a civilian branch of the Army Air Forces during World War II. This program was created in 1943 when famous female aviator Jacqueline Cochran’s training program—the Women's Flying Training Detachment—merged with Nancy Harkness Love's air transport program, the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS). The primary purpose of the WASP program was to free male members of the Army Air Forces (AAF) for combat positions on the front lines by training female pilots to take over the various flying duties needed on the home front. The Women Airforce Service Pilots were the first women to fly military aircraft in the United States, paving the way for future generations of women in military and commercial aviation.

Explore the sources below to learn more about the creation of the WASP program:

  1. Beginnings- "Army is Asking US Women Fliers: Would You Act As Ferry-Pilots?" The Waterbury Democrat, August 14, 1941.
  2. Beginnings- Margery Fitz Taylor Collection (VHP): Photo of Margery and a man standing beside a plane
  3. Beginnings- "No Fuss and Feathers for WAF Squadron's Boss," The Waterbury Democrat, September 19, 1942. 

Life as a WASP: Training, Graduation, and Service

Over 25,000 women applied to training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, but only about 1,074 women became pilots for the WASP program. To enter the WASP program, women needed to have flight experience (as much as 200 hours at the program’s beginning, but less as time went on), pass a physical examination, and go through a personal interview. WASPs went through training that was identical to that of male AAF cadets, but without combat flight instruction. After graduation, most WASPs were assigned to ferry planes, transporting them from factory to base or between bases, while others towed gunnery targets for anti-aircraft gunnery cadets, helped transport personnel and cargo, collected meteorological data, and even trained male AAF cadets.

What was it like to be a Woman Airforce Service Pilot? Explore these sources to learn more: 

  1. Life as a WASP- Aviatrix Leaving Plane
  2. Life as a WASP- "Woman Pilot," Dickenson County Herald, July 8, 1943. 
  3. Life as a WASP- "Ferry Pilots," Laurel Outlook, April 1, 1944. 
  4. Life as a WASP- "WHAT! A girl training men to fly for Uncle Sam?" February 24, 1942. 
  5. Life as a WASP- Catherine Vail Bridge (VHP): P38 Lightning (Photograph)
  6. Life as a WASP- Violet Clara Cowden (VHP): WASP Oral History

Militarization? A Debate about Female Pilots

Some WASPs experienced discrimination because their duties and responsibilities were outside the social expectations for women in this period. As demand for pilots decreased in 1944, male civilian pilots began losing their jobs and were drafted into the Army Air Forces. These pilots began to question whether the WASPs deserved their positions. Meanwhile, Jacqueline Cochran was working hard to militarize the WASP program, meaning that WASP pilots would be considered members of the Army Air Forces rather than civilians. This would ensure better protection, insurance for accidents, and compensation, as well as increased respect from both members of the military and civilians . The Army’s Women Army Corps, the Navy’s WAVES, the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, and the Coast Guard SPARs were all considered militarized, unlike WASPS.  Many people believed that the WASPs deserved to be militarized, including General Henry Arnold, director of the Army Air Forces. However, many male civilian pilots opposed militarization because they wanted to take over the work WASPs were doing. In the end, the WASPs were denied militarization and the program was disbanded in December 1944.

What were the arguments for and against militarization? Read and compare these two articles to find out: 

  1. Militarization?- "Are They Needed?" Evening Star, August 10, 1944. 
  2. Militarization?- "Letters to the Star: Members of WASP Defended Against Alleged Discrimination," Evening Star, September 20, 1944. 

After the War: What Happened to the WASPs?

Because the program was disbanded before it was militarized, WASP pilots were sent home without acknowledgement of their service or access to veterans benefits. After the program ended, the women of the WASP program went on to follow a number of different career paths. Some continued to work in aviation, others moved into new fields, and some decided to leave the workforce altogether. However, many of the WASPs remained committed to gaining recognition and acknowledgement of their service. Over 30 years after the WASP program ended, in 1977, Congress passed the G.I. Bill Improvement Act, which deemed service in the WASP as "active duty,” giving former WASPs access to veterans’ benefits. In 2009, Congress and President Barack Obama awarded the Women Airforce Service Pilots the Congressional Medal of Honor. In 2016 the first WASP was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on her own merit (rather than as a serviceman’s spouse).

What were some of the things former WASPs did after the war? Look through these sources to learn more: 

  1. After the War- "A Little Miss Runs the Airport," Evening Star, August 29, 1948.
  2. After the War- Women in the News: Female Air Traffic Control Operator

Now that your students know the history of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, consider trying this project-based learning activity in  your classroom: "Introduce a WASP" Project 

  3 - 5   6 - 8   9 - 12   13+   English/Language Arts   Social Studies/History   Womens History   Library   World War II   Women in the Military   WASPs   Women Airforce Service Pilots   Jacqueline Cochran   Veterans History Project 

BEGINNINGS- "Army is Asking US Women Fliers: Would You Act As Ferry-Pilots?" The Waterbury Democrat, August 14, 1941.

Teaching Notes

Read this article from Wilmington, North Carolina's Wilmington Morning Star published in August of 1941. Pay special attention to the photograph showing WASP leader Jacqueline Cochran!

Some questions to consider:

  • What challenges did women face in obtaining flight training?
  • How did these limitations impact the number of licensed female pilots at this ? Notice also the discussion of the British Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, or WAAF. What elements of the British program were being considered for implementation in the United States?
  • Why might the author of this article be referencing a pre-existing female pilot program to gain support for the creation of a female ferry pilot command?
  • What role is Jacqueline Cochran playing in the creation of a female pilot program? How does this article describe her and her work?

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn78002169/1941-08-15/ed-1/seq-8/

Reference note

The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.), 15 Aug. 1941. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn78002169/1941-08-15/ed-1/seq-8/>

BEGINNINGS- Margery Fitz Taylor Collection (VHP): Photo of Margery and a man standing beside a plane

Teaching Notes

Take a look at this image of WASP Margery Fitz Taylor standing beside a small plane with a person who might have been a flight instructor or a friend. This photograph seems to be from Taylor's flight training before she entered the WASP program. Many female pilots took private flight lessons or participated in the Civilian Pilot Training Program before applying to become a WASP, since at least a private pilot's license was required for entry. 

This photograph would be a great subject for an Observe, Reflect, Question analysis. 

Some questions to consider: 

  • How does the plane in this photograph differ from the plane in Catherine Vail Bridge's photograph from her time in the WASPs later on in this album? 
  • Where do you think this image was taken?
  • What was the purpose behind this photograph's creation?

It is important to note that because some flight training was mandatory for entry, many people could not join the WASP program. Flight lessons were expensive and took time. Because of this, many women--especially women of color--were unable to meet the requirements.

 Consider: 

  • Who might have access to flight lessons? 
  • What might keep a person from being able to take private flight lessons or participating in the Civilian Pilot Training Program at their college?

Reference link: https://www.loc.gov/resource/afc2001001.37452.ph0001001/?sp=1&r=-0.551,-0.035,2.102,0.796,0

Reference note

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

BEGINNINGS- "'No Fuss and Feathers' for WAF Squadron's Boss," The Waterbury Democrat, September 19, 1942.

Teaching Notes

This article, which appeared in Washington, DC’s Evening Star in September of 1942, profiles the leader of the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), Nancy Harkness Love, and introduces the WAFS. This organization would later merge with Jacqueline Cochran's training program to create the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs). Notice specifically the discussion of Love in the final column, and how Love describes the female pilot program.

Some questions to consider: 

  • What words does she use to describe the program?
  • Why might she be describing the program in this way?

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014085/1942-09-19/ed-1/seq-4/

Reference note

The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.), 19 Sept. 1942. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014085/1942-09-19/ed-1/seq-4/>

LIFE AS A WASP- Aviatrix leaving plane

Teaching Notes

Take a look at this image of an "Aviatrix" (a female pilot) from 1941.

Some questions to consider: 

  • What clothing is she wearing?
  • What might she be carrying?
  • How would the clothing and gear shown in this picture contribute to safety?

Note that flying, especially in military aircraft, was fairly risky at this time. 38 WASPs died while serving in the program, and many others were involved in non-fatal accidents.

WASPs were issued leftover flight suits from male AAF cadets, so they were usually too big and bulky to fit comfortably. Many WASPs pinned, rolled, or tied the flight suits so that they could walk, stand, and fly more easily.

Reference link: https://www.loc.gov/item/2016647661/

Reference note

Created / Published

  • [ca. 1941]

Notes

  • -  Photo by Office of War Information (OWI).
  • -  This record contains unverified, old data from caption card.

Repository

Digital Id

  • cph 3a40558 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3a40558

LIFE AS A WASP- "Woman Pilot," Dickenson County Herald (VA), July 8, 1943.

Teaching Notes

This article was written by Cornelia Fort, one of the first members of the precursor to the WASP program, the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS).

Notice her explanation of why she joined the organization, including the fact that she was flying in Hawaii when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

Some questions to consider: 

  • What specific reasons did she cite for joining the WAFS?
  • How did the attack on Pearl Harbor impact her thinking about the war and her role in the war effort?
  • What might be some other reasons that women joined the WASP program?

You might notice a note at the top of this article about Fort’s death. At 24 years-old, Cornelia Fort was the first woman to die in the line of duty as a military pilot. Although military aviation came with risk, women in the WASP program continued to fly because they cared deeply about their duty to the AAF.

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95079130/1943-07-08/ed-1/seq-5/

Reference note

Dickenson County herald. [volume] (Clintwood, Va.), 08 July 1943. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn95079130/1943-07-08/ed-1/seq-5/>

LIFE AS A WASP- "Ferry Pilots," Laurel Outlook, April 1, 1944.

Teaching Notes

Take a look at this small article from the Laurel Outlook, published in Laurel, Montana in April of 1944. One of the things I love most about this article is its many pictures of WASPs preparing to ferry planes.

A strategy that could be used with this source is a "Zoom In" activity, in which students are prompted to look at several smaller parts of a primary source before the whole.

 Some questions to consider: 

  • Take a look at each individual image. What are the different activities and responsibilities that WASPs took part in?
  • If you only see one image without seeing the others, is it clear who the women are or what they are doing? How do the images work together to create a story?

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86075258/1944-04-12/ed-1/seq-7/

Reference note

Laurel outlook. [volume] (Laurel, Mont.), 12 April 1944. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86075258/1944-04-12/ed-1/seq-7/>

LIFE AS A WASP- "WHAT! A girl training men to fly for Uncle Sam?" Evening Star, February 24, 1942.

Teaching Notes

This is a Camel cigarette ad that was published in Washington, DC's Evening Star in 1942. Penny Lennox, the woman in this advertisement, is not a WASP, but an instructor with the Civilian Pilot Training Program. However, many WASPs were tasked with training Army Air Force cadets at bases around the country.

Some questions to consider: 

  • How does this advertisement depict the dynamic between women instructors and their male students?
  • Does it seem like women as instructors in a position of authority over men was an expected or an unexpected event?

Next, consider the advertisement itself:

  • Why was this subject chosen to advertise this product?
  • Who is the main audience for this advertisement?
  • What makes this advertisement effective or ineffective?

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1942-02-24/ed-1/seq-14/

Reference note

Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.), 24 Feb. 1942. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1942-02-24/ed-1/seq-14/>

LIFE AS A WASP- Catherine Vail Bridge (VHP): P38 "Lightning" (Photograph)

Teaching Notes

Explore this photograph from WASP Catherine Vail Bridge’s VHP collection. Bridge is standing in front of a P-38 “Lightning” aircraft.

A great way to prompt student analysis of this image would be through the Observe, Reflect, Question strategy from the Library of Congress.

Some questions to consider: 

  • What is the first thing you notice when looking at this image?
  • Why might this image have been created? 
  • What further questions do you have after looking at this photograph
  • How does the airplane in this image compare to the airplane in the earlier image from Margery Fitz Taylor's VHP collection? Why do you think the planes are different?

Reference link: https://www.loc.gov/resource/afc2001001.34158.ph0001001/?sp=1

Reference note

Repository

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress

LIFE AS A WASP- Violet Clara Cowden (VHP): WASP Oral History

Teaching Notes

Listen to Violet Clara Cowden's oral history from 14:30 to 16:48, where she describes her duties as a ferry pilot and the feeling of flying planes that had never been flown before.

Some questions to consider: 

  • What duties was she assigned? 
  • How does she describe her feelings while flying?
  • What might be some challenges or dangerous elements of ferrying based on her description?

If you want to hear more about Cowden's experience as a WASP, click here: Violet Clara Cowden Collection

Reference link: https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.18240/

Reference note

Repository:

  • Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center. 

MILITARIZATION?- "Are They Needed?" Evening Star, August 10, 1944.

Teaching Notes

This is an editorial from Washington, DC's Evening Star that was published while Congress was debating whether to militarize the WASP program. Have students read through this article and compare it with the following article.

Some questions to consider: 

  • First ask students about the tone of this piece. They should notice the hostile tone in this article directed at the WASP Pilots.
  • What are some of the words used to describe the program and the women themselves?
  • What is the article’s argument for disbanding the program?
  • Who do you think is the main advocate for disbanding the program in favor of work for male pilots?

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1944-08-10/ed-1/seq-8/

Reference note

Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.), 10 Aug. 1944. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1944-08-10/ed-1/seq-8/>

 

MILITARIZATION?- "Letters to the Star: Members of WASP Defended Against Alleged Discrimination," Evening Star, September 20, 1944.

Teaching Notes

Notice the distinct change in tone regarding the pilots, and the strong argument in favor of the continuation of the program.

Some questions to consider: 

  • How does this article differ from the previous article?
  • An important element of this article to notice is the authors--both authors are women. How might this contribute to the difference in tone and viewpoint?
  • How do the authors point out some of the gendered language and arguments used in “Are They Needed” and other discussions of this issue?
  • Which argument seems more compelling or persuasive, and why?

After looking at both articles, consider:

  • Why was the presence of women in military aviation during WWII controversial?
  • Why were women denied the ability to enter the Army Air Forces as members of the military rather than civilians?
  • What inferences can you make about the authors of these two articles? Reflect on the similarities and differences you may see in their writing--How does this demonstrate an example of bias in newspaper articles, editorials, reader letters?
  • Determine the tone behind each of the articles. How might this affect and influence the intended audience or reader?
 

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1944-09-20/ed-1/seq-10/

Reference note

Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.), 20 Sept. 1944. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1944-09-20/ed-1/seq-10/>

AFTER THE WAR- "A Little Miss Runs the Airport," Evening star, August 29, 1948.

Teaching Notes

Read through this article about Helen McGilvery, a former WASP, about her career running an airport in Annapolis, Maryland after the end of WWII.

Some questions to consider: 

  • What responsibilities does she have in her position?
  • What elements of her job does she say give her the most fulfillment?
  • How does the author’s tone and word choice when describing McGilvery and her work point to his opinions or feelings about women in aviation?

Reference link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1948-08-29/ed-1/seq-113

Reference note

Newspaper: Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972
Newspaper Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1948-08-29/ed-1/seq-113
Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC
PDF Link: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1948-08-29/ed-1/seq-113.pdf

AFTER THE WAR- Women in the news: Female Air Traffic Control Operator

Teaching Notes

Watch this newsreel, called "Women in the News," from 5:44 to 6:27 to see Betty Archibald, a former WASP, working as an air traffic control tower operator.

Some questions to consider:

  • What is unique or new about Archibald's position?
  • What technology is she using to do her job?
  • Why do you think former WASPs worked in air traffic control positions like Archibald's?

Link: https:https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/mbrs/ntscrm/02023033/02023033.mp4

Reference link: https://www.loc.gov/item/2018600179/

Reference note

Title

  • Women in the news. Vol. 1, no. 34

Other Title

  • Variant title: Women in the news
  • Inventory title: Women in the news with Adelaide Hawley

Names

  • Cumming, Adelaide Hawley, 1905-1998, narration, editing
  • All American News, Inc
  • United Artists Television (Firm)

Created / Published

  • United States : United Artists Television, 1950-10-27

Contents

  • [Intro with Adelaide Hawley] (24 sec.) -- Women make U.N. flag (1:15 min.) -- Air Force women mechanics (1:15 min.) -- Household hint (54 sec.) -- Girl raises skunk (53 sec.) -- Personalities in the news [passengers arriving on the Queen Elizabeth] (57 sec.) -- Girl directs air traffic (44 sec.) -- Teen-age knitting champ (1:30 min.) -- Landlords protest delay (1:30 min.) -- Great-grandmother at 54 (1 min.) -- Dionne Quints in U.S. (45 sec.) -- [closing with Adelaide Hawley] (15 sec.).

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2018600179