Women Airforce Service Pilots (U.S.)
Historical Note
The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was a civilian pilots' organization founded in 1943 by Jacqueline Cochran. It was a merger of the Women's Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) and the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), both started in 1942. It had no military standing.
The goal of the group was to free male pilots for combat roles. Members of WASP were trained as pilots and they tested aircraft, ferried aircraft, and trained other pilots. The WASP program was ended on December 20, 1944. While active, WASP members 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.
In 1977, WASP members received recognition for their World War II service by being granted veteran status and in 2009, were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
Citation:
https://www.army.mil/women/history/pilots.htmlFound in 8 Collections and/or Records:
Martha L. (Smith) Bullock Collection
Mary "Pat" (Hiller) Call WASP Collection
Jean (Taylor) Howard WASP Collection
The Jean (Taylor) Howard WASP Collection contains a black-and-white digital photographic print and a pilot's logbook related to the World War II military service of Jean (Taylor) Howard. The 5x7" print depicts Howard standing in front of an obscured front-facing Piper J-3. She is dressed as a civilian. There is no contextual information on the photograph.
Carol (Nicholson) Lewis Collection
Carol (Nicholson) Lewis (1923-1987) joined the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) in 1943 and was assigned to Moore Air Base (Texas), Class 44-W-7. The collection includes official documents, photographs, correspondence, clippings, and ephemera related to Lewis' 1943-1945 WASP service. A small amount of correspondence and ephemera concerning her marriage is also included in the collection.
Nordhoff and Dunnam Families Collection
The Nordhoff and Dunnam Families Collection contains items relating to the World War I and II service of the Nordhoff and Dunnam families.
Nordhoff and Dunnam families papers
Collection of photographs, scrapbooks, clippings, and assorted ephemera from the Nordhoff and Dunnam families, who served as pilots in World War I and World War II and later founded the Bellevue Airport.
Dora Jean (Dougherty) Strother WASP Photographs Collection
Jeanette R. (Rogowski) Witzkowski World War II Collection
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