Historical Context
Beginning of the WASP During World War II, Jacqueline Cochran showed leadership by speaking out for women that wanted to participate in the war all across the nation. The military refused to use women, but eventually a shortage of male pilots caused officials to consider new options. This led to the beginning of the Women Aviator Service Pilots (WASP) who would work as ferrying pilots while men went into combat.
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/detail/wwii-female-pilot-tells-exhilarating-secret-stories-of-wartime-exploits
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"I learned to fly an airplane from a former world war ace. If only I were a man there would be a place for me." Nancy Harkness Love, an experienced aviator had her own women aviation program called the Women Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS). The Air Transport Command (ATC) asked for twenty-five of their best women pilots to occupy open aviation jobs. Around the same time, General Henry Arnold authorized another group of women pilots lead by Jacqueline Cochran called the Women's Flying Training Detachment (WFTD). Soon after, both groups combined to make the Women Air force Service Pilots (WASP).
The Avenger Newspaper:
An article describing what WASP is, and some of the trainees
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