World War II women warriors pass on history, heritage

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Matthew Rosine
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  After pooling her quarters with her cousin to pay the whopping, 1920s fee of $1.50, Caro Bayley climbed into a Tri-motor Ford airplane at Springfield Airfield, Ohio. She was about to make a historic flight -- the first in her life.

Soaring over the clouds, the young girl looked down at the ground. She gazed at the panorama beneath her, and she knew what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

“I didn’t know if I could,” Ms. Bayley said. “Women just didn’t do that sort of thing back then, but I knew, if I could, that that is what I really wanted to do. I wanted to fly.”

Finally touching down, Ms. Bayley hopped out of the old airplane and took her first steps toward the future -- a future in flight. While the little girl dreamed, she had no idea how her dreams, like those of so many other girls, would take flight. She was destined to join an elite group of historic aviators, the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots -- the first women in U.S. history to fly America’s military aircraft.

Now, more than 70 years later, Ms. Bayley, National WASP Organization president, and 29 of her fellow pilots met once again at their old home, Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. They passed on the history and heritage they created to the next generation of women pilots and young girls who dare to dream during the opening of the first National Women’s Airforce Service Pilots World War II Museum on May 28.

“What makes human beings special is that we can look to future with a vision of where we want to go, but we can also look to our past to find that vision,” said Col. Christina Lafferty, senior Air Force Reserve adviser to the president of National Defense University. “These women are an integral part of Air Force history as well as human history. If we forget the tremendous accomplishments of these women, then we will have lost a very special part our past for ourselves and our children.”

During the early part of World War II, the United States was suffering from a shortage of male pilots. Offering a solution, Jacqueline Cochran, then considered America’s premiere woman aviator, approached and convinced Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold to recruit and train young women pilots. These women aviators would be trained just like their male counterparts and, having the same skills, would be able to replace the men needed for combat duty. More than 25,000 women applied but only 1,830 women were selected for the program and 1,074 actually graduated.

From the beginning, the future pilots would have to overcome many trials before earning their wings. Each pilot had to pay for her own trip to Texas to enter the program. Despite the surge in America’s war patriotism, they still had to overcome the challenges of a nationwide stigma toward women in the pilot’s seat.

“My parents really supported my decision,” Ms. Bayley said. “My father told me, ‘All you need to do is to do something well.’ My father knew what I wanted, and both he and my mother supported me. In fact, it wasn’t until years later that I asked my mother how she felt about it all because she never mentioned it. That’s when I found out the truth. She said, ‘You have no idea how much criticism I received from other women for letting you do this. But, I still always supported you.’”

Many having only the love and support of their friends and family, the pilots flocked to Texas to do their part for their country.

“None of us knew what we were getting into back then,” Ms. Bayley said. “I remember walking through a repair hangar at Patterson Field where they were working on some airplanes, and I thought how exciting it would be just to get a ride in one of those planes. I never ever thought I would ever be allowed to fly one them. It never even entered my mind.”

“We never dreamed that we would be setting records and making history,” said WASP’ Maxine Flournoy. “Heavens, no. We were all just trying to do our part. Everyone was so patriotic back then, and we just wanted to do our part in the war effort.”

The WASP did their part. Combined, the women were stationed at more than 120 Army installations and flew more than 66 million miles in every type of aircraft in the U.S. military arsenal. They towed targets in live-fire air-to-air gunnery practice and anti-aircraft artillery practice, then flight tested repaired aircraft, simulated strafing runs, flew weather missions and night tracking missions. They even flew missions to train navigators and bombardiers as well as put on B-26 Marauder and B-29 Superfortress demonstrations to prove these aircraft were safe to fly.

They did everything the male counterparts did, except fly in combat. In fact, many went on to set records and other aviation milestones. Cora Bayley, for example, set an altitude record of 30, 203 feet in 1951. That same year, she won the title of 1951 National Women’s' Aerobatics Champion.

In the service of their country, 38 WASP gave their lives. Because of the situation at the time, these heroines received no military death benefits and no military honors. The U.S. flag was not allowed to be draped over their caskets, and the bodies of each pilot had to be sent home at the expense of the family.

At the end of 1944, with Allied victory at hand, the WASP organization was disbanded. Once discharged, the pilots received no benefits or military honors of any kind. It was not until 1977 when WASP military records were unclassified that Congress granted veteran status to them.

While their contribution to America’s military may have been short, it had a direct effect on future generations.

“I have known about the WASP for many years,” said Capt. Crystal Powers, a 9th Bomb Squadron B-1B Lancer pilot here. “I have read many books about them and have helped to celebrate their history. I have, along with a lot of my friends, been inspired by what they have done. Unfortunately, we still don’t have a lot of women pilots in the Air Force today, but I hope, in some small way, to continue the traditions of excellence in flying for women today that (were) created by these outstanding women.”

"They kicked open the door that allowed me to be a pilot," said Vickie Heckman who flies a 1941 Byline Meyers OTW. "When I was 15 years old, I wanted to fly, but my mother wouldn't allow it. So I just had to marry myself a pilot, and he let me fly all I wanted."

But, the organization did more than just inspire women to be pilots, as Ms. Heckman's daughter, Aimee can attest.

"I work a lot with underprivileged kids," she said. "Many of the girls I work with don't think they can do a lot of things. The integrity and courage these ladies demonstrated is simply inspirational. They established a legacy and an example for all young girls to follow."

However, many visitors to the museum feel the accomplishments the pilots achieved are inspirational for everyone -- not just women.

"I think that everything these women achieved in serving their country is an example to anyone," said 2nd Lt. Chris Scheibler. He just earned his commission two weeks before visiting the new museum. "What they did is really important. Their example showed a lot about equality. We're all the basically the same and regardless of whether you are a man or a woman ... you can make history. And that is a valuable lesson to learn."

And now that the museum is officially opened, these World War II winged women warriors are able to ensure that their messages for future generations will be passed on long after they are gone.

Of course, while they are still here, they have plenty to say to those future generations.

"When I think about the future, I get excited for those girls," Ms. Flournoy said. "The only advice they need is, 'Go for it!'"

"I tell them to look around themselves and to do everything they can," Ms. Bayley said. "To those dreamers, I say keep dreaming. They can do anything they put their hearts and minds too. It might take awhile sometimes -- you just don't know what kind of a world they are going into -- but they can always make a difference."

For more information about the WASP or the WASP museum, go online to www.waspwwii.org or www.avengerfield.org.