During World War II, women pilots flew 80 percent of all ferrying missions. They delivered over 12,000 aircraft. WASP freed around 900 male pilots for combat duty during World War II.
Women pilots were also called "aviatrices". Women have been flying powered aircraft since 1908; prior to 1970, however, most were restricted to working privately or in support roles in the aviation industry. Aviation also allowed women to "travel alone on unprecedented journeys".
Survivors include their children, Stranburg, of Beaverton, Ore., and Kim Eric Olsen, of University Place; a grandson; and a great-grandson. There are 37 living WASPs today, according to Kimberly Johnson, the archivist and curator of the WASP archive at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Tex.
The WASPs faced much opposition during their time as pilots, mainly sabotage, the main focus of “The Hidden Risk Faced by Female Pilots During World War II†from TIME. Former Women Airforce Service Pilots contributed their stories of being seen as less of a pilot and even being sabotaged.
Due to political pressures and the increasing availability of male pilots, the WASPs were disbanded effective on Dec. 20, 1944, with no benefits. The exploits of these dedicated women were largely ignored by the U.S. government for more than 30 years.
In the United States, White Anglo-Saxon Protestants or WASPs are the white American Protestant elite, typically of British descent.
The acronym WASP derives, of course, from White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, but as acronyms go, this one is more deficient than most. Lots of people, including powerful figures and some presidents, have been white, Anglo-Saxon and Protestant but were far from being WASPs.
Women Airforce Service Pilots
| United States Army Air Forces |
|---|
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 2.4 million airmen (March 1944) 80,000 aircraft (July 1944) |
| Garrison/HQ | Munitions Building, Washington, D.C. (1941–1942) The Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia (1942–1947) |
| Engagements | World War II |
Each WASP had a pilot's license, but was retrained to fly the Army way by the U.S. Army Air Forces at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.
