08/06/2026
On this day in 1943, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) were formed by the merging of the Women’s Flying Training Detachment and the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron after pilots Jacqueline Cochran and Nancy Harkness Love had each independently proposed that the U.S. Army Air Forces recruit women as pilots in non-combat missions to free up male pilots for combat.
Over 25,000 women applied to be WASPs. Relatively few were selected, and ultimately only 1,047 pilots graduated from the training program. The WASPs took on critical, dangerous tasks like ferrying aircraft from factories to bases, towing training targets, and even flying new and repaired aircraft to test their safety.
38 WASPs died in service. Despite the fact that the WASPs wore uniforms and put their lives on the line, they were considered civilians by the federal government. Resultantly, when a WASP died in service, the government was not considered responsible for funeral expenses. WASPs pooled their funds together to send the fallen home.
The WASPs’ military service was not recognized until 1977, 33 years after the force had been disbanded. In 2009, the WASPs were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. The same year, they were inducted into the San Diego Air and Space Museum’s International Air & Space Hall of Fame.
We honor the WASPs’ service.
Read more: https://foundationforwomenwarriors.org/women-airforce-service-pilots-wasp/
