The Stars and Stripes-The National Tribune, Volume 100, Number 36, September 8, 1977 Page: 3 of 16
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Thursday, September 8, 1977 THE STARS AND STRIPES-THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE 3
The Killing Of The
WASP Program In 1944[Women Airforce Service Pilots
[WASP] were licensed experi-
enced women pilots recruited by
the depleted AAF at the beginning
of WWII when the nation needed an
air force overnight. Despite Con-
gress' initial commitment that
they would formally militarize the
unit, the WASPs oath and perfor-
mance record in all AAF aircraft
under the complete jurisdiction of
the military was conveniently dis-
missed when it became apparent
some two years later that enough
men would be available. Disband-
ed in December 1944, they still seek
veterans benefits under S. 247 and
H.R. 3321, H.R. 3277, H.R. 5087,
H.R. 5170, H.R. 5171, H.R. 5211,
H.R. 5666, H.R. 5718, H.R. 6173,
H.R. 6450, H.R. 7084, H.R. 7450,
H.R. 7451, and H.R. 7367.1
In these last weeks prior to the
House Select Subcommittee hear-
ing on the future of the WASPs, one
question is repeatedly asked:
"How is it possible that you people
were never actually officially ac-
knowledged for your military ser-
vice?"
The reasons are simply explain-
ed.
In the immediate hours following
Pearl Harbor, the U.S. plunged
desperately into an enormous sur-
vival effort. All-out war against
incredible odds required utilization
of every capability from all citi-
zens. Policies, procedures and reg-
ulations were often written after
the fact. It was imperative that this
nation mount an immediate war
machine larger than the world had
ever known.
Men and women were pressed
into service according to their best
abilities and some of these women
could fly.
A brief shakedown in RAF birds
conclusively proved their superior
capabilities. The Army Air Corps,
in their frantic search for trained
pilots, swore them in, determining
to legalize the procedure as soon as
the initial emergency leveled out.
The exigencies of 1942 determined
that they be brought in under Civil
Service since the existing regula-
tions of that agency could support
paying the salary of women pilots.
Under full military jurisdiction,
(except for a monthly salary
check), the WASPs and the AAF
pressed on to win a war. Somehow,
the regs didn't seem to matter
much stacked against torn and
bleeding brothers, husbands,
fathers and friends.
The war went on.
The tasks assigned to the WASPs
were classified, creating another
problem. Very few ever really
knew and no astute member of the
press was ever allowed to pursue
the full story on those green-fa-
tigued or blue-suited women wear-
ing wings.
The WASPs were an elite
cadre...necessarily blacked out
with the lights, the censured let-
ters, the APO numbers, etc., be-
cause of their assignments. Their
resolute dedication to a tough task
precluded immediate acknow-
ledgement; it was enough to be
accepted by the men they flew
among, with and for.
Finally, in June of 1944, H.R. 4219
was introduced by Representative
John Costello of California, a mem-
ber of the Armed Services Commit-
tee. Hearings on the bill were
initiated and the bill was favorably
reported out of Committee and toPatricia Co
WASPthe floor on 21 June 1944.
H.R. 4219 basically provided two
things: 1. Militarization for the
WASPs, and 2. An increase in the
number of WASPs from approxi-
matply 1,000 to 5,000 women.
It is critical to note that only 15
days before on the 6th of June, "D-
Day" had taken place in Norman-
dy. Most of our military leaders,
including Gen. Arnold, Chief of the
AAF, were on the beach in Nor-
mandy when Congressional floor
action took place. This was a trying
time for all the services and the Air
Corps especially, as it was not
known how many pilots would be
needed for the battle of Europe and
the coming battle against the
Japanese.
For planning purposes, Gen. Ar-
nold at this time could not assume
that the atomic bomb would prove
successful...or even be used; a
large number of pilots would be
needed for the invasion of the
Japanese islands.
One point was specifically clear,
however, to the Air Corps. The
losses in Germany, so far, had
been far less than anticipated,
whereas the ground force losses in
Germany were expected to be
high; many more troops were
needed immediately in the Army.
Gen. Arnold, therefore, discontin-
ued flight training for some 4,000
aviation cadets and gave these
men to the Army.
To take care of the Air Corps'
future pilot requirements, Gen.
Arnold determined that the opera-
tional pilots in the pipeline already
scheduled to fly combat, plus the
male service pilots already in the
Air Corps who could be rapidly
brought up to speed for combat
assignment, should be added to the
combat readiness pilots already on
duty in Europe. European Theatre
of Operations requirements would
thereby be satisfied.
With the surrender of Germany,
these pilots could then be added to
those already on duty in the Pacific
Theatre preparing for the invasion
of Japan. All areas, therefore,
seemed to be covered except one:
Who would do the service pilot
flying after the male service pilots
had gone to combat units?
The 1,000 WASPs already flying
for the Air Corps had proven that
women pilots could handle all of
the service pilot jobs in the U.S. It
was for this reason that Gen.
Arnold asked for an increase in
women pilots and at the same time
gave up 4,000 male pilot trainees.
This point was never understood by
members of Congress during the
debate when H.R. 4219 reached the
floor of the House in 1944.
Many of the 4,000 flying cadets
who were transferred to the ground
forces wrote to members of Con-
gress complaining about the
"treatment they received". In ad-
dition, many qualified civilian pilot
instructors, who had previously
been offered commissions in the
Army Air Corps but who had
turned them down because the pay
was better and duties less arduous
in civilian service, now felt that
their jobs would be terminated and
that WASPs as members of the Air
Corps would take over their func-
tion, thus, making many of them
vulnerable to the draft. These men
formed a lobby which put tremen-
dous pressure on members of
Congress to not only do away withllins Hughes
the WASP militarization, but also
to prevent WASP expansion.
Pressure was brought to bear
specifically on the Chairman of the
House Committee on Civil Service
who produced a committee report
that was based upon untruths and
questionable information sources.
(Report No. 1600, submitted by Mr.
Robert Ramspeck to House Com-
mittee on Civil Service, June 5,
1944.) The report was discrimina-
tory, biased, and maliciously un-
flattering to the WASP program
and the extraordinary pioneering
flight record they were establish-
ing for women.
The chairman of this committee,
who was totally against the WASP
program, was sitting in the speak-
er's chair on the day the bill
reached the floor. Debate centered
around that portion of the Costello
Bill which asked for the increase of
WASPs to 5,000. Militarization was
barely even mentioned. As a re-
sult, the bill was voted down and
WASP militarization died at that
time. The Senate also had a similar
bill, but, since the House bill failed,
a statesman could not be found
to get the Senate bill out of
committee.
In the meantime, the WASPs in
service who had been flying with-
out proper insurance or hospitali-
zation, continued their operations
until December 1944 when the Air
Corps decided that the program
must be shut down. This decision
was based on the fact that the 1944
Congress had shown that they
would not support the program.
Any program dies of normal attri-
tion unless new people are contin-
ually coming in. The Air Corps did
however, entitle all WASPs who
formally joined the Air Force
(without the opportunity to remain
on flight status) the right to wear
all WASP decorations including
WASP wings on the Air Force
uniform.
Many accusations were made
against the WASPs, most of which
were printed in the House Civil
Service Committee report. It is a
tragic paradox that no member of
that Congress which served during
a time of intense concern over the
rights of humanity was prepared to
defend the WASP program against
those malicious charges.
The records still show that the
women's accident rate was lower
than the men's; the women were
able to transition better than the
men into all types of aircraft; and
the women were able pilots equally
skilled and in many instances
better thandthe male pilots.
Q. Are loans available through
the VA for personal reasons or the
purchase of automobiles?
A. No. The VA guarantees loans
for eligible veterans for the pur-
chase of homes. For eligible GI Bill
students, education loans may be
obtained. These are the only loan
programs available from the VA.
Q. In 1966 I bought a $5,000 "JR"
insurance policy because I was
totally disabled. I have a $5,000World War II "V" policy on waiv-
er. Can I get a waiver of premiums
on my "JR" policy too?
A. No waiver will be granted for
total disability in existence at the
time your insurance became ef-
fective.VA TO CO
By Gerald W. Dennis
Coordinator Veterans' Affairs
[VCIP] College of DuPage
Senator Alan Cranston's plan to
place the Veterans Cost of Instruc-
tion (VCIP) under the control of
the Veterans Administration is
untenable and repugnant to the
institutions administering this pro-
gram. The very success of this
program can be directly attributed
to the minimal bureaucratic inter-
ferences provided in the laws and
regulations mandated by the
USOE.
The intent of this program was
directed to serving the Vietnam
Era Veteran with emphasis on the
educationally disadvantaged.
Academicians were expected to
create or modify campus pro-
grams such as toaenable the
veteran to enter a pre-college or
refresher program that would lead
to an educational or vocational
objective. The VCIP programs
were given jurisdiction over all
types of veterans' needs ranging
from other-than-honorable dis-
charges to social/civil problems
falling beyond the jurisdictions of
the Veterans Administration.
Further, the VCIP programs fo-
cused on the archaic policies and
procedures within the VA that
delayed payments to needy veter-
ans, causing their withdrawals
from various training programs.
VCIP programs became the om-
budsman and advocate to the
Vietnam Era Veteran's pervasive
needs. To place the VCIP program
under the VA would destroy this
dynamic and viable role.
Although the USOE has never
fully adopted the VCIP program,
they have given encouragement to
the building of constructive veter-
ans programs. Perhaps HEW
should consider transferring this
program to another department
within their own agency, such as
the Office of Veterans Affairs.
HEW has recently downgraded
this office. It would seem that
HEW intends to divest themselves
of veterans programs entirely. It is
ironic to have spawned a program
that has proven itself to be highly
successful, and then to consider
transferring it to another agency
which is certain to smother its
usefulness to the veteran.
The VA launched an alternative
program, the Veterans' Repre-
sentative, shortly after the incep-
tion of the VCIP program. The
Veterans' Representative program
has never reached the successes of
the VCIP program simply because-
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PHONE (512) 935-2410OPT VCIP?
it is under the control of the VA
instead of the institutions being
served. The VA is presently 'pha-
sing-out' this program since it does
not seem to have met their own
expectations. The VA has often
found the VCIP programs a thorn
in their side by the exposure of
various internal procedures within
the VA. The VA has gone farther by
attempting to impose standards
upon the educational institutions
that are contrary to educational
policy and discriminatory to the
veteran. There has resulted a
number of lawsuits nationwide
challenging the VA's actions. Nat-
urally the VA would like to curtail
these actions by co-opting the
VCIP program that is operating
successfully within these institu-
tions.
In summary, how can the VA
assume jurisdictionover the insti:
tutions certifying process when the
VA clearly is barred from certify-
ing unto themselves? How can the
VA sit in institution's committees
that formulate educational policies
when the VA is barred from
interfering with educational pol-
icy? How can the VA promote state
and community veterans' benefits
when they are a federal agency?
How can the VA serve the excep-
tionally disadvantaged veteran-
having an other-than-honorable
discharge? How can the VA initiate
job placement programs within the
various communities? There are
many other areas of services rou-
tinely served by VCIP offices that
would be lost through transference
to VA control.
Perhaps the VA is seeking places
to transfer their VET REPS as
they continue to deplete their roles.
In any event, we still believe it
would have been more productive
to have placed the VCIP staff
within the VA to assist rather than
the placement of VET REPS on
campuses. The veteran will con-
tinue to need a non-bureaucratic
advocate to help him through the
myriad of red tape both within the
VA as well as at the educational
institutions. VCIP has been this
catalyst over the past four years
and ought to continue being the
same until it is no longer needed.r
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Smith, John Lewis, III. The Stars and Stripes-The National Tribune, Volume 100, Number 36, September 8, 1977, newspaper, September 8, 1977; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth887912/m1/3/?q=%22~1~1%22~1: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting National WASP WWII Museum.