[Women Airforce Service Pilots, WWII] Page: 2 of 3
This pamphlet is part of the collection entitled: National WASP WWII Museum and was provided to The Portal to Texas History by the National WASP WWII Museum.
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The Women Air Force Service Pilots first came to
Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas in 1943. Here, they, like
their male counterparts, learned to fly United States Army
Air Force airplanes. The WASP program originated at
Houston Municipal Airport. At the request of Air Force
Commanding General, H. H. "Hap" Arnold, Jacqueline
Cochran was named Director of the Women's Flying Train-
ing Detachment on November 17, 1942. On February 21,
1943, the training program was relocated to Avenger Field,
six miles west of Sweetwater.
Avenger Field had been a training base for British Air
Force Cadets from June 22 thru August 1, 1942. U.S. Army
Air Force Cadets replaced these men and remained thru
April 9, 1943. The arrival of WASP trainees made Avenger
the only military coeducational flying field in United States
history; subsequently it became the only all female training
base in the world to date.
Although the WASPs had only Civil Service status, they
trained under military discipline. Trainees flev in "zoot
suits" (ill-fitting coveralls, ordinarily made for male pilots),
and had tan slacks and white shirts for a dress uniform.
Eventually, the Santiago Blue uniform was adopted, to be
worn only by graduates. Of the twenty five thousand
applicants, one thousand eight hundred and thirty were
accepted, and one thousand and seventy four earned
wings. The original seven month course included one
hundred eighty hours of ground school, and one hundred
eighteen hours of flight training. These young women
advanced from light aircraft to piloting every model in the
Air Corps inventory at that time. WASP ferried planes, towed
targets, flew tracking missions, and did smoke laying. They
flew simulated bombing missions, did radio control, search-
light strafing, gave instrument instruction, and flight-
tested aircraft among other duties. Thirty eight WASP died
in service to their country.
The WASP were pioneers of aviation. These coura-
geous and gallant ladies have been honored with a memo-
rial, dedicated May 22, 1993, which is located at Avenger
Field, the site today of the Texas State Technical College
campus. A "Walk of Honor" lists the names of each Women's
Air Force Service Pilot trainee, with gold stars to designate
casualties. A Life-Size bronze statue of a trainee dressed in
"zoot suit", was designed and sculpted by WASP, Dorothy
Swain Lewis, a professional artist. It features the WASP
motto, "WE LIVE IN THE WIND AND THE SAND AND OUR EYES
ARE ON THE STARS".
A bronze replica of the WASP mascot, Fifinella, or "Fifi"
stands in the lobby of the Nolan County Courthouse in
Sweetwater. Fifinella was designed by Walt Disney espe-C
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[Women Airforce Service Pilots, WWII], pamphlet, Date Unknown; Sweetwater, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth888111/m1/2/?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.