WWII "WASP" Pat Young
Honorary Member Of The Dawn Patrol
The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)
were a pioneering organization of civilian female pilots employed to fly military
aircraft under the direction of the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. The
female pilots of the WASP would end up numbering 1,074, each freeing a male pilot for
combat service and duties. The WASP flew over 60 million miles in all, in every type of
military aircraft.WASPs were granted veteran status in 1977, and presented the Gold Medal
in 2010.
The WASP women pilots each already had a pilot's license or at
least 35 hours of flight time. They were trained to fly "the Army way" by the
U.S. Army Air Forces at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. More than 25,000 women applied
for WASP service, and fewer than 1,900 were accepted After completing four months of
military flight training, 1,078 of them earned their wings and became the first women to
fly American military aircraft. Except for the fact that the women were not training for
combat, their course of instruction was essentially the same as that for aviation cadets.
The percentage of trainees who were eliminated during training compared favorably with the
elimination rates for male cadets in the Central Flying Training Command. After training,
the WASPs were stationed at 120 air bases across the U.S. assuming numerous flight-related
missions, relieving male pilots for combat duty.. They flew sixty million miles of
operational flights from aircraft factories to ports of embarkation and military training
bases, towing targets for live anti-aircraft artillery practice and simulated strafing
missions, and transporting cargo. Almost every type of aircraft flown by the USAAF during
World War II was also flown at some point by women in these roles. Between September 1942
and December 1944, the WASP delivered 12,650 aircraft of 78 different types.
Thirty-eight WASP fliers lost their lives while serving during
the war * 11 in training and 27 on active duty, all in accidents. Because they were not
considered to be in the military under the existing guidelines, a fallen WASP was sent
home at family expense without traditional military honors or note of heroism. The army
would not even allow the U.S. flag to be put on fallen WASP pilots' coffins.
WASPs were granted veteran status in 1977. The WASP Gold Medal was authorized by Congress
in 2009 and presented in 2010.
Pat received her Congressional gold medal at the
2010 Salute To Veterans Air Show Dinner.
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Pat after a ride in Havey Cleveland's Beyrl at
Liberty
Landing International Airport.
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