World War II woman pilot tells her story

Many of these stories are available at the Women's Memorial in Arlington, VA. That we won't allow them internment at Arlington is a shame.

Thank you my friend CW5 Jack Cardwell for sharing the video of 89-year-old Lee Doerr taking about her experiences and the role women played in World War II as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP. This was filmed at Sweetwater Airport, Hangar One which now houses the National WASP WWII Museum located at 210 Avenger Field Rd., Sweetwater, Texas.
Produced by Nick Oza, The Arizona Republic.

Image:
1. 1942 Jacqueline Cochran (center) as head of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) Jackie Cochran with WASP trainees, Image from United States Air Force WWII data base;
2. Built in 1929 and originally the home of the Sweetwater Airport, Hangar One now houses the National WASP WWII Museum. “Hangar One” was named by the Board of Directors of the National WASP WWII Museum in honor of the original WASP training hangar located across the runway where the Fixed Base Operation (FBO) is today.

Background on the WASP Program from 97858104.weebly.com/wasps.html
"Women's Airforce Service Pilots
The Women's Airforce Service pilots began in 1943 when the Women's Auxilary Ferrying Squadron and the Women's Flying Training Detachment combined. Nancy Love became the ferrying division director, and Jackie Cochran became director of the WASPs and training division.
"The group of female pilots was called the Women Airforce Service Pilots — WASP for short. In 1944, during the graduation ceremony for the last WASP training class, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Air Forces, Henry "Hap" Arnold, said that when the program started, he wasn't sure "whether a slip of a girl could fight the controls of a B-17 in heavy weather." "Now in 1944, it is on the record that women can fly as well as men," Arnold said." -NPR Cindy Carpien.
"This is not a time when women should be patient. We are in a war and we need to fight it with all our ability and every weapon possible. Women pilots, in this particular case, are a weapon waiting to be used." — Eleanor Roosevelt, 1942.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. -Eleanor Roosevelt

"I am proud to recognize the contribution the WASP made to World War II. They set the stage for today's women to fly and fight with their spirit and enthusiasm. These heroines.. heard the call and responded with the skills and dedication that gave out country the boost it needed to win World War II."
-Sheila Widnall, Secretary of the AF
"The people, the press, the government - few were willing to truly accept women in such a role as a fighter or bomber pilot. This is actually another way of looking at gender bias, but consider that it was 'acceptable' for women to replace men in mundane jobs under extreme need – Rosie the Riveter, munitions workers, etc -- but aviators – flyboys – were the elite and what they did was the stuff of heroes and hero-worship. Women were treading on forbidden ground." ~Sarah Byrn Rickman

Built in 1929 and originally the home of the Sweetwater Airport, Hangar One now houses the National WASP WWII Museum. “Hangar One” was named by the Board of Directors of the National WASP WWII Museum in honor of the original WASP training hangar located across the runway where the Fixed Base Operation (FBO) is today.
“You and more than 900 of your sisters have shown that you can fly wingtip to wingtip with your brothers. If ever there was a doubt in anyone’s mind that women can become skillful pilots, the WASPs have dispelled that doubt.” - Gen. Hap Arnold, AAF, in a speech to the last class of WASPs, before the program was disbanded in December 1944.

FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Lt Col Charlie Brown Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey SGT Mark Halmrast Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. SGT Gregory Lawritson CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke 1stSgt Eugene Harless CPT Scott Sharon

I SALUTE YOU, MA'AM; WITH ALL OF MY LOVE. CW5 Jack Cardwell