Let's hear it for the women who came before us who opened the doors even if they were shut again for decades.
It was so wonderful to see the women of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II finally get recognition this week. Of course it took far too long to acknowledge them with so many having passed on already.
The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), and the predecessor groups the Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) and the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) (from September 10, 1942) were pioneering organizations 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 would end up numbering a little over thousand, each freeing a male pilot for combat service and duties. The WFTD and WAFS were combined on August 5, 1943 to create the para-military WASP organization. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)
Today approximately 300 are still alive. Three of them met this week with President Obama to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. What took so long? Well, history wasn't kind to them.
All records of the WASP were classified and sealed for 35 years, so their contributions to the war effort were little known and inaccessible to historians. In 1975, under the leadership of Col. Bruce Arnold, son of General Hap Arnold, the WASPs fought the "Battle of Congress" in Washington, D.C., to belatedly obtain recognition as veterans of World War II. They organized as a group again and tried to gain public support for their official recognition. Finally, in 1977, the records were unsealed after an Air Force press release erroneously stated the Air Force was training the first women to fly military aircraft for the U.S. (SOURCE: Wikipedia)
So I ask you, why was the government twiddling their thumbs when in 1943 Merrill Publishing Company issued this beautiful paper doll set to honor these women?
Click on images to see them larger.
38 WASP were killed during the war.
To read more about these amazing women click on any of the links below:
And yes, this is my personal mint set.
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Hey, this is GREAT! They flew out of the airbase at Great Falls, and I recall several nice articles from the Great Falls Tribune several years ago on the unsung women pilots. Very neat and coolectible!
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the rate that we are losing WWII veterans, but it's reasonable to assume that they would be passing on - my parents age...
I did a cover for a a WWII pilot that was stationed on the Intrepid, the aircraft carrier that is now a floating museum in New York harbor. He autographed them for me, and I gave a finished one to him. He had a photo of himself holding my cover (of him in his plane) standing in the ready room in front of a formal photo of him and his squadron.
Wow what a cool paper doll set. Love the pilot uniforms. Same thing happened over here with the Land Army and the LumberJills who worked in Forestry while the men were at work. They were only honoured a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteDave, do you have a scan of this piece? I bet my father would enjoy seeing it. He was a carrier pilot. He was also a sea plane pilot. Something weird to land on? My dad did it.
ReplyDeleteJanice, look at this other site to see some of the interior. I didn't want to scan mine inside. I'd scream if I tore a page. It's full of uniforms, flightsuits, and some civilian clothes. It must have been fun to play with.
http://www.jillian.ca/forties.htm#girlpilots
This looks like an amazing set.
ReplyDeleteIt really is a gem. And in perfect mint mint condition. I was very lucky to get it.
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