Our Stories- WASP: The Last Acknowledged Veterans of WW II

300 South Chandler Village Drive,Chandler AZ 85226

23 October, 2021

Description

Join us for this fascinating talk as Chandler celebrates its veterans More than a thousand women served as Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during WWII, freeing male pilots for overseas duty. WASP served on 122 bases in thirty-one states, including Arizona (in Chandler and Kingman). Their primary task was ferrying combat aircraft from factories to embarkation points--totaling over sixty million miles between 1942 and 1944. They also towed targets for artillery and gunnery training, piloted top secret missions, and served as administrative and engineering test pilots. These women pilots flew every type of plane in the air arsenal. Thirty-eight WASP died in service. However, the United States Air Force did not acknowledge the WASP’s military contribution until the spring of 1979. Their strongest Congressional supporter was Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater who flew with WASP in WWII. Natalie J. Stewart-Smith, MA, MEd, Army veteran, WASP historian and educator, presents this talk to coordinate with the final phase of the Field of Honor Veterans’ Memorial, to be dedicated at Chandler’s Veterans Oasis Park on November 11. Image courtesy National Archives