Good FLYING Reads: Pinning on Wings of Gold

The first female U.S. Navy pilots form a fascinating subject for author Beverly Weintraub.

Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 06:03 PM ET

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Barbara Ann Allen (right with Judith Ann Neuffer) was the first to receive her "Wings of Gold" on February 22, 1974. [Courtesy: U.S. Navy]

Key Takeaways:

Driven by a morale crisis and personnel shortages, Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt initiated policies in the early 1970s that led to the U.S. Navy opening flight training opportunities to women.
The first class of six pioneering women, including Barbara Ann Allen who received her "Wings of Gold" in 1974, bravely became naval aviators despite being initially restricted from combat roles.
The combat exclusion law, which limited these women's advancement, was eventually repealed in 1993 after 19 years, allowing women to serve in full combat capacities and paving the way for future generations of female military pilots.

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Though the U.S. armed services have drawn strength from the contributions of women since their respective beginnings, immediately after World War II, there were limited opportunities for women to serve in uniform—and none to fly as their brothers did.

Until Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt rose to the top of the U.S. Navy, there was little reason to bring into the ranks the social change unfolding around the country during the 1960s and ’70s—except Zumwalt had a crisis of morale to confront, and a personnel shortage. Re-enlistment was at a low point, as was the incentive to join up once the draft ended.