WASP to Commemorate 80th Anniversary

Meg Godlewski

Friday, August 04, 2023 at 12:35 PM ET

Verified

Three WASP at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. [Courtesy: Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum]

Key Takeaways:

The Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) were created on August 5, 1943, during WWII to address a military pilot shortage by having skilled women pilots handle non-combat flying roles.
While 1,047 women graduated and flew various military aircraft, they were initially classified as civilians, denying them military benefits and veteran status, even for the 38 who died in service.
The WASP program was disbanded in 1944 but eventually received veteran status in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009 under President Barack Obama.
Their pioneering efforts paved the way for future generations of women pilots, leaving a significant legacy in aviation history.

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August 5 represents an important milestone for women pilots, as it was on this day in 1943 that the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) were created, marking its 80th anniversary.

On Saturday, the Lone Star Flight Museum in Houston will be commemorating the event with a hangar talk on the history of the WASP at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. CDT and display of WASP artifacts and uniforms from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.