Looking for professional opportunities to fly, women pilots formally organized themselves through the formation of the Ninety-Nines in 1929.  While many worked as instructors, crop dusters, barnstormers, and aviation entertainers in the early years, female pilots caught their first big break in 1942. Gen Henry “Hap” Arnold was in desperate need of pilots to carry out duties in the US.

The women ran towards the opportunity and formally declared, “We live in the wind and sand, and our eyes are on the stars.  They worked with excellence and valor and proved themselves able to fly on par with their male counterparts.  Their unit was disbanded, and the WASP did not reach the stars they longed to touch; but they inspired successive generations to fly further.  Because of the WASP, women fly every aircraft in the U.S. Military and hold rank and command.  

Join us this year as we celebrate 20 years of the National WASP WWII Museum, located on Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, where the WASP trained in World War II.