By Chris Sasser
Texas Transportation Institute
In the early 1940s, an ambitious group of patriotic young women responded to their country’s critical shortage of male pilots in World War II and became the first women to Ay military aircraft. Located on the windswept plains of Sweetwater, Texas, Avenger Field was their training headquarters. In 2005, the people of this region honored these pioneering women with the opening of the National WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) WW II Museum.
The WASP Museum, which was officially dedicated in May of 2005, is housed in Hangar One, a restored facility originally built in 1929 as part of the first Sweetwater Airport. The museum was the vision of WASP Deanie Parrish and her daughter Nancy Parrish. Nancy created many of the museum exhibits that showcase the history of the WASP.
The exhibits include:
• A replication of the bay, which is a room in a barrack, where the women lived;
• Large banners honoring WASP pioneers Jacqueline Cochran, General Hap Arnold, and Nancy Love;
• A display of cement handprints from 29 WASP;
• Many historic pictures;
• Models of some of the airplanes WASP flew;
• WASP uniforms;
• A cutout of an AT-6 trainer; and
• A link Trainer.
One of the more interesting photos on the wall is of two WASP who were trained to fly the Boeing 8-29 Superfortress, a four-engine heavy bomber propeller aircraft. The B-29 was designed to fly further without having to refuel than any other bomber. However, if not flown correctly, the engines would overheat and catch on fire. Volunteer docent and Board Member Sandra Spears explained the creative solution that lieutenant Colonel Paul Tibbets Jr., the officer in charge of preparing pilots to fly the B-29, came up with to recruit new pilots.
”Tibbets found two WASP, Dora Doughtery Strother and Dorothea Johnson Moormon, who were eager to fly the B-29, even though neither of them had ever flown a four-engined plane before,” said Spears. “They picked it up quickly, and flew to Clovis, New Mexico, to demonstrate to the men how easy it was to fly it safely. However, after about two months an Army official stepped in and stopped the flights because he said the ‘little ladies’ were ‘putting the big football players to shame.”‘
Such is the endearing legacy of WASP; a dedicated group of female pilots who gave so much and asked for so little. Spears, whose father, Rigdon Edwards, trained many of the pilots, said he was proud of the role he played. “My dad loved the pilots that came through here and kept in contact with many of them over the years,” said Spears.
