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Photographer: Mark Hilton
Taken: September 16, 2015
Caption: Sign located at WASP World War II museum close to college and air field.
Additional Description: Womens Air Force Service Pilots
(WASP) Thank you for keeping
Texas beautiful

The Womens's Air Force Service Pilots program was created in 1942. Women were trained in Texas to fly missions other than those involving combat. The WASP program allowed more male pilots to fly overseas in World War II. Trained at Avenger Field in Sweetwater. Many WASP landed at nearby historic Childress Army Airfield during cross country and instrument training flights. A detachment of WASP were also stationed at the Childress Airfield during WWII. WASP made enormous contributions to the war effort. They transported airplanes across the United States including the P-51 fighter-escort, B-17 bomber and C-47 cargo-troop carrier. Many missions involved great personal danger, such as towing targets behind the A-24 dauntless aircraft for gunnery practice. The women were given civil rather than military status and were not eligible for veterans benefits until legislation remedied the situation decades after WWII. A number of WASP perished in the line of duty in dangerous aerial missions. Numerous WASP went on to careers other than aviation after the war. Many continued fling for pleasure and business in the 1990's.

This sign was unveiled by native Texan, Florene Miller Watson on 10-22-94 during a special roadside ceremony. Ms Watson was among the first dozen women pilots to begin the WASP program. She flew every type of military trainer, cargo plane single and multi-engine fighter and bomber used by the Army Air Corps. She later became a college instructor after WWII after having attended colleges in the United States and Scotland.

Texas Dept. of Transportation.
Submitted: September 16, 2015, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
Database Locator Identification Number: p329250
File Size: 1.346 Megabytes

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