Did You Know...
- That 25,000 women applied for the WFTD?
- And did you further know that WFTD stood for Women's Flying Training Detachment?
- And that the acronym WAFS stood for Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron?
- And furthermore that the WFTD & WAFS combined together and formed the famous WASP?
- That WASP stood for: Women Airforce Service Pilots.
- That 38 of these brave women paid the ultimate sacrifice while in service to their country? That a great dis-service was done to them, as burial was at the expense of their families and or classmates, their coffin was not allowed to have the American flag draped on it and their parents were not allowed to post the Gold Star in the window of their home because they were not considered military.
- That General Hap Arnold (Army Air Forces) made a personal request of Congress in 1944 to militarize the WASP and his request was denied?
- That the WASP wings that were proudly worn on the uniform were very unique in design, with a diamond shape in the center, that symbolized the shield of Athena, the Greek goddess of war?
- That the WASP flew more than 60,000,000 miles in every type of aircraft and on every type of assignment flown by their male counterparts, except in combat?
- That Maxine Edmondson Flournoy was one of the 1,830 women that were accepted into the training program, and was one of the 1,074 women that graduated from the program as an official WASP in class 43-W-8?
- And did you know that she was stationed at Hondo Army Air Field and at Kingman Army Air Base and flew many of the war birds that we so love today?
- That she certainly helped to prove to all the "doubting Thomases" that women were capable of flying airplanes just as proficiently as the men, and sometimes even better?
- That the WASP were disbanded in December 1944 and they were responsible to pay their own way to get back home! That Maxine moved to Alice, Texas to take a job as a company pilot?
- That Mrs. Flournoy was a Texas Historical commissioner in the 1980's and she flew her Cessna 337 to meetings and to WASP reunions across the country.
- That Maxine is an active member and occasionally still attends unit meetings, and if you attend too, you might just meet her and enjoy some great conversation. She is truly one of the Greatest Generation Heroes!
