SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Often overlooked American heroes, the women pilots of World War II, have an opportunity to connect with Utahns this Memorial Day.
WASP
The Women’s Airforce Service Project (WASP) was a program that had over 1,000 women cover domestic flights during the war. Combat pilots were in such high demand, so in order to free-up the men to fly to assist in the war effort, the women were trained to test and ferry aircrafts to and from different bases. They were also tasked with training pilots, men and women alike.
WASPs: The ‘top-secret’ women pilots of WWII
After the WASP program was deactivated in 1944, some women involved had a difficult time landing a job in aviation. Many people had never heard of WASP or even believed the program was real. The women were considered citizens and did not receive any honorable discharge.
Nell
There are people even now that have never heard of the WASP. It’s just so great to get this history out there.
At least one known pilot, Nell Stevenson Bright, often referred to as “Mickey”, remains active in the public eye as she continues to share her life and legacy at 105 years old. By 1942, Bright had already earned her private pilot’s license with over 75 hours of flying time. One day, while waiting to fly, she read from an aviation magazine about WASP and decided to apply.
After she graduated from the class 43-W-7 at Avenger Field, she was one of just 20 chosen to be the first women trained to fly B-25 bombers at Mather Field, California. She then transferred to the 6th Tow Target Squadron at Biggs Field in El Paso, Texas. It was there where she towed targets for anti-artillery training with live ammunition. She flew a variety of planes, towing targets, strafing, and even conducted night searchlight missions.
WASPs honored in Utah
Friends, family, and aviators associated with Bright visited the gravesites of two WASPs on Monday morning before celebrating Bright and her 2024 induction into the Hall of Fame at the Hill Air Force Museum.
Aviation groups are part of the celebrations, including the Ninety-Nines, a female pilots group founded in 1929. Amelia Earhart was their first president in 1931.
Lorraine
One Sunday Afternoon the coyote hunters were giving airplane rides. My brother and I…were the first riders to go up. We were promised a good ride to attract a crowd. We got our money’s worth!
The event began at Fort Douglas Cemetery to honor WASP Lorraine Marion Nelson Bain. Bain applied for the training program for women pilots in 1944 and was accepted into class 44-5. After seven months of Army Air Forces flight training, she earned her silver WASP wings and was granted official Army orders, along with 71 of her graduated classmates. She served in Texas at the Pecos Army Air Base as a maintenance pilot for the twin engine UC-78.
Alberta
Following Bain’s celebration, the memorial moved to Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park to pay respects to WASP Alberta Hunt Nicholson. University of Utah Alum, Nicholson went on to accomplish her dreams of being a pilot after a professor encouraged her to take a class in flying taught at West High. She finished the written exam 13th out of 95 students but was denied the federal scholarship because she was a woman. She decided to take on extra jobs to pay her way through the flying classes on her own. She was stationed at Luke Airforce Base in Arizona and was assigned to test fly repaired planes in order to ensure safety for the male cadets going into combat. Nicholson was inducted into the Utah Aviation Hall of Fame at the Hill Aerospace Museum in 2017.
Finally, the observance will end in a Sugar House parking lot where the group will walk over to Bright’s home to be formally commemorated this Memorial Day…