Women, war, and planes: Women Airforce service pilots' experience working alongside the Army Air Force during World War II

Authors

Stephanie Michelle Cavin, University of Texas-Pan American

Date of Award

5-2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

History

First Advisor

Dr. Amy Hay

Second Advisor

Dr. Linda English

Third Advisor

Dr. Michael Faubion

Abstract

Women, War, and Planes discusses the Women Airforce Service Pilots’ (WASP) experience during World War II as a non-militarized program working alongside the Army Air Forces in the continental United States. The mostly white, twenty to thirty aged pilots recruited from a national pool of women flew many different types of planes from basic, lighter aircraft to heavy, four engine models. The Army Air Forces and WASP leaders promised pilots full militarized status. However, the WASPs never received military status or rank while in the program, and in turn, did not receive the same protections afforded to men of who held the same rank and duties. Women, War, and Planes serves to investigate how the WASP’s non-militarized status affected the women’s experience in the program and show how society’s idea of gender roles in the United States military kept them from gaining military status during World War II.

Comments

Copyright 2015 Stephanie Michelle Cavin. All Rights Reserved.

https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/women-war-planes-airforce-service-pilots/docview/1706876974/se-2?accountid=7119

Granting Institution

University of Texas-Pan American