World War II Women Pilots Had the Right Stuff

World War II women pilots had ‘the right stuff’
by Valerie Gray, Texas National Guard Public Affairs

CAMP MABRY, Texas (March 21, 2007) –
 
“Way out in West Texas where the water is sweet,
With cactus and rattlesnakes six feet deep,
They cut off the top of a big ole hill
And they named it Avenger … Avenger Field!”

This is the first verse from “We Got the Stuff, the Right Stuff,” written by Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) member Deanie Parrish and one of many songs the female pilots marched to.

In 1943 and 1944, more than 1,000 women pilots with a least 35 accredited flying hours entered Army Air Force Flight Training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. They earned their silver wings and, together with 28 members of the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, better known as WAFS, became WASP. They were the first women in history to fly American military aircraft…

During Camp Mabry’s special March 21 observance of National Women’s History Month, guest speaker Millie Davidson Dalrymple made people laugh and listen in admiration as she told some of the memories that she has from training and flying as a WASP during World War II.

“We were the luckiest girls on the planet!” Ms. Dalrymple said with excitement. Ms. Dalrymple was working for the Adjutant General’s Department on Camp Mabry when she learned of the WASP program.  She recalled that the WASP flew 60 million miles in every type of aircraft on every kind of mission that was flown by men — except combat.

For the March 21 event, Texas National Guard Soldiers Sgt. 1st Class Maria Weatherspoon, Staff Sgt. Cheylynn Currie, Staff Sgt. Abegail Dominguez, Sgt. Mireya Cruz, Sgt. Cassandra Smiley, Sgt. Juanita Tucker and Spc. Kristina White formed a group they called the WASP Rappers. Dressed in green flight suits and wearing dark glasses, they created quite a stir when they performed a routine to “We Got the Stuff, the Right Stuff.” 

“A week and a half of stress for two minutes of fun was so worth it,” said temporary rapper Sergeant Weatherspoon. “I asked Ms. Dalrymple if she liked us bringing a little more of the new era into the song, and she said she loved it”

“It was fun while we were up there,” Sergeant Cassandra Smiley added. “We had a month’s notice, and the last two weeks were full of last-minute changes.”

The year 2007 is the 65th anniversary of the WASP, and March is the month to learn about some remarkable women in history.