Fate 1
February 19, 1942
How has relocation to the base has drastically changed your life. Who have you met? Who do
you miss? Are you regretting your decision to enlist?
Response
Since I have become a WASP, I have had to adjust to living on my own and making new
friends. I don’t have as much independence because I am under the command of the
officers above me. It was harder in the beginning, because I wasn’t used to this new
lifestyle of hard work and obeying commands given to me. Since I've arrived at the base, I
have become close to many of the girls here. They are all very kind and understanding
because we are all going through the same thing together. I have also met Jackie Cochran,
my inspiration for becoming a WASP in the first place. Ethel and Lucy are my closest
friends here though. We have been best friends from the start. At first I missed my family
a lot but now I'm used to not seeing them every day. We communicate a lot through letters.
However I have not seen my brother, Michael, or gotten to communicate with him since we
are both in the military. I miss him the most and hope that he's OK. At first I regretted
enlisting because It was very hard to get used to, and it was hard work, but now I have
adjusted well and am enjoying my time more here, because I like working with planes and
the people around me. I am glad that I fulfilled my dream and became a WASP. All the work
was worth the sense of accomplishment that I have now.
Fate 2
Although most of your sorties are ferrying missions you are also used to tow targets in
training exercises for the male pilots. It was during one of these flights that your
closest friend was accidentally shot down and killed. How do you and your fellow WASPs
respond? The military? Are you rethinking your decision to enlist? Explain.
Response
The other day something terrible happened. The girls and I were towing the targets for the
male pilots during their training session, and Ethel was shot down and killed. A male
pilot missed the target and hit her plane instead, destroying the plane and killing her.
When this happened, they told us that accidents happened all the time, and how they were
sorry for this tragedy in a training session. The military was clearly not as shocked as
I, or my fellow WASP’s were. I’m sure the military felt pity and sympathy for
all of us but the military has made such mistakes before in training so it’s not as
shocking for them. However, for me I have never experienced such an event before and she
was a good friend of mine. I understood from the moment when I enlisted that this accident
is one of the risks we sometimes take when serving in the military. Most of the other
WASP’s did too acknowledge that this was an accident and neglected to accuse or place
blame for such an accident. Although some of the women felt that this was outrageous and
the military couldn’t care less that one of their pilots was killed. Also, we don't
have any insurance, unlike the males, and there were no survivor benefits. As for my
decision to enlist, it remains the same because I understand that this is just an accident
and it has always been my dream to fly in the military for the war effort.
Fate 3
The MPs wake you in the middle of the night and escorts you to your Captain. He closes the
door and asks you to sit. What is going through your mind at 3:19 A.M.?
Response
I was shaking when I woke up at 3:19 this morning. I was tapped on the shoulder and when I
opened my eyes there were 2 men standing above me. I later found out that they were MPs,
Military Police. At first I thought I was dreaming because there are very few men on my
base. When they told me to follow them, I was scared that I had committed a crime or
broken a rule. The MPs only get involved in serious situations, such as people committing
crimes, people MIA or KIA and situations concerning internal affairs. They escorted me to
my Captain’s office and led me inside. Once inside, Captain Arnold told me to take a
seat. I sat in the seat and Captain Arnold just stared at me. My pulse started to race. I
was extremely worried, but I did not know why. I could hear my heart racing and I became
weak. I had never been so scared before, and a thousand paranoid thoughts ran into my head
at the same time. I thought of my brother first; where he would be, his health, and if he
was alive or not. I was hoping that he wasn’t in Guadalcanal, Port Moresby, southeast
New Guinea, or in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Because he is a marine, he has the highest
chance of being hurt or killed, but until they told me what was going on, I couldn’t
be sure of what happened. That was killing me the most.
Fate 3A
Your Captain tells you that your brother was killed in action on the island of
Guadalcanal at approximately 1530hrs. He died heroically and his remains are being shipped
to your parents home in Albuquerque. You are granted leave for his funeral. Your parents
have already lost two sons to the war will you return to the base? Explain your decision.
Response
When Officer Arnold told me that Michael had been killed in action, I was devastated. I
immediately started to cry. I was crushed that I had lost another brother. I was glad that
I was granted leave in order to attend his funeral. I couldn’t wait to see my parents
and my grandmother, but I was disappointed it was for this reason. I started to think
whether or not I would want to return after the funeral. I made the decision to continue
with WASP because I did not want to abandon my responsibilities. I was lucky enough to
become a WASP; I was not going to become a quitter. I made the choice to become a WASP and
despite the death of my brother, I was going to follow through with my goal and keep
fighting and flying. My parents did not want me to go back, however this was my life
dream, and I had to continue. I had gone this far, and stopping now would be a waste. I
just hope that my parents can respect that. I decided that I would return to Albuquerque
for Michael’s funeral and then return to Texas and continue flying until the war
ended.
Fate 4
Of the 1,800 or so women accepted into the WASP program, all but 37 survive. However, you
return home to little fanfare or recognition, despite the accolades which greet the
returning men. To compound the insult, the hours logged by the male pilots help qualify
them for professional pilots licenses so they can begin careers as airline pilots. Your
accrued hours, however, are not similarly applicable. You flew dangerous missions in
sub-standard craft to free up male pilots for combat but your government is now telling
you your service was less valuable than that of your male counterparts. What do you have
to say to your idol, Jackie Cochran, now? What do you do when you return to civilian life?
Response
Regardless of our recognition, and what happens to us after, or during the war, Jackie
Cochran will always be my idol. She had this vision, of women being in the air force, able
to do something for their country, and successfully completed her goal. I give her a lot
of credit for what she has accomplished. Even if the military or government is not giving
the WASP full recognition for their duty, no one can take away from us what we have
accomplished, even the government. I have feelings of strong pride for myself and my
fellow WASP’s, even though no one else has. If the men, and everybody else in this
country, don't think too much of our service, then they just feel intimidated because they
know the honor and length of our duty. We know what we did, we know we went out and flew
for our country in a time of need, and I know that we helped. I am happy that I went
through this program, and completed my dream of flying. When I return to Albuquerque I
plan to go back to school, and finish my education. I’ve always wanted to become a
teacher, preferably first grade. Ever since I have been a little girl, being a teacher has
always been my dream. As well as creating a career as a teacher, I hope to start a family
of my own. Hopefully I will find a husband that is caring as the potentially husband I
left in search of my dream to fly. I feel a sense of completion after the WASP experience,
now I feel like I can settle down and start a new life of my own.
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