Evening star., 1943-10-25
WASP Head Believe,
Women Pilots Face
Duty on War Fronts
BY YVONNE CAHOON,
Star Staff CORRESPONDENT.

N>~~ A&A 49, Az. SsJ WV SJ.-
Miss Jacqqueline Cochran, director
OF women pilots for the Army Air
Forces, told group of newspaper
reporters observing the Women's
Air Force Service Pilots perform
their missions here at the antiair-
craft training center that "if the
war lasts long enough we will prob
ably use women pilots for noncom-
bat duties in some theaters of war;
She added, however, that 1.-The
highest tribute that can be paid to
the WASP is that they are small
cog in an extremely important ma
chine"
Asked in what theaters they
might be used and for what pur-
pose, she replied, Il can only think
of two-England and Hawaii
where they might be used for track
ing and tow-target missions"
"Is there a possibility that they
might be used for transoceanic
ferrying?" reporter asked.
Work Is Explained.
There is nothing like flying over
water to give a pilot confidence" I"
she replied. II believe that those
who are now being trained as fighter
pilots should have that experience.
I'VE supplement the Army Air
Forces she added, rather than
replace its personnel. for some mis-
sions for which We are capable must
remain for the men as valuable eX-
perience to prepare them for COM
bat duty"
A demonstration of tracking and
rgettoWing, two of the most vital
missions handled by the WASP
today took the reporters to the
beach where training antiaircraft
batteries were stationed.
Before the actual tow-target DEM
onstration began, the antiaircraft
unit took aim at target Simulat-
ing an airplane and four batteries
opened fire. With the ninth round
it appeared the object had been hit
for a trail of smoke followed it
through the air until 1t burst into
flames and crashed.
Pilot Tows Target.
The woman pilot soon appeared.
trailing what appeared to be a tiny
red speck some 5000 feet from the
plane. The target was a red flag
IS feet long and feet high, made
OF loosely woven wire mesh. Dur
ing the second volley the battery
registered a hit The target dis
appeared in the water, as the cable
had been cut
Next we saw WASP return from
a tracking mission. during which
the antiaircraft gun sights follow
the plane as it circles the area.
Mrs. Ruth Underwood, 81, in her
"zoot suit-overalls with pockets all
over them" has been flying since
l941, when she took a civilian pilots
training course at Daniel Baker
College, Brownwood, Tex.
Il started to fly on a dare" she
said. Il was always sort of a tom
boy. ready to try anything new, and
the bet was so good I took it up.
1t was enough to pay all my ex-
penses through"
Mrs. Underwood. whose husband
Is a navigator in the Air Transport
Command overseas, has been on
duty at Camp Davis for about seven
weeks.
The first time 1 went on a track
ing mission" she recalled, "I was
80 excited I didn't know what the
score was. AS yet, I haven't had to
make any forced landings, and I'm
not planning on it, either" she
added.
Keeps on the Alert.
When the young pilot is not in the
sr she sits in the alert room
sweating a ship out" She ex-
planned that sweating a ship out
meant merely waiting to be called
to go out on mission.
"Wasp's nest! Drones keep out
or suffer the wrath of the queen"
8 sign on the door of the alert room
door states. The room, located in
the Administration Building at the
airport, has been furnished as a |
lounge. and there the women pilots
wait for their call to take to the air. |
One of their favorite furnishings
IN the room is picture of a pilot
at the controls of his plane, SEEM
ing to hold back his ship but with
a very unhappy expression on his
face. Underneath the picture is
inscribed Temptation of a Hero. "
The story goes one of the girls
explained, that the pilot is bring
Ing up the rear of a squadron and
the planes in front are getting all
the fun. He knows he could shoot
down the planes just as we'll. but
he has to stay behind to protect the
rear OF the squadron. We think It'll
Is rather appropriate to have that
picture here"
Pilots Are Civilians.
The WASP is not military Or
ganlzatlon. The pilots are civilians
and have no rank. although they
are allowed the privileges of officers. |
While they are civilians, they still
are under military discipline. The
girls as yet have no official uniform
or insignia, although they are ex-
pected within the next few months.
The group at Camp Davis orig
inally numbered so, but Is have
been sent to Camp Stewart, Ga.
for SPECIAL training.
The training courses for the
WASP, which are held at Sweet
water, Tex, are now filled through
July, 1915, Miss Cochran said. I'M
addition to the tracking and tow
target missions, these pilots are
qualified for Photographic and prac-
tice strafing missions, as we'll as
ferrying planes across the country.
for which they were first known
as WAFS