Betsy Ross Air Corps The Betsy Ross Air Corps ( 1929 – 1933 ) was a pre – World War II pilot ' s organization of female pilots . Organized by Opal Kunz and named after Revolutionary war heronie Betsy Ross , the organization had a short lived period of existence during the Great Depression and was never formally recognized by the US military . The Betsy Ross Air Corps was formed as a semi - military service to support the Army Air Corps and to act in times of emergencies , such as flood , earthquakes , etc . “ The Betsy Ross Corps was formed to ferry planes , give flight instruction , compete in benefit air meets to raise funds for charities , and provide first aid . Mrs . Kunz obtained about 100 members and kept the organization going for about four years . ” She also indicated she placed as much money as she could spare into the service . “ I spent all my resources trying to form Women ’ s Reserve Corp [ sic ] . ” There appears to be very little original information or other primary sources about this organization , outside of some newspaper articles , that was a precursor to many of the women ’ s flying organizations during World War II . Most of the information found are in the comments of the early members , which often were not recorded for posterity . “ … In the spring of 1931 , the year before she ( Pancho Barnes ) ran for L . A . County supervisor , she heard about the Betsy Ross Corps , a national organization of female pilots intended to function as an auxiliary to the Army Air Corps , the precursor to the US Air Force . She joined immediately , donning the uniform of khaki jodhpurs and shirt , and meeting with other local women fliers at March Field . But she was disappointed with the lack of activities … ” " Opal Kunz spent significant effort on the Betsy Ross Corps . She envisioned it , sponsored public relations events in its name , solicited female pilots to join , and served as the first commander of the organization . The New York Sun of January 2 , 1931 ( “ Girl Flyers Ready to Aid Army ” ) described its formation . It was organized , “ solely for national defense , as a strictly patriotic society … . Its peacetime mission is to encourage women to improve their skill and experience , thereby making them safer pilots , and in a short time it is expected that a fine reserve group of young women pilots will be trained and disciplined to serve in national emergencies . ” At the first meeting the organization was completed , the constitution adopted and the insignia selected ( please click this link to see the insignia , also designed by her husband ) . The following flyers were present , either in person or by proxy : Gladys O ’ Donnell , May Haizlip , Marjorie Stinson , Florence Lowe “ Pancho ” Barnes , Eleanor McRae , Ruth Elder Camp , LaBelle Sweeley , Ruth Bridwell McConnell , Jean LaRene , Jane Dodge , Mary Goodrich , Manila Davis , Margery Doig and E . Ruth Webb . " As a student pilot at Brainard Field , Mary Goodrich Jenson wrote a series of articles for the Hartford Courant on her experiences . The so - called “ girl pilot ” ( she earned her license at the age of 20 ) continued to write on aviation for the Courant , the first woman to have a bylined column for that newspaper . She was a charter member of Earhart ’ s Ninety - Nines , Inc . , an international organization of women aviators founded in 1929 . Jenson piloted her own Fairchild KR - 21 biplane around Connecticut , and made history as the first woman to fly solo in Cuba . She was a director of the Betsy Ross Corps , a group of female pilots organized to assist in national defense during emergencies . In 1940 she promoted the Women Flyers of America , a unit of female pilots trained to relieve male pilots for wartime service by ferrying planes from the factories to airfields and transporting supplies . The WFA motto was “ Airmindedness – for Sport , Profession and Emergency ! ” Hattie Meyers Junkin ( 1896 – 1985 ) , was an aviator and observer of a number of historical events in the aviation industry . " … Always interested in aviation , in 1931 she became one of the first women to earn a glider class C license . … Hattie spent much of her life writing , especially about gliding and about the history of the Weaver Aircraft Company . She was also an early member of the Betsy Ross Flying Corps . " There is a recent obituary for a fellow member of the Betsy Ross Flying Corps : " Martha Morehouse ( formerly Zettler ) of Columbus , Ohio died Friday , October 8 , 1999 . . . She was a member of … the Lauderdale Yacht Club , The Betsy Ross Flying Corps , The National Aeronautical Association , Pilots Association , … Captain of the Motor Corps in Tampa … and an ambulance driver during the war . " " Further , Aline was a member of the Betsy Ross Corps ( BRC ) , a women ' s flying association organized by Opal Kunz . Kunz ' husband was a Tiffany vice - president and gem expert , thus the design and execution of the organization ' s wings , below . Please direct your browser to Opal ' s page to understand better the mission and dedication of the BRC of which Aline Miller was a part . "