The Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat

by Eileen A. Bjorkman

This is the untold story of the women military aviators of the 1970s and 1980s who kicked open the door to fly in combat in 1993—along with the story of the women who paved the way before them.

In 1993, U.S. women earned the right to fly in combat, but the full story of how it happened is largely unknown. From the first women in the military in World War II to the final push in the 1990s, The Fly Girls Revolt chronicles the actions of a band of women who overcame decades of discrimination and prevailed against bureaucrats, chauvinists, anti-feminists, and even other military women.

Drawing on extensive research, interviews with women who served in the 1970s and 1980s, and her personal experiences in the Air Force, Eileen Bjorkman weaves together a riveting tale of the women who fought for the right to enter combat and be treated as equal partners in the U.S. military.

Although the military had begun training women as aviators in 1973, by a law of Congress they could not fly in harm’s way. Time and again when a woman graduated at the top of her pilot training class, a less-qualified male pilot was sent to fly a combat aircraft in her place.

Most of the women who fought for change between World War II and today would never fly in combat themselves, but they earned their places in history by strengthening the U.S. military and ensuring future women would not be denied opportunities solely because of their sex. The Fly Girls Revolt is their story.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, War, Aviation, Book Club, Audiobook

332 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 23, 2023

About the author

Eileen Bjorkman loves all things aviation, with a particular passion for military and homebuilt aircraft. She is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with 700+ hours of flying time as a flight test engineer in 25 different types of military aircraft, primarily the F-4, F-16, C-130, and C-141. As a civilian pilot, she holds an Airline Transport Pilot rating and is a Certificated Flight Instructor with more than 2,000 hours of flying time. She owns an aerobatic airplane, a Decathlon. When she's not writing or researching, she can usually be found doing some sort of outside activity, especially anything involving an airplane!

In addition to her books, Eileen has had articles published in Air & Space/Smithsonian, Aviation History, Portland, Equinox: Poetry and Prose, Sport Aviation, the Everett Daily Herald, and many technical journals.

She has both MS and BS degrees in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in Ohio, and a BS in Computer Science from the University of Washington in Seattle. She also has a PhD in Systems Engineering from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.

Reviews

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 3 out of 5]

"What are you majoring in that for? You're wasting your time, and you're taking a slot away from a guy who should be getting that degree. You're just going to get married and have babies."

So this was a hard one to rate.

On the one hand, a valuable and really fascinating history of the decades-long battle for women to fly in combat in military aircraft (and coincidentally the fight to allow women to serve on Navy warships), with a lot of personal history and experience interspersed, and on the other—a lot of unresolved individual bias with a heavy skewing toward the Air Force (not to mention some white feminism and a touch of homophobia).

Bjorkman makes the claim that out of all the services the Air Force believed they needed women the least, and I was just sitting there in my Marine Corps veteran self saying, "Bruh, you forgot one very famous no-girls-allowed-club."

I did appreciate that she does have a hearty (if subtle) fuck you to Jacqueline Cochran, the cockroach who busted open doors for herself and rapidly closed them behind her—and if she couldn't break down that door, she ensured that no other woman would be able to do so either. If Cochran couldn't be the first, then no woman could. What a jerk.

Anywho, it was good information, although I had wished Bjorkman used footnotes or endnotes to directly tag a lot of the conversations she used and the information she pulled from.

[Chad Manske · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her captivating and inspiring book, "Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat," Eileen Bjorkman takes readers on a thrilling journey through the untold history of women pilots in combat. With meticulous research and a talent for storytelling, Bjorkman sheds light on the extraordinary achievements and challenges faced by these courageous women. Bjorkman herself is no personal stranger to this topic! She is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with 700+ hours of flying time as a flight test engineer in 25 different types of military aircraft, primarily the F-4, F-16, C-130, and C-141. As a civilian pilot, she holds an Airline Transport Pilot rating and is a Certificated Flight Instructor with more than 2,000 hours of flying time. The book begins by delving into the early days of aviation and the societal barriers that prevented women from entering the world of combat flying. Bjorkman paints a vivid picture of the formidable struggles these women faced, including prejudice, sexism, and a deeply entrenched male-dominated military culture. Through interviews, historical records, and personal anecdotes, she introduces readers to the remarkable women who defied societal norms and paved the way for future generations of female aviators. One of the book's greatest strengths lies in Bjorkman's ability to weave together personal narratives with historical context. She brings the experiences of these trailblazing women to life, allowing readers to empathize with their challenges and triumphs. From the daring female pilots of World War II's Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) to the groundbreaking achievements of the first female combat pilots in the modern era, each story is an inspiration. Bjorkman's writing style makes the book a page-turner from start to finish. Whether detailing the intense training regimes, the heart-stopping moments in the air, or the bureaucratic battles faced by these women, the author ensures that readers are fully immersed in the narrative. Moreover, her attention to historical accuracy and detail demonstrates a deep respect for the subject matter. "Fly Girls Revolt" is not only a captivating account of women's contributions to aviation history but also a testament to the indomitable spirit and resilience of these brave pioneers. It reminds us that progress is made through the determination of individuals who dare to challenge the status quo. Eileen Bjorkman's book is a must-read for anyone interested in aviation, women's history, or stories of courage and perseverance against all odds.

[Tyson Wetzel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Col(ret.) Eileen Bjorkman’s superb account of the long struggle for women to fly combat fighters. The author weaves her history as a flight test engineer into the larger struggle, and she identified those critical women and advocates who fought to get women into combat cockpits. I highly recommend for Air Force history buffs

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dry at times with dates and names, but it is a great non fiction book about armed forces accepting women as equals

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book by Eileen Bjorkman, it is a quick easy read and you do not need to be an expert on aviation or the military to appreciate the material.

The book focuses on women in military aviation but gives a good historical overview of women’s contributions to the US military as this must be considered for context.

One interesting theme of this book is that necessity is the mother (!!!) of all invention. The book begins with women becoming military aviators during WWII out of a necessity due to a shortage of men able to complete the task. As the 20th century progresses the battle becomes should women be in combat roles or not. The author points out that essentially from the beginning of women being in the military they are inadvertently in combat roles due to the necessity of them having to complete their jobs and it being unrealistic to delineate combat and non combat.

The author also points out how the US military has historically been dichotomous in that in some ways it has been quite progressive with social issues but at the same time can be very conservative. The author shows how women were often supported by those they directly served with but it was argued by those at the top that women would be a detriment to those very people they directly served with.

I like how the author combines her survey of the issue with her own first person. Although the book is about the issue of combat in the 80s/90s I would like to see a new edition at some point about the new generation of women during the War on Terror that benefited from the experiences in this book

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Fly Girls Revolt tells the story about women and the battle fought to be able to fly in combat. The book covers most of the history of women flying military aircraft dating back to the WASP and the time they spent flying during World War 2. Eileen integrates her story with the events as they take place and it made the story more personable. This also presented the reader with an opportunity to get to know the author.

The Fly Girls Revolt tells the story in detail, dating back to the WASP and their time spent ferrying military aircraft during World War 2. The reader is then transported through history to the 1990s when women were finally able to fly in combat and has the opportunity to learn about the battles and hurdles women faced. While the main focus is on the Air Force, Eileen includes information on the other branches as well, giving the reader a little bit of a more rounded picture. Not being able to fly combat was an issue across the military, and not with just one branch.

My favorite part was when a part of the story came full circle and we get to learn why the one women fought the battles she did with updating uniforms instead of trying to get women in combat. It was also fun to see some of the strategy that was at play throughout the process, and it was uplifting to read about women helping other women and supporting each other. It was an incredible story and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

[Bernadette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book, I think the author did a good job of explaining the history while also incorporating more personal stories as to not read as a history text book. This book also made me really angry though why it took so long to allow women into combat pilot roles and all the dumb reasons people had against allowing women in. Like straight up it was just because women were thought to be disruptive to group dynamics and it wasn't natural for women to be in combat roles and people didn't want to see them in harms way. All of which are dumb reasons. A pilot is a pilot and the plane does not care. If you think about all the skilled and knowledgeable women that could've had a beneficial impact on US history and conflicts world wide but weren't allowed to hold aviation jobs just because they're women, thats a big loss for everyone. Anyways, thats my thoughts.

[Courtney Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an eye opening book for the plight of women in the military. It centers on their journey for equality in aviation, but it also details the painstaking journey of being viewed as equals in the armed forces in general. I really liked how it detailed all the key players for being the first in something and how they continued to impact the field afterwards too.

There isn’t a lot of excess narration to tie everything together, so you have to like reading facts to not find it slow or dry. I thought it was a fascinating history that we never really got to learn in school or the news.

[Lesli · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an interesting book, but definitely non-fiction. I hoped it would be more like a memoir or read more like a novel even though it's non-fiction.
I thought the beginning was interesting, the middle definitely waned for me, but then it picked up again when she talked about female pilots in Desert Storm.

[Amanda Huffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was not only fascinating but a story that needs to be told. I learned so much about the history of military women and was in awe of the amazing women who broke barriers even when the military seemed to want to limit their ability to fly at every turn.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This non-fiction books tells the true story of women in the United States from World War II to the present working to be able to fly aircraft that could be used in Combat zones. It was interesting to have the author talk about her own experiences as well as research other women.

[Mary C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting history and good read.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look into women pilots and how they became an influence DoD wide.

[MrsEnginerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only "beef" with this book is that it stopped recounting the tale of women aviators past the first wave of combat rated pilots. Here's to hoping there's book 2...

[Michele Knopp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fly Girls Revolt was very informative of how women fought for the right to become fully qualified as fighter pilots.

[Mer · Rating 4 out of 5]

my review https://hardcover.app/books/the-fly-g...

[Debbie Hinrichs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historical non fiction. Shows the hurdles women faced in military acceptance and a long way to go. Used for PD hours at school

[Kerianne Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Particularly prescient today.

[JoAnn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Important story, but awfully dry read

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful book that covers the broad history of women’s fight for the right to fly in the military all the way to combat aircraft. From WWII through operation Deseret Storm, sharing the details and emotions of being in a war zone and in combat areas. They were wise and knew when to push and when to be patient. They recognized that change had to come from within, knowing that within encompassed several layers, including Congress. Page 217 has a picture of the first three women accepted into the Air Forces combat training program, the one on the left looks a lot like someone I know. Here are four milestones in their quest for equality that stood out to me:

1) Holms chose her battles wisely. She believed the Air Force was wrong about women aviators,
but she knew it wasn’t time to fight the battle. She said you only fight wars you can win –
timing was the key.

2) To get the ROTC program to let women in, a pilot program was the necessary approach. It
allowed the Air Force to test the water before diving in.

3) Holms had had enough and was ready to retire, but General Dixon had just been installed in the
Pentagon as the new chief of personnel. He tried to convince her to stay in, but she had heard
promised in the past. What she wanted now was Action, not talk. Action is what she got,
removing policies that held women back. Then she was made a Major General within a year.

4) I like the chapter on being on the team, but not wanting to be one of the guys