Clipped Wings: The Rise and Fall of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS) of World War II

by Molly Merryman

During World War II, all branches of the military had women's auxiliaries. Only the Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) program, however, was comprised entirely of women who flew dangerous missions more commonly associated with and desired by men. Within military hierarchies, the World War II pilot was projected as the most dashing and desirable of servicemen. "Flyboys" were the daring elite of the United States military. More than the WACs (Army), WAVES (Navy), SPARS (Coast Guard), or Women Marines, the WASPs directly challenged these assumptions of male supremacy in wartime culture. WASPs flew the fastest fighter planes and heaviest bombers; they test-piloted experimental models and worked in the development of weapons systems. Yet the WASPs were the only women's auxiliary within the armed services of World War II that was not militarized. In Clipped Wings, Molly Merryman draws upon military documents (many of which were declassified only in the 1980s), congressional records, and interviews with the women who served as WASPs during World War II, to trace the history of the over 1,000 pilots who served their country as the first women to fly military planes. She examines the social pressures which culminated in their disbandment in 1944 even though a wartime need for their services still existed and documents their struggles and eventual success, in 1977, to gain military status and receive veterans benefits.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Aviation, War, World War II

268 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1997

Reviews

[John Purvis · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is Molly Merryman’s first book. Clipped Wings was first published in 2008. A revised edition was released in 2020. It is the 78th book I completed reading in 2023.

I received an ARC of this book through https://www.netgalley.com with the expectation of a fair and honest review. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own! I categorize this book as G.

This book is about the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) of WWII. The book discusses the 1000+ pilots who served in the WASPs between September 1942 and December 1944. The women who joined the WASPs had been led to believe that they would eventually be made part of the US Army Air Force.

The WASPs were treated poorly by the government. They received low pay and had to provide for their own room, board, and uniforms. Their service record was exceptional. Political pressure forced the disbandment of the WASPs rather than their incorporation into the Air Force.

I spent 6 hours reading this 277-page WWII history. I was disappointed in this book. I expected to read about the individuals in the WASPs and some of their missions. While there was some of that, the majority of the book dealt with the politics of the time and the struggle for recognition in the years following the war. It is more a book about women’s issues than WWII history. I do like the chosen cover art. I give this book a rating of 2 out of 5.

You can access more of my book reviews on my Blog ( https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/).

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nonfiction is not my usual read. However, Clipped Wings by Molly Merryman sounded like an incredible story. It has been a long time since I learned about this period of time, so learning more about WASP was intriguing.

Nonfiction can be a little dry at times, but Molly Merryman managed to keep me interested. The subject was fascinating. All the preconceived notions of male supremacy and how women in WASP were extraordinary and still doubted.

I think this is an important book. Politics still have a long way to go, and learning about groups such as WASP is certainly good to reflect on. If you’re looking for a nonfiction that will keep you intrigued, this is for you.

*I received a free copy of this book from R&R Book Tours in exchange for an honest review on the blog tour. All opinions are my own and unbiased.*

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book covers such an important part of women's history - and one that's often overlooked. Merryman clearly did a lot of research, and really brings history to life in this book. The women covered were truly amazing, and absolutely deserve recognition for all they did and the barriers they broke. It's sad to think how little has changed, but nice to know that their story is finally being told. Highly recommend for anyone interested in history!

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it was at times rather dry, the story this book told was fascinating, and one I wish I'd been given inklings of any of the times I was studying the time period surrounding World War II in school, at any level.

I wish I could be surprised by the view it gave me of the politics in my country, but sadly, as horrible as some of the things it told me were . . . they were all too easy to believe.

The final chapter started out a little sketchy, but sticking with it explained why it veered suddenly and wrapped back up with the story of the WASPs. I am glad I read this book and glad for the women who fought for decades just to be recognised for the roles they took up piloting and in some cases died in.

[Valena Arguello · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book about a group of women doing what at the time was inconceivable and their fight for proper recognition. It's full of real interviews and documents of their stories.

[John Dorcey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched study of the early disbandment of the WASP.