The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II

by Katherine Sharp Landdeck

The thrilling true story of the daring female aviators who helped the United States win World War II--only to be forgotten by the country they served.

When Japanese planes executed a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Cornelia Fort was already in the air. At twenty-two, Cornelia had escaped Nashville's debutante scene for a fresh start as a flight instructor in Hawaii. She and her student were in the middle of their lesson when the bombs began to fall, and they barely made it back to ground that morning. Still, when the U.S. Army Air Forces put out a call for women pilots to aid the war effort, Cornelia was one of the first to respond. She became one of just over 1,100 women from across the nation to make it through the Army's rigorous selection process and earn her silver wings.

In The Women with Silver Wings, historian Katherine Sharp Landdeck introduces us to these young women as they meet even-tempered, methodical Nancy Love and demanding visionary Jacqueline Cochran, the trailblazing pilots who first envisioned sending American women into the air, and whose rivalry would define the Women Airforce Service Pilots. For women like Cornelia, it was a chance to serve their country--and to prove that women aviators were just as skilled and able as men.

While not authorized to serve in combat, the WASP helped train male pilots for service abroad and ferried bombers and pursuits across the country. Thirty-eight of them would not survive the war. But even taking into account these tragic losses, Love and Cochran's social experiment seemed to be a resounding success--until, with the tides of war turning and fewer male pilots needed in Europe, Congress clipped the women's wings. The program was disbanded, the women sent home. But the bonds they'd forged never failed, and over the next few decades, they came together to fight for recognition as the military veterans they were--and for their place in history.

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

368 pages, ebook

First published April 21, 2020

About the author

Katherine Sharp Landdeck is an associate professor of history at Texas Woman’s University, the home of the WASP archives. A Guggenheim Fellow at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where she earned her Ph.D., Landdeck has received numerous awards for her work on the WASP and has appeared as an expert on NPR’s Morning Edition, PBS, and the History channel. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, The Atlantic, and HuffPost, as well as in numerous academic and aviation publications. Landdeck is a licensed pilot who flies whenever she can.

Reviews

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

I figured the odds were good when I picked this one up that I would find this to be an interesting read. I've read quite a few books about female aviators and also the roles women played during World War 2 but this is actually the first time I've had the opportunity to read a nonfiction book devoted to the two subjects. It truly was an honor to learn more about these women and this book was definitely a worthwhile read.

After the sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States needed pilots to go fight in the war. The WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) was a group formed during World War 2 that trained pilots, tested aircraft, and also ferried aircraft. Essentially by having female pilots take on these responsibilities this freed up more male pilots to go fight in combat. Sounds like a great thing, right? Unfortunately given society norms and gender roles at the time, these women faced a battle of their own in order to be taken seriously. And what's worse is even decades after the war, these female aviators barely got a smidge of recognition for helping win the war.

One of the reasons I wanted to read this book is about 20 years ago when my grandmother was in her 80s, she randomly told me how during WW2 she was going to get her pilot's license to help with the war effort but ended up not being able to take the exam because her mother thought it was too dangerous. This was the first time anyone in our family had heard this story, and now that she has passed away, it remains one of my favorite moments with her. One of the things that boggled my mind is all she needed was 7 lessons in the air and that's something that was basically confirmed in this book. Nowadays I think most of us know you need a lot of hours to get your pilot's license but back then you didn't need much at all. One of the women featured in this book I believe was deemed qualified to fly, after less than 5 hours in the air.

Even though I knew this fact from reading previous books about female aviators, it still is crazy to me that there were serious discussions back then about whether or not a woman should be able to fly during her menstrual cycle. I do love how there was really no way a ban could be enforced because most men weren't going to want to ask the female pilots if they were on their period before every flight. And also these women would most likely have lied if questioned anyway because they had common sense and realized they were more than fully capable and qualified even if it was a certain time of the month.

This book provides a good history of how the WASPs got their start as well as what led to it coming to an end in 1944 before the war was even over. The book features quite a few of the women associated with the WASPs and a decent amount of info is given about their backgrounds as well as their lives after the war. One thing I found fascinating is so many of the women pilots went on to start families and didn't really discuss their experiences during the war with them. They basically figured it was all about the kids and nobody really cared about mom's life prior to becoming a mother. It really wasn't until decades later when the government was attempting to give these women some recognition, that many family members got to actually learn more about the WASPs.

I'm glad the author mentioned how the vast majority of the women pilots were white. It does break your heart there were women of color wanting to help the nation and yet many were turned away. In general the author did a pretty decent job showing the good things about the women and the program as well as the bad.

This is a good read particularly if you enjoy nonfiction books about World War 2 and/or anything related to women doing extraordinary things.

Thank you to Crown and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a bit different than other books on this topic in that it is a collection of stories about various women pilots, many of them were members of the 99. (The 99 was an organization of the first women pilots established by Amelia Earhart.)

The book is well written and researched. I enjoyed the intimate stories of the various women rather than a board explanation of what the women pilots did in WWII. The first group that was developed was the Women Auxiliary Ferry Squadron (WAFS) organized and lead by Nancy Love. This was a smaller group of highly skilled women pilots with more than 500 hours in the more powerful planes. The other group was led by the famous aviatrix, Jacqueline Cochrane, and named Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Cochrane recruited not only licensed women pilots but women who wanted to learn to fly and the Army Air Corps trained them. Landdeck told the stories of the experience of fairly famous pilots but also of those who learned to fly in the program. The last section of the book is about their fight to prove they existed and to be recognized as WWII veterans. I am particularly interested in this topic because I have had several friends who were WASPs. Like so many that served in WWII, they have passed on and took their stories with them.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is ten hours and fifty-three minutes. Gabra Zachman does a good job narrating the book. Zachman is an actress and audiobook narrator.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Women are physically and temperamentally suited for fighter plane operation. They are smaller, hence more comfortable in a tiny crowded cockpit. They are quicker to react under many circumstances and are supposed to have a lighter, more deliberate touch and thus are better able to surmount emergencies when they arise . . . The theory that women 'can't take it' has been thoroughly disproved." -- pilot Nancy Love in December 1944, as quoted on pages 245-246

Much like the popular 1992 film A League of Their Own, Landdeck's The Women with Silver Wings serves as a reminder - or, more likely, makes people aware of for possibly the first time - of the contributions of American women during the dark days of World War II. In this instance, the focus is on various ladies of the WASPs (a.k.a. the Women Airforce Service Pilots), an almost 1,100-member organization allied with the U.S. military from 1942 to 1945. At a time when female pilots were an exception to the rule, many qualified young women rushed to serve their country in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack. Organized by respected aviators Nancy Love (quoted above) and Jackie Cochran, the WASPs were not permitted to participate in active combat missions overseas but assisted on the homefront in test-piloting, ferrying, and training / war games scenarios with many types of aircraft to alleviate the strain on the Army-Air Force's (this was a few years before the Air Force became its own separate branch, and still fell under the Army's jurisdiction) deployed and/or depleted roster. After detailing the group's relatively short existence and a number of its charismatic pilots the story shifts to the later years of the 20th century, when the surviving members had to spar with the government for proper military recognition. This was a quiet but effective book - it helps that the author is a student of history AND a pilot herself - about some trailblazers facing sexism but still valiantly serving their country when there was a need for everyone to do their part.

[Karen R · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. Every so often a book comes my way that is incredibly inspiring and will live long in my heart. This story about the daring and brave women airfare service pilots (WASP) is one of them. I admire the author’s meticulous research regarding these passionate and trailblazing aviators who flew during WWII and was riveted by the womens’ accomplishments, hurdles and setbacks. I loved the letters, photos and diaries which provide tremendous insight into personal histories. Their discrimination and having to fight so hard for veteran recognition, however, made me angry!

This debut by Author/Historian Landdeck (a licensed pilot) reports in her author notes that she knew most of the WASP women named in the book. A fascinating must-read. Thanks to Crown Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Malorie (Firereader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up in a family of veterans and World War II buffs. I remember learning about the WASP ladies and how incredible they were. What I didn't know, and what no one talks about, is the fight these women undertook for decades to be recognized for the blood, sweat, and tears that they shed in service of our country. This book, is their story.

The Women with Silver Wings begins with the achievements of women in aviation history. It moves into the spark of the idea to help the war effort. What if female pilots ferried planes to our bases as they came off the production line, freeing up the male pilots to fight overseas? And the beginning of the WASP program was born.

What I was surprised to learned through this book was that these women were never considered part of the military during the war. They never received the benefits the male pilots were granted. The ladies of WASP fought for several decades, most of them were in their 50's and 60's when they were finally recognized as having served in the military during WW2. But that part isn't taught in school.

These women were absolutely tough and gutsy and fearless. The book says it best, "The WASPs' collective achievement had been remarkable. By December 1944, 1,102 women were wearing silver wings. They had flown more than seventy-seven different types of planes and covered over 60 million miles. They had served as test pilots, flown personal, and trained ground gunners to find planes as they strafed them. With the exception of combat flying, the women were doing every single type of assignment their male counterparts performed. Thirty-eight of them had given their lives"

I think Landdeck did a great job thoroughly researching every detail and pulling it together in a timeline that is easy to understand. One of my favorite parts of this book sums up what these women did and gives us a glimpse into their accomplishments as women and as warriors for our country.

"The prevailing wisdom was that the women were no longer needed because the men would be coming home soon. But what no one seemed to remember was that the WASP had been vital to ending the war in the first place. They had released 1,102 men to fly in combat. They had trained men on the ground and in the air to find and fire at planes. They had taught men how to fly trainers and how not to be afraid to fly temperamental bombers. They had test-flown planes after repairs. They had proven, without a doubt, that women could be counted on as pilots, whatever the job, whatever the emergency. They had all played a part in winning the war."

I would recommend this to every WW2 history enthusiast. It would also make a great book for school history projects and book reports for the middle grades and up. Happy reading! 📚

*ARC received from Netgalley

[Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this one for our local library book club. As always, I was excited to learn about a part of history that I was unfamiliar with. The book tells the story of the first female pilots serving during WWll, ferrying planes across the country to where they were needed, freeing up men from these jobs so they’d be available for combat. It was a lightbulb moment to realize that with the ramped up production during the war, pilots would be needed to fly the planes to where they needed to be once they were off the assembly line. It was fun learning about their mascot, Fifinella, lent to the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) from Walt Disney, and equally gut wrenching to see what the women went through to finally achieve military status with full veteran’s benefits. Also interesting to learn about how these women, civilians at the time, were integrated into an all male military, and how the news reels of that era portrayed them, as “girls” who could fly planes, while always having time to apply their lipstick in the cockpit! 🙄

I must say, the book club discussion was especially exciting, with our guest speaker bringing in old artifacts from the war, like uniforms, bomber jackets and headsets for show and tell, and some of the club members bringing in personal memorabilia from family members, both men and women, who served during WWll.

[Katelyn (old soul country girl's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

In honor of International Women's Day, I really wanted to finish this book today, so I hustled and got it done.

Unsurprisingly to those who know me, I ADORED this book! I teared up and got painful, full body chills and goosebumps multiple times when reading this, whether it was from one of the recorded WASP deaths (interestingly all caused by the error of male pilots) or from WASPs losing loved ones in the war, to the women having a triumphant moment and finally getting the recognition they have always deserved.
This book was a dedicated masterpiece by the author to all things WASP. I felt her desire to immortalize these female pilots and their stories into history in every passing page. And because of that, my own adoration, passion, and defense of these women only grew stronger. This was also the first book that I have read dedicated solely to the WASPs.

From my beloved reading experience, I will always remember that the Women Airforce Service Pilots were the first American women to fly for their country, sacrifice for their country, and die for their country.

Silver Wings on Blue by Winona Jeanne Marsh, a WASP that never got to train, to fly:
Silver wings on blue, go soaring through the sky above,
Though we are but few, we’re flying for the land we love.
Daughters of the sky, just listen to those motors roar,
Anxious then are we to fly and be on high once more.

We live in sun and sand,
Eyes on the stars,
There is no life that we’d trade for ours.
Victory will come and we’ll be there to see it too.
We will be on hand to greet it, SILVER WINGS ON BLUE.

[TL *Humaning the Best She Can* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brave, extraordinary women who deserve to be remembered.

*libby app *

[Marci carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this real life story of the first American women pilots to fly for the U.S.A. I soaked in the many lives and those they touched along with future generations. It was truly inspiring to read about this true story of women Air Force Service Pilots of World War 2. I cried for all the struggles they went through to be recognized as the first women to fly for our country. What a struggle , but met head on with such fierce determination that spanned their lives! I smiled as my Air Force Marathon patch appeared and I used it as my bookmark. This book has so much to offer all who read it. It’s a book full of true stories of these courageous, inspiring first women pilots of WW2!

[Loraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not an avid non-fiction reader, but I found this new release absolutely fascinating. The Woman's Auxiliary Ferry Squadron or WAFS was developed during World War 2 to find women who were already certified pilots who could ferry airplanes (any that were used in the war) from either a base to a repair station or from the United States to Britain. This was still the early years of aviation and these ladies from all different life situations (housewives to university graduates) were independent, strong, and gutsy. They relieved men who could be then sent to the front lines. Their stories are riveting, and their life afterwards interesting. They were never given military status but considered civilian employees. It was not until 1977 when many were in their 80's and 90's when they finally received military status and given benefits that should have belonged to them from the beginning.

I highly recommend this book to any of those interested in World War 2 women's service, and the pictures that are at the beginning of each chapter highlight the women.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE WOMEN WITH SILVER WINGS: THE INSPIRING TRUE STORY OF THE WOMEN AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS OF WORLD WAR II
Katherine Sharp Landdeck

The book Jacket is true, this is a truly thrilling story about the women who flew airplanes to assist in World War II.

I really enjoyed the story of these brave women, Cornelia Fort and the other 1,00o women who worked behind the scenes to train the pilots that actually fought the war. But 38 of these brave women died and for years the service of these women went unnoticed.

The research was detailed and well done, and the writing was engaging and interesting. This was a great historical read about the WASP and what happened after the war.

5 stars

Happy Reading!

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important historical reference, well researched and written. An annoying start but excellent, nonetheless. rtf

4+ Stars

Listened to the audiobook and read on kindle. Gabra Zackman was very good!

[Toni Osborne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War 11

Ms. Landdeck is an associate professor and teaches courses on the twentieth century United States and global war. What an interesting read her book is.

“The Women with Silver Wings” is the culmination of her 20 years of research on the Women Airforce Service Pilots. The WASP were the first women in history to fly for the U.S. military, serving between 1942 and 1944 at the height of World WAR 11. These daring female aviators who helped the United States win WW 11 only to be forgotten by the country they served.

It has been a privilege for Ms. Landdeck get to know these women over years and to tell the stories of these amazing women in action. At the height of WW 11 more than 1000 women volunteered as civilian pilots to relieve men for overseas duty. They ferried planes across the country from factories to points of embarkation, towed targets behind planes to train ground and air gunners, test flew planes after repairs and other domestic flying duty that the Air Forces needed done. The author describes in details their day to day life: the months of training, were they were stationed, the types of aircraft they flew and their down time.

The WASP were deactivated in December 1944 up to 1977 they continued their battle to be officially recognised as part of the Military. In 1984 each pilot was awarded the WW 11 Victory medal and others the American Theater Ribbon and Campaign Medal. In 2009, after decades-long battle, the women contributions finally honored and were granted the Congressional Gold Medal and officially recognized as military veterans. The status fully recognised in 2017.

This book is superbly researched and consists of numerous vignettes of the remarkable pilots. It is smoothly written with relatively short chapters to keep us interested. In whole an easy read and a great educating tool.

On the down side: I found too much was said for a regular size book, information seemed cramped in. I was deeply into this book for most part but ¾ in, things started to turn in circle, became repetitive and dragged somewhat. I was anxious to see the ending by then. Having said this, I still would recommend this book to those who love this time in history.

I received an ARC from Crown Publishing via NetGalley for my thoughts.

[Megargee · Rating 5 out of 5]

During World War II, American women pilots made a major, if previously largely unheralded, contribution to the Army Air Forces, freeing male pilots for overseas combat missions. Consisting of experienced civilian women pilots as well as new recruits who were trained for the task, these 1100 women flew an estimated 60 million miles in 77 different types of aircraft ranging from Piper Cubs used in training up to and including giant cargo planes and bombers such as B-17s and B-29s. Except for actual combat, these WASP (Women's Air Service Pilots) flew every type assignment men did. 38 were killed. Their principle task was ferrying new planes from factories to air bases around the country, test flying new air craft, flying damaged planes to repair facilities (an especially hazardous task), and towing targets to help train antiaircraft gunners using live ammunition. When novice male pilots were reluctant to fly the challenging B-29 Superfortress, female pilots were especially valuable teachers.
Sadly the WASPs were largely disbanded and unappreciated at the end and after the war. Gen. Hap Arnold regarded the women as temporary substitutes for male pilots who were in short supply and sent them on their way once the male ranks were filled. Much of the book is devoted to subsequent efforts to gain recognition for their service and decades later, to fully integrate women into the Air Force in combat as well as noncombat roles. (As I write a woman is guiding a space vehicle up to the International Space Station.)
After first learning of the WASPs in 1993, author Katherine Lanndeck, herself a civilian pilot, devoted 26 years to researching this book of serious nonfiction, personally interviewing many of the former service women. She also assisted in creating the WASP archives at Texas Women's University where she is a professor. These personal contacts enliven this well written and inspiring book.

[Cynda · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like your history to be well researched and to read like a novel, this book is for you.

I listened to the audio book on AXIS 360 which is narrated by Gabra Zachman. True to the title, Zachman read with an inspirational lilt to her voice.

I read for my personal challenge of 10 books about the Women of WWII. In this book can be read descriptions of the women and the difficulties they faced as they sought become militarized rather than just being civilian support. They were partly successful. At least partly due to their seeking professional/military recognition during the ERA era.

Prhaps another day I will read a more serious book about women pilots serving in WWII.

[carl theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great look at the women and how the various organizations were formed, that eventually made up the WASPs, Women Airforce Service Pilots. The seesaw political battle for control of the women flyers is evenly covered, which is the struggle between Nancy Love of the WAFS (Women’s Auxilary Ferrying Squadron) and Jackie Cochran of the WFTD (Women’s Flying Training Detachment).

Various chapters profile a different flyer as they learn to pilot long before World War 2, and make their way to wanting to serve their country in the air. The intermingled stories keep the tale moving along at a good pace, only the end of the war stopped this successful program, but set the scene for women to enter in the military services in the future.

Purchased this book at the WASP museum, Avenger field Sweetwater, Texas 2021.

[Marcy Mount · Rating 4 out of 5]

what a good tribute to women in aviation!

[Maureen Caupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book of 2020 so far!

The Women with Silver Wings tells the story of the women who trained and served as Women Airforce Service Pilots during WWII. Over 1000 thousand women served as WASPs and 38 women were killed while training or performing their work. These women were passionate about flying and serving their country in a time of need and truly were the first women pilots for the United State military, but Congress and the Armed Services refused to recognize them as a part of the military during their service. After the WASP program was disbanded the women were told to go home and return solely to their role as housewives, much like other women who had worked for the war effort and to keep the country running while men were overseas. In the years that followed the war the work done by the women was largely forgotten and the women couldn't get work flying planes. Most were told that the companies didn't have jobs for them, because they were women. Only a few managed to find jobs that allowed them to continue flying.

This book is fascinating and well researched, combining interviews with surviving WASP and documents the WASP and gathered and had archived at Texas Woman's University. It is interesting mix of the women's personal stories and details about their training and work that they performed (including ferrying planes across the country from factories to where they were needed for training or transport overseas, test flying new and repaired planes, pulling targets so that soldiers could practice shooting at flying targets with live ammunition, and more. These brave women risked their lives serving the war effort, but were then pushed aside.

This book brings to life the forgotten stories of a group of women who served a vital role during WWII, but were then largely forgotten by most of America. According to WASP Dora Dougherty Strather McKeown (who earned a PhD and was one of the women who managed to get a career that involved flying, working for Bell Industries and becoming one of few women at the time to become a certified helicopter pilot) "Nobody Seemed to remember about us. No books were written about us, and we were sort of a forgotten page in history." If you love books like Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly and Code Girls by Liza Mundy this book is a must read!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II by Katherine Sharp Landdeck is a well-researched, well-written, factual account of the Women Airforce Service Pilots from the origins of the organization until it was finally disbanded. Since I read a lot of WWII history I was aware of some of the accomplishments of this group but the author has put it all together with first-hand accounts from the women who were there as members of this group. From the woman flight instructor on a training flight with a student over the Hawaiian Islands to women who were active pilots for fun and for hire to those with the interest but no flying experience, they're all here. Primarily they were tasked with flying new planes from the factory to the front freeing up men pilots for combat duties. But they also performed other functions such as towing targets for gunnery practice or test pilots for new or modified aircraft. They loved what they did enough to put up with discrimination because they were women. After the war they made many attempts to get the recognition they deserved to be declared part of the US military during their service. The practical side of this quest was the years of service that would add to any government pensions and veterans' benefits to which they were well entitled. It was not and easy sell and failed many times in the US Congress. It wasn't until they got some powerful support from key members of congress, including conservative Barry Goldwater who helped lead the charge, that it finally passed. Sadly, most of them were unable to find work in the field of aviation, although some were able to work for a while as flight instructors. This has similarities with the experiences of the Tuskegee Airmen who after thousands of hours of flying and combat experience were not offered work as airline pilots and melted back into society sometimes as day laborers. An excellent book and highly recommended!

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually cry during nonfiction books. (Or any book, for that matter.) So when the last chapters of this book got to me, that meant something.

The Women with Silver Wings follows the inception, enactment, and disbandment of the WASPs (Women Airforce Service Pilots) of WWII. But unlike some nonfiction about WWII that I've read, this book didn't just list names and places. These women felt painfully human. I cheered for their victories and mourned their losses.

In addition to being amazingly researched, you can tell the care that Landdeck put into this book. While I seethed at times, especially in regards to the sexism and roadblocks the WASPs faced along the way, I enjoyed the book. (I do have to say it is sad how white the story is - though that is unfortunately the fault of the time period and the military and not of the author.)

These forgotten heroes deserve their day. I hope that with this book, that day has come.

[Amy Ingalls · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been fascinated with the changing role of women during WWII. This book did a great job introducing the reader to the WASPs, both as a program and as individual women. I was frustrated along with these women as they fought to gain admission into the military and recognition of their service. My grandmother's sister, a tiny, 4'11" woman, worked on large military trucks during WWII and there is a picture of her standing on the bumper, bent over, one foot in the air, trying to reach inside the hood. That is the picture that showed my little girl self that I could do anything that I wanted when I grew up. These women are an inspiration.

There was only one thing that bothered me. I had an ARC, and a few times the author described a photo, but the photo was not included in the book. I thought this was odd, and would have loved to see these pictures, but that may have changed in the final, edited version.

[Dennis Hogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II by Katherine Sharp Landdeck. This is a terrific account of the pioneering female aviators who stepped in to fill the need for pilots to ferry new planes being produced in ever increasing numbers to the military for use overseas. Thirty eight women lost their lives in this effort. Additionally, they towed targets, taught new male pilots headed to war. They were some of the most accomplished pilots of their era but were largely underpaid and under recognized for their efforts. They weren’t officially in the military so they had no life insurance death benefit and didn’t even qualify for minimal VA benefits until the Carter Administration. These heroes paved the way for women to attend the service academies. Very interesting book.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The WASPs are an important part of US military history, but I found this book a bit dry. It focused a bit too much on Jacqueline Cochran, Nancy Love, and the politics of women in service, and not enough on the day to day lives of the WASPs themselves. I would have liked to have heard more about their daily challenges, their missions and flying. It actually made me dislike Jacqueline Cochran as a person, in spite of all she did for women in aviation. I am very grateful for the inclusion of Hazel Lee, one of the very few women of color in the WASP program, though a greater focus on the discrimination women of color faced would have been appreciated, more than the few paragraphs they did receive. Overall though, a very well researched account of the formation, execution, and legacy of the WASPs.

[Annissa Joy Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was very well written and contained a lot of information about women pilots and their contributions in aviation during WW ll. The women of WASP were the first women to fly for the US. Katherine Sharp Landdeck did a great job recording this history that a lot of people probably do not know about. It was a very good read for a non fiction book. I believe this book will appeal to a wide variety of readers...people who enjoy women’s history, aviation history, WWII history and history of the USA.

Thank you to Crown Publishing for the early digital copy via Netgalley for my review.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genres: Nonfiction/WWII

This felt well researched. I've read other books about this and I get the feeling in each one that Nancy Love got the short end of the stick.

I enjoyed reading about the personal stories of the women flyers. Truly a labor of love as they fought their way into the air.

Overall, this one was worth the read, so 4 stars.

[Clairemat]

Ending gave me chills. Incredible job to the author for dedicating so many years to collect and showcase these stories in this book. Unfortunately this is never covered in school.

———

Also idk feel weird giving a star rating for a non fiction book?? But like 4/5 for nonfiction??

[Serena Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting book on a topic that I honestly knew nothing about until I read this. The WASPs would’ve loved The Man by Taylor Swift 🩷

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's obvious from the very first chapter that this book was a labour of love. With a relentless attention to detail and an understanding gained through hours of work including tracking down news item, letters, photos, documents and interviews with many of the WASP, Katherine Sharp Landdeck captures the passion, the dedication and the disappointments and heartache of a group of women pilots who were all bout forgotten by the country they loved and served.
As an aviation enthusiast who has always admired the pioneering women in the aviation industry, I was excited to find this book that tells the story of this iconic group of American aviation pioneers. As I read, I fell in love with the WASP and their determination to serve their country while pursuing their passion for flying and I loved discovering the "famous names" from aviation history who peopled their story - aviation and wartime heroes like Amelia Earhardt, Hap Arnold, Paul Tibbets and Chuck Yeager all of whom, in addition to the accomplishments that made each of them bright stars in the skies of American aviation, also played their roles in the founding an brief life of the WASP.
The story of these outstanding women is one that desperately needed to be told so that their lives and sacrifice become a part of the American war story and their courage and determination can inspire many future generations of women, not only in the air and space industry, but in every walk of American life. The Women with Silver Wings should be required reading for every 20th Century American History, Women's Studies and Aviation History courses but, far beyond that, it's a book that everyone with even a passing interest in the last century should add to their "to be read" list, because in addition to being a well written history book, it's just a darned good read.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Women with Silver Wings: The Story of the Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II by Katherine Sharp-Landdeck is one of the best nonfiction books of 2020 and easily one of the best nonfiction books I've read in quite some time. I'll snap up just about anything connected to the WASP and the author here really hits the mark. We get to know many of the women involved, what they all did during their service, and their legacy. It's a shame what happened to the program and how they were treated after the way. It's insane to know that they didn't even gain full recognition for their service during the war until 2009. Either way this new book still manages to be quite inspiring and a must read if you're at all interested in aviation and women's roles during wartime.

[Marylynn Lynch-Gomez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This work was a labor of love and devotion to the memory of some amazing women. While it did clunk along a points, the value of capturing this important snapshot in history felt part collage text book and part novel - an interesting read.