Female Pilots Worth Remembering

A historical marker honors World War II’s Women Airforce Service Pilots

BY Christine R. Gonzalez

Published February 24, 2023|
Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) Ruth Underwood and Dorothea Moorman of the Camp Davis Army Air Forces fleet. At Camp Davis in Onslow County, 52 women pilots flew simulated strafing missions and towed targets for anti-aircraft gunnery to practice. Some even tested secretive remote-controlled devices. Moorman and Dora Dougherty trained male pilots how to fly the treacherous B-29 Superfortress bomber. Dougherty flew a wide variety of missions, including reliability tests of the B-29. Courtesy WASP Archive/TWU Denton, TX
Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) Ruth Underwood and Dorothea Moorman of the Camp Davis Army Air Forces fleet. At Camp Davis in Onslow County, 52 women pilots flew simulated strafing missions and towed targets for anti-aircraft gunnery to practice. Some even tested secretive remote-controlled devices. Moorman and Dora Dougherty trained male pilots how to fly the treacherous B-29 Superfortress bomber. Dougherty flew a wide variety of missions, including reliability tests of the B-29. Courtesy WASP Archive/TWU Denton, TX

Patriotism soared after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The United States was now in the fight, and it seemed everyone wanted to do their part. Male pilots were in short supply. So about 25,000 ambitious women applied to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) program. Only 1,074 completed training and earned their wings.

The female pilots of World War II never fought in combat, but their role in the supply chain was vital. WASPs flew every type of plane in the Army Air Forces fleet, totaling over 60 million miles. They flew new planes from U.S. factories to bases, transported personnel and cargo, and were the first to test a repaired plane before it returned to combat.

At Camp Davis in Onslow County, 52 WASPs were assigned to fly simulated strafing missions and to tow targets for anti-aircraft gunnery practice. Some even tested secretive remote-controlled devices. Camp Davis pilots Dorothea  Moorman and Dora Dougherty trained male pilots how to fly the treacherous B-29 Superfortress bomber.

Pilots Dora Dougherty and Dorothea Moorman stand in front of the crew door of a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber at the 17th Bomb Wing, 242nd Army Air Forces Base Unit, Grand Island AAF, Grand Island, Nebraska. Like Captain America (actor Chris Evans) as portrayed in Marvel films, many of the fresh-faced WASPs pilots were beauties who looked like 1940s film stars. Courtesy WASP Archive/TWU Denton, TX

Most of the female pilots underwent rigorous training in Houstonand then at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, where the WASP museum stands tribute. Each graduate earned a commercial pilot’s license and passed stringent military regulations, amounting to the equivalency of a college aeronautics degree.

Between 1942-44, the female pilots provided a necessary and often dangerous service at more than 120 bases around the country. WASPs often flew outdated planes that were prone to mechanical problems, which were mostly to blame for the 38 deaths reported while performing military work. But a WASP was not in the military.

Army Air Forces Commanding General “Hap” Arnold tried to get Congress to recognize the female pilots as active military members in June 1944, but the bid was rejected. Instead, it took until 1977 when President Jimmy Carter signed legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater giving WASPs military status for laws administered by the Veterans Administration.

A group of WASPs, including Dora Dougherty, assigned to the 3rd Tow Target Squadron, 1st Air Force, carrying their parachutes as they head for the flight line. Courtesy WASP Archive/TWU Denton, TX

The North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program erected a marker in September 2021 to honor the work done by the 52 WASPs who were stationed at Camp Davis. The marker can be seen along N.C. 17 near Camp Davis Road in Holly Ridge.

The N.C. Highway Historical Marker Program is one of the oldest such programs in the United States. The first marker was erected in Granville County to denote the home of John Penn, one of three signers of the Declaration of Independence from North Carolina.

Left: June Ellington was a tow target pilot stationed at Camp Davis. WASPs flew targets above the firing ranges at Fort Fisher, Sears Point, Topsail Island and Camp Davis. Courtesy WASP Archive/TWU Denton, TX. Center: A North Carolina historical marker along N.C. 17 near Camp Davis in Onslow County honors the service of the WASPs. Right: WASPs around a Curtis A-25A make a last minute checkup before taking off from Camp Davis, ca. 1943. Dora Dougherty is at top. Courtesy National Archives, Photo No. 176250894

Camp Davis was decommissioned after WWII. The U.S. Marine Corps reestablished the camp and airfield in 1954, and it is still active as an outlying landing field.

Despite the trail blazed by 1,000 women, the 2020 Air Force Personnel Center statistics noted of the 12,395 active-duty pilots, only 6.7 percent or 838 were female.

LifeLong Patriots Included in This Story

Moorman, Dorothea M. Johnson: 1917-2005

McKeown, Dora Dougherty Strother: 1921-2013

Petto, June Ellington: 1921-1999

Florey, Ruth Thompson Underwood: 1922-2007







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