Celebrating the Women Who Came Before Us
On Memorial Day, we pause to honor the women who flew before us—the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II, whose courage cleared a runway for every Modern Rosie in our hangar.
Our team designed special WASP Memorial Day flags and began a new commitment: to seek out the resting places of our sister WASPs and honor them in person, grave by grave, name by name. As we BUILD, FIX, and FLY airplanes, we carry these women with us. Their sacrifice is not a footnote in our history.
On the flag is our Pilot in Command’s artwork, a mixed media piece titled “Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II (WASPs)” where 100+ photographs of women aviators layered with hundreds of Women in Our Armed Services and Jacqueline Cochran stamps, painted from the iconic image of Frances Green, Margaret “Peg” Kirchner, Ann Waldner, and Blanche Osborn as they were stepping away from their B-17, Pistol Packin’ Mammas.
This year, Auntie Bonnie—our resident librarian, historian, and storyteller—brought their legacy to life for our builders, sharing stories behind the painting and reminding us that the freedom to BUILD, FLY, and FIX airplanes did not appear by accident.
These women ferried every type of military aircraft, towed targets under live fire, trained pilots, and logged more than 60 million miles. They did this in oversized zoot suits, with minimal recognition, often at great personal risk—some carrying a pistol on board, prepared to destroy the top-secret Norden bombsight if needed.
Thirty-eight never came home.
