In 1942, Jacqueline Cochran led the formation of Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) to free up male pilots for air combat. 1 The program produced 1,102 female pilots and lasted 29 months. During that time, 38 women were killed while transporting and testing the planes. 2When Pearl Harbor was attacked, Jacqueline Cochran tried to convince the Army Air Corps to allow female pilots to operate military aircraft in the United States. When that failed, she decided to help the British Air Transport Auxiliary and took a group of women pilots with her. When she returned to recruit a second group, she learned that the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) had been created. Knowing that there would be a need for more than 25 WAFS members, she established the Women's Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) with an initial class of 25 women. They ferried, tested, delivered, spent flight time on new engines, towed targets for gunnery exercises, and instructed male pilot cadets. In August 1943 the WAFS and WFTD merged to form the Women Airforce Service Pilots, otherwise known as the WASP. In the short time the WASP program existed, 25,000 women applied to become pilots. Only 1,879 applicants were accepted, and 1,074 successfully completed the program.3 To become a member of WASP a woman had to have a business license, be between the ages of 21 and 35 (18-year-old women were accepted if they had a pilot's license and flying experience) and have a minimum of 200 hours of flying time.4 Pilots also had to be at least 5 feet 2 inches tall. Margaret Phelan Taylor was a WASP pilot who was half an inch shorter than the minimum height limit of 5 feet 2 inches. When it came time to be measured, she simply stood on her tiptoes. After arrival...... middle of paper ......nces, but now the war situation has changed and the time has come when your volunteer services are no longer needed. The situation is that if you continue to serve, you will replace rather than release our youth. I know the WASPs wouldn't want that. I want you to know that I appreciate your war service and that the AAF will miss you…”8 The women flew 60 million miles in 77 different aircraft; maintained a slightly better safety record than male pilots; and had even trained male pilots. Yet it took 33 years after their disbandment for the WASPs to be granted veteran status. After the dissolution some women remained pilots, but not with any of the major airlines. Others got jobs as stewardesses to stay in the air. Major airlines would not hire these highly trained and experienced pilots to fly their planes, simply because they were women.9