The year was 1942, and the US Army Air Forces were faced with a severe shortage of skilled pilots. The US was pulled into World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor a year prior, almost all reserve pilots were called into active duty. But the problem was that only men were allowed to operate military planes at the time, even though most of their flight instructors were women.
WASP pilots. Source: Twitter
Through pure willpower and determination, 1,100 female pilots were eventually allowed to fly domestic military aircraft while their male counterparts were released for combat duty overseas. This is the story of how the actions of a few brave women not only created a legacy of female empowerment but paved the way for female pilots for years to come.