APRIL 9 American forces surrender on Bataan.
APRIL 18 Sixteen B-25s take off from USS Hornet. Doolittle's Raiders bomb Tokyo.
APRIL 28 Coastal "dimouts" go into effect along a fifteen-mile strip on the Eastern Seaboard, in
response to German U-boat activity off the U.S. Atlantic coast.
MAY 12 Gen. Arnold in Walter Reed Hospital (May 12-22).
MAY 14 U.S. Congress establishes The Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC).
MAY 18 Col Tunner takes step to hire 5 women pilots in ferrying unit.
MAY 23 General Arnold leaves for England. B-17s of 8th AF to arrive June 7.
MAY 25 Ms. Cochran working on ferrying plan for 8th Air Force. Gen. Arnold lands in England.
Desperate for combat pilots, he confers with Ms. Cochran re creating organization of women pilots to
relieve male pilots for combat. Asks her to return to US. (She is obligated to finish plans for 8th AF.)
JUNE 2 Gen. Arnold departs England for US.
JUNE Arnold ill. Gen. George not aware of Gen. Arnold's commitment to Ms. Cochran. Maj. Love
mentions his pilot wife, Nancy Love, to Col. Tunner. Nancy Love proposes development of women
pilots to ferry aircraft. Gen. George likes idea women pilots being added to Col. Tunner's ferry pilot
pool. ATC staff approves Nancy Love to be in charge of women pilots when/if employed.
JUNE 11 Nancy Love transferred to Washington to AAF Chief of Air Staff office. Nancy Love drafts
proposal to hire women pilots to assist in ferrying.
JUNE 12 Col. Tunner notifies New Castle Air Base that 25 women pilots will be there Aug 1.
JUNE 18 Col. Tunner receives Love's plan: Hire women as civilian ferry pilots, must have 500 hrs vs
200 for men, restrict them to flying AAF smallest trainers and liaison planes, women to have lower
pay than men.
JULY AAF Ferrying Command changes name to Air Transport Command (ATC). ATC begins a
program of hiring civilian pilots to ferry planes.
JULY 2 Jacqueline Cochran now working as commissioned officer with 8th Air Force. Gen. Arnold
requests Ms. Cochran return to U.S. Starts paper work.
JULY 4 First Air Force bomber mission over Europe in WWII (B-17s).
JULY 13 Nancy Love and Col. Baker submit detailed plan to hire women pilots as civilians.
JULY 18. Gen. George sends a memo to Gen. Arnold suggesting women be employed as ferry pilots,
experimentally.
4
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14