Fly Girls of WW II’ Tells the Story of Courageous Women Pilots

BATAVIA, IL – A little-known chapter of World War II history will take center stage March 26 as historian and certified FAA pilot Rebecca Tulloch brings the story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) to life during a special presentation by Batavia Depot Museum, a facility of Batavia Park District.

Tulloch’s program, “The Fly Girls of World War II,” will be held at the Callahan Community Center, 150 Houston St., at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 and available online at bataviaparks.info/FlyGirls.

More than 1,100 women served as WASPs during World War II, flying nearly every type of military aircraft used by American forces, from the PT-17 Stearman to the P-51 Mustang and the B-17 Flying Fortress. Their assignments ranged from ferrying aircraft and towing targets for live-fire training to conducting maintenance test flights.

Despite their contributions, the WASPs’ story remains largely overlooked, Tulloch said.
A participant in World War II reenactments, Tulloch said she learned about the depth of the WASPs’ impact when she began researching women’s wartime roles. “I wondered why I didn’t learn about them in school,” she said.

Her presentation will trace the evolution of the program, which recruited women with pilot licenses — including experienced flight instructors — to fill critical gaps as male pilots were deployed overseas.
Collectively, the women trained to fly 77 different aircraft, adapting quickly to whatever plane they were assigned. “As a group they had to know how to fly many different kinds of planes because they never knew what they’d be flying,” Tulloch said.

Among their most dangerous duties was towing target banners for live anti-aircraft practice, sometimes returning with bullet holes in their planes. WASPs also helped demonstrate the B-29 bomber, nicknamed a “widow maker” due to engine fires. When male pilots hesitated to fly it, two WASP pilots completed a demonstration flight, helping convince the men to proceed with training. "If two women could fly the plane, they couldn't say no," Tulloch said.

“As a pilot, I understand how difficult it was for women of that era to take on risky wartime assignments,” she said. “They flew dangerous aircraft. They were shot at while flying. They were constantly aware of the risks they were taking.”

The presentation complements the Batavia Depot Museum’s spring exhibit, “To Secure These Rights,” which highlights stories of local military service members and civil rights pioneers.

“This program fits perfectly with our exhibit,” said Museum Director Kate Garrett, “because the ‘Fly Girls’ broke barriers in aviation while serving their country.”

For more information on Batavia Park District programs and events, call (630) 879-5235 or visit bataviaparks.org.


Historian and certified FAA pilot Rebecca Tulloch will give a presentation on the women pilots of World War II at 7 p.m. on March 26 at Callahan Community Center. 
Photo courtesy of Rebecca Tulloch