Female Airmen continue to make history (Part 2)

RAF MILDENHALL, England -- In 1942, the Women's Flying Training Detachment and the Women's Auxilliary Ferrying Squadron - both predessors to the Women Airforce Service Pilots - pioneered the way for civilian female pilots to fly military aircraft, under the direction of the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.

The two groups merged Aug. 5, 1943, forming the newly-created WASP organization. More than 1,000 women joined the WASPs, and having each of those female pilots taking on flying duties meant the same number of male pilots were made available for combat service and duties.

Qualified female pilots were employed to fly missions such as ferrying aircraft from factories to military bases, and towing drones and aerial targets. Some went to England to volunteer to fly for the Air Transport Auxiliary, which had been using female pilots since January 1940.

These were the first American women to fly military aircraft, flying the Royal Air Force's front line aircraft - including Spitfires, Typhoons and Hudsons - in a non-combat role, but combat-like conditions. Most served in the war, and only three returned to the United States to be part of the WASP program once more.

The commander of the Air Transport Command, Ferrying Division, made the decision to integrate a civilian force of female pilots, and proposals were drawn up. However, it wasn't until the summer of 1942 that a decision was reached whereby women could fly in the Air Force.

The WAFS went into operation in September of that year. In December 1944, their counterpart WASPs completed their mission. Thirty-eight died leading their country to victory.

In today's Air Force, many more female pilots continue to serve in vital positions.

As a junior in high school looking for colleges, Erika Shortridge, now a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot and first lieutenant in the 351st Air Refueling Squadron, toured the Air Force Academy and decided she liked the idea of being in the military.

"Both my parents were in the military before I was born, so although I wasn't around (that way of life), it was always in the back of my head that I would join the military one day," said Shortridge. "My dad was (in intelligence) and my mom was in the Army - she never told me exactly what she did."

After attending a 10-day soaring program at the academy, learning to fly a glider by getting towed into the air before gliding down, Shortridge said she decided to give piloting a go.

"I thought it would be a challenging and rewarding job," she said, adding that she didn't know what to expect. "I've learned a lot more than I imagined - I didn't know what plane I'd get, but I was really fortunate and got my choice.

"I love that this job is different every day - you never know what challenges (you're going to face). You have to adapt to whatever gets thrown at you to make the mission happen."

Shortridge had been stationed at RAF Mildenhall for just three months when she got deployed to Istres, France, in support of Operation Unified Protector for more than four months in 2011.

"I did a lot of flying, and learned a lot about the role we have in the fight out there. During my last month, I was (part of) the staff there, so I learned a lot more about scheduling and what goes on behind the scenes. I got a lot out of that deployment, seeing how everything fits together," she said.

Even though she's only been a pilot for a short time, the 25-year-old from Charleston, S.C., already has some memorable flights under her belt, most noticeably one of the first emergencies she encountered.

"My plane lost one of its hydraulic systems; we had to manually lower the gear and make sure we had the landing distance correct," she said. "Dealing with that was a good experience, and I had a good aircraft commander - we worked together, and everything turned out fine."

Shortridge said even though it was a surprise when they lost the use of the hydraulic system, they constantly practice in the simulator for that type of emergency.

Shortridge said she understands that she owes much to the women of the 1940s for the opportunities she has, both as a female pilot and Airman.

"(The Air Force) has come a long way - I'm really lucky to be in it during this day and age, as opposed to back then," Shortridge said, adding that pilots are no longer treated differently, regardless of whether they are male or female.

"I'm grateful to (the women who joined the Air Force in the early years) for doing what they did, to make our lives a lot easier today," she said.

Editor's note: This is the second of a two-part series for National Women's History Month featuring women in unconventional careers which, years ago, were predominantly 'jobs for men'.