Language

[Photograph of Eleven WASP and Three Men]

Photograph of eleven members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and three men standing and sitting in front of a building. The typewritten label attached to the photograph's bottom edge repeats the information written on the back of the photograph.
Date: May 6, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping photocopy: Would Halt Rise of Women Pilots] (open access)

[Clipping photocopy: Would Halt Rise of Women Pilots]

Photocopy of a newspaper clipping that includes an article about a report from the Civil Service Investigating Committee, advising the cutting of the WASP program. The grounds for this advice is to make way for excess male pilots in the Air Force. Other articles surround the article about cutting the WASP program, including some about politics and war. At the top of the photocopy, the page number of the article is handwritten.
Date: June 6, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History

[John Vitola and Another Soldier]

Photograph of John Vitola and another soldier standing together in front of the plywood wall of a quarters. The men are wearing U.S. Army uniforms and garrison caps. Vitola drapes his left arm over the other man's shoulder.
Date: June 6, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Soldiers Studying for an Exam]

Photograph of men identified as Johna, Susselman, and Dan Melli crouching on grass in front of a two-story building. A man identified as Winston stands to the right and gestures with his right hand. Each of the men are carrying a book.
Date: June 6, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, August 6, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, August 6, 1944]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on August 6, 1944. He mentions a friend, Charles S., who has come to visit, whom he and another friend have taken in. Charles S. is homesick, but John, Jr. believes they will all come home soon. He expresses excitement at getting a rare half day at work, and details all the things he likes to do with his time off. He tells a story of a fellow soldier who fell and broke several ribs, and whom John, Jr. plans to visit in the hospital later. He asks for a new fountain pen in a postscript.
Date: August 6, 1944
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, April 6, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, April 6, 1944]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on April 6, 1944. He had a get together with Wilbur Crawford and some soldiers from his outfit, and he comments on the weather.
Date: April 6, 1944
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to Sallie L. Willis, December 6, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to Sallie L. Willis, December 6, 1944]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to Sallie L. Willis, on December 6, 1944, thanking her for the Christmas box she sent him. He talks about the weather, and says that the food is getting bad because it's all canned, so her box is very welcome. He expresses hope that a relative made it safely to France.
Date: December 6, 1944
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, December 6, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his Parents, December 6, 1944]

Letter from John Todd Willis, Jr. to his parents Clara and John T. Willis, Sr. on December 6, 1944, saying he hasn't gotten any of their letters, but he has gotten a few boxes in the mail. He says he's got some pictures he'll send to them in his next air mail letter. He also mentions a friend who's been stationed nearby and is going to come to the club that night.
Date: December 6, 1944
Creator: Willis, John Todd, Jr.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Receipt of Cash Purchases, December 6, 1944] (open access)

[Receipt of Cash Purchases, December 6, 1944]

Receipt of cash purchases for Suzette Van Daell totalling $32.68. It is labeled M 2037107.
Date: December 6, 1944
Creator: van Daell, Suzette
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from I. H. to Cecile Kempner, February 6, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from I. H. to Cecile Kempner, February 6, 1944]

Letter to Cecile from her father about a dinner he had in a military base, him wanting to go to Washington. Mentions US troop deployment overseas.
Date: February 6, 1944
Creator: Kempner, Isaac H. (Isaac Herbert), 1873-1967
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 1] (open access)

[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 1]

Special Order from Sid C. Pinskton listing the names of women who completed the Women's Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) training program and are authorized to fly military aircraft.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: 2536D Army Air Forces Base Unit
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Training: Instrument Pilot Proficiency (open access)

Training: Instrument Pilot Proficiency

Military pamphlet describing training and certificates necessary to be considered proficient in instrument piloting.
Date: March 6, 1944
Creator: United States. Army Air Forces.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Individual Flight Record for Catherine Parker #2] (open access)

[Individual Flight Record for Catherine Parker #2]

Chart listing the flight times of Catherine Parker during day and night, as well hours worked on instrument flying and in the LINK trainer, ain Sweetwater, Texas. A statement on the chart also notes the date she received her instrument flying certification.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: Arnold, Hugh G. & Nance, Walter L.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Individual Flight Record for Catherine Parker #3] (open access)

[Individual Flight Record for Catherine Parker #3]

Chart listing the flight times flown by Catherine Parker as first pilot in various aircraft models at 3024th Air Force base in Marana, Arizona
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: Arnold, Hugh G. & Welch, Lawrence H.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Catherine Parker WASP Diploma] (open access)

[Catherine Parker WASP Diploma]

Diploma certifying that Catherine Parker completed the Women Airforce Service Pilots training program.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: United States. Army Air Forces.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Catherine Parker WASP Promotion] (open access)

[Catherine Parker WASP Promotion]

Photocopy of a notice of personnel action from the War Department promoting Catherine Parker from WASP Trainee to Women's Army Service Pilot with new pay-grade.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: United States. War Department. & Ahlgrimm, James A.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 1] (open access)

[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 1]

Special orders extract authorizing a list of Women Airforce Service Pilots to fly military aircraft. Eleanor McLernon's name can be seen underlined in red on the list.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: 2536D Army Air Forces Base Unit
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Lt. Edward Drew to Mickey McLernon, March 6, 1944] (open access)

[Letter from Lt. Edward Drew to Mickey McLernon, March 6, 1944]

Letter from Lieutenant Edward Drew to Mickey McLernon making conversation and briefly mentioning his graduation from cadet school.
Date: March 6, 1944
Creator: Drew, Edward Allen
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 4] (open access)

[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 4]

Special orders reassigning a list of Women Airforce Service Pilots to different stations.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: United States. Army Air Forces. Base Unit, 2563rd.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 3 & 2] (open access)

[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 3 & 2]

Special orders to a list of Women Airforce Service Pilots for reassignment and pay change.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: United States. Army Air Forces. Base Unit, 2563rd.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 3] (open access)

[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 3]

Special orders reassigning a list of Women Airforce Service Pilots to different stations. McLernon's name can be seen underlined in red ink on the second page.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: United States. Army Air Forces. Base Unit, 2563rd.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 1] (open access)

[Special Orders Number 99, Extract 1]

Special orders authorizing a list of Women Airforce Service Pilots to fly military aircraft.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: United States. Army Air Forces. Base Unit, 2563rd.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History

Newsmap. For the Armed Forces. 234th week of the war, 116th week of U.S. participation

Front: Text describes action on various war fronts: Western Europe, USSR, Finland, Italy, Southwest Pacific, Central Pacific, Burma. Maps show Current battle lines along Russian border and Rumania, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Finland ; Central Italy. Includes photographs: Dauga Airfield after 5th Air Force B-25 medium bombers leave Japanese planes destroyed. Japanese captured by U.S. Coast Guardsmen off Kwajalein. Lt. Eugune R. Hanks of Gibbs, Idaho in his Grumman Hellcat fighter. U.S. tank officer explains the target to Gen. Eishenhower while Air Marshall Tedder watches. Gliders built in England for the Allied Forces. U.S. combat cars await dispatch on a field in the English countryside. Field Marshall Rommel inspects Nazi fortifications. British soldiers near the Garigliano River. Three "Yanks" at the Anzio beachhead. Mortar crew of the 36th division below Cassino. American paratroopers capture Nazi snipers. Pvt. Robert Steinmetz of Pittsburgh with a mule he rescued from an Italian farm. Composite aerial view of Italian coast including Anzio and Nettuno. Back: Luftwaffe (German Air Force) uniforms. Text and illustrations of Flying Suits, Miscellaneous Uniforms, Parachutist Uniforms, Continental Uniforms.
Date: March 6, 1944
Creator: [United States.] Army Service Forces. Morale Services Division. Army Information Branch.
Object Type: Poster
System: The UNT Digital Library

Newsmap. For the Armed Forces. 269th week of the war, 151st week of U.S. participation

Front: Text describes action on various war fronts: U.S. Naval Victory, Pearl Harbor Battleships, Allied Drives, Northern Action Maps: Central Europe, the Philippines, includes inset map. Back: Text and illustration describe how a vicious rumor is deadly and advises people to spike all rumors and never repeat them.
Date: November 6, 1944
Creator: [United States.] Army Service Forces. Army Information Branch.
Object Type: Poster
System: The UNT Digital Library