[WASP with Cochran at Wishing Well]

Photograph of several WASP and a man in uniform posed behind a short wall of a well. Jackie Cochran can be seen in a dark dress near the center. All have their right hands raised with crossed fingers. "Sweetwater, Texas 1943" is written at the top of the photo, and some of the women are labeled on the photo in pen. These are left to right, "DeBernard,Thompson, Kerr, Cochran, Muccie, Moynahan". A small piece of paper is taped to the back of the photo with a type list of these names in full. it reads, "1943 L-R 1.Kathryn DeBernard, 2.Ruth R. Thompson, 3.- , 4.Margaret E. Kerr, 5.Jacqueline Cochran, 6.Marie Muccie, 7.- , 8.Rita Moynahan, 9.-, At Wishing Well, Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas".
Date: 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Photograph of Jacqueline Cochran and Gerald Brant]

Photograph of Jacqueline Cochran and General Gerald C. Brant sitting in folding chairs at the graduation ceremony for the 43-W-1 class of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).
Date: April 24, 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Name Tag for Lyda M. Dunham 43-W-4] (open access)

[Name Tag for Lyda M. Dunham 43-W-4]

Name tag for WASP trainee Lyda M. Dunham.
Date: 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Photograph of Charlie Flucher]

Photograph of Charlie Flucher standing in front of an airplane. Handwritten text on the back of the photograph: "Photo taken at Avenger Field - Dec. 1943. Charlie Flucher was a mechanic while WASP were here. This was one of 5 planes of which he was crew chief. Plane - Basic Trainer 13A."
Date: December 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Photograph of Jacqueline Cochran Standing in Front of a Microphone]

Photograph of Jacqueline Cochran standing in front of a microphone with her hands behind her back. A label taped to the bottom edge of the photograph reads, "Miss Cochran speaking at graduation of 43-W2. The back of the photograph includes a list of names and the stamp of the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce.
Date: 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Female WASP Instructor with Student]

Photograph of two women parachute harnesses standing in front of a plane. Handwritten notes in pen on the back of the photo read, "1943 Helen Duffy Instructor, Ellen Gerry, Student".
Date: 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Photograph of Jacqueline Cochran]

Photograph of Jacqueline Cochran, director of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), seated at a desk and in front of a map. Her uniform consists of a dark jacket adorned with pilots' wings, a light colored shirt, and a dark tie. The back of the photograph includes several handwritten notes as well as the stamp of the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce.
Date: 1943~
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clippings Photocopy: Housing for Air Personnel Luncheon] (open access)

[Clippings Photocopy: Housing for Air Personnel Luncheon]

Photocopy of a newspaper clipping and an announcement card about a Sweetwater Club's luncheon to discuss housing for Air Force Personnel.
Date: {1943-05-13,1943-04-22}
Creator: Mathews, Roy
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
Avenger Field Yearbook, Class 43-W-4 and 43-W-5 (open access)

Avenger Field Yearbook, Class 43-W-4 and 43-W-5

Book documenting the 43-W-4 and 43-W-5 class of women pilots at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. It includes graduating students, instructors, and other information about the class and the program.
Date: 1943
Creator: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.)
Object Type: Yearbook
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping photocopy: Announcement Gives Promise and Future of Avenger Field] (open access)

[Clipping photocopy: Announcement Gives Promise and Future of Avenger Field]

Newspaper clipping of two articles from the Nolan County News. Both articles discuss the prospect of new housing for pilots in Sweetwater, Texas.
Date: August 12, 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
Avenger Field Yearbook, 318th AAFFTD Class 43-W-6 and 43-W-7 (open access)

Avenger Field Yearbook, 318th AAFFTD Class 43-W-6 and 43-W-7

Book documenting the 43-W-6 and 43-W-7 class of women pilots at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. It includes graduating students, instructors, and other information about the class and the program.
Date: 1943
Creator: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.)
Object Type: Yearbook
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping photocopy: Sweetwater Club Recent Activity] (open access)

[Clipping photocopy: Sweetwater Club Recent Activity]

Photocopy of newspaper clippings with articles, portions of articles, and announcement cards about the Sweetwater Club's various activities, including involvement with local sports teams, guest speakers at meetings, and local agriculture.
Date: 1943
Creator: Chamberlain, L. F. & Mathews, Roy
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
Avenger Field Yearbook, Class 43-W-4 and 43-W-5 (open access)

Avenger Field Yearbook, Class 43-W-4 and 43-W-5

Book documenting the 43-W-4 and 43-W-5 class of women pilots at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. It includes graduating students, instructors, and other information about the class and the program.
Date: 1943
Creator: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.)
Object Type: Yearbook
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping photocopy: Sweetwater Local News] (open access)

[Clipping photocopy: Sweetwater Local News]

Photocopy of newspaper clippings with articles about a discussion in Sweetwater, Texas over a proposal to bring alcohol plants to West Texas, facts about the Avenger Field Air School, and articles about Leslie C. McConnell and Ken McClure speaking to the people of Sweetwater and Sweetwater Club.
Date: 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
Student Pilot Handbook (open access)

Student Pilot Handbook

Handbook for student pilots, detailing procedures, maneuvers, and judgement criteria for learning how to fly planes. The book includes numerous illustrations, some humorous and others instructional, to aid the student. There are several handwritten notes on the front page from grateful students of the WASP class 44-W-3.
Date: March 1943
Creator: Hunt, Jack & Fahringer, Ray
Object Type: Book
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping Photocopy: Sweetwater Club's Involvement with Air Field] (open access)

[Clipping Photocopy: Sweetwater Club's Involvement with Air Field]

Photocopy of newspaper clippings and an announcement card about the Sweetwater Club's various planning and coordination efforts with the Air Force Air Field in Sweetwater, Texas.
Date: {1943-02-11,1943-03-11,1943-03-25,1943-04-07}
Creator: Mathews, Roy
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping: Sweetwater Club Announcements] (open access)

[Clipping: Sweetwater Club Announcements]

Photocopy with newspaper clippings and announcement cards about the Sweetwater Club's work helping the town's struggling crops.
Date: 1943
Creator: Mathews, Roy & Howard, J. Fred
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping: Generals Visit Avenger] (open access)

[Clipping: Generals Visit Avenger]

Copy of the first issue of The Avenger, the newspaper made for WASP in Avenger field. Articles about Jacqueline Cochran, a letter from a German spy to the Gestapo, Avenger Field, and more are included.
Date: May 11, 1943
Creator: Bowles, Mary A.
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Change of Personnel Status for Dora G. Bevis] (open access)

[Change of Personnel Status for Dora G. Bevis]

A notice for Dora G. Bevis informing her of changes in her military status, including upgrades to her salary and list of duties, as well as a transition from student pilot to civilian pilot.
Date: September 24, 1943
Creator: Army Air Forces
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[War Savings Bond Class A Pay Reservation] (open access)

[War Savings Bond Class A Pay Reservation]

Pay reservation request form signed by Dora G. Bevis authorizing the military to withdraw $25 from her pay each month to be converted into war bonds.
Date: September 24, 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Pamphlet: Parachute Sense] (open access)

[Pamphlet: Parachute Sense]

Booklet created by the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics discussing parachute safety, such as when and how to bail out, procedure during descent, and landing technique.
Date: May 1943
Creator: Bureau of Aeronautics
Object Type: Pamphlet
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Correspondence Between North American Aviation, Inc. of Kansas and the Army Air Force Material Command] (open access)

[Correspondence Between North American Aviation, Inc. of Kansas and the Army Air Force Material Command]

Correspondence between North American Aviation, Inc. of Kansas and the Army Air Force Material Command discussing the creation of a device to aid female pilots in relieving themselves mid-flight. Both letters are written in a comical rhyming scheme with several euphemistic references to bathroom activities. The pages come with one half of a manila folder that has, "Byrd Granger's documentation of militarization", written on it in pen.
Date: 1943-10-08/1943-10-12
Creator: North American Aviation, Inc. of Kansas
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping: Women Fliers Training by Hundreds at Texas Field for Army Ferrying Service] (open access)

[Clipping: Women Fliers Training by Hundreds at Texas Field for Army Ferrying Service]

Newspaper clipping with an article about the WASP who trained at Avenger Field, Jacqueline Cochran, height requirements to join the WASP, what life at the base is like, and the WASP program's roots in England.
Date: April 28, 1943
Creator: Hicks, Robert E.
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Special Orders Number 102, Extract 1] (open access)

[Special Orders Number 102, Extract 1]

Special orders extract reassigning a list of Women Air Force Service Pilot members, having completed their training, to be transferred to new air base stations.
Date: September 9, 1943
Creator: 318th Army Air Forces Flying Training Detachment
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History