[Clipping: Little Girls, Big Ships, Women: Here Come the WAFS] (open access)

[Clipping: Little Girls, Big Ships, Women: Here Come the WAFS]

Newspaper clipping of two articles, "Women: Here Come the WAFS" and "Little Girls, Big Ships," which discuss women pilots' training and the second WAFS graduation. There is a photo of the WAFS graduates at Sweetwater, Texas which shows several women in uniform.
Date: June 7, 1943
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
[General Hap Arnold Address in Sweetwater, Texas, December 7, 1944] (open access)

[General Hap Arnold Address in Sweetwater, Texas, December 7, 1944]

Text of a speech given by General Hap Arnold to the WASP at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, just days before their deactivation. Arnold thanks and commends the women pilots for their service and offers encouragement for their futures.
Date: December 7, 1944
Creator: Arnold, Henry Harley (Hap)
Object Type: Script
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Transfer and promotion for Gayle Snell] (open access)

[Transfer and promotion for Gayle Snell]

USAAF order indicating Gayle Snell's promotion from trainee to pilot, raising her pay, and rebasing her from Avenger Field to Independence Field.
Date: November 7, 1944
Creator: Taylor, C. O.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Press Release: Address by General H.H. Arnold, Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Before WASP Ceremony, Sweetwater, Texas, Tuesday, December 7, 1944] (open access)

[Press Release: Address by General H.H. Arnold, Commanding General, Army Air Forces, Before WASP Ceremony, Sweetwater, Texas, Tuesday, December 7, 1944]

War Department press releases quoting the speech General Arnold gave to the final graduating class of Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II.
Date: December 7, 1944
Creator: Arnold, Henry Harley
Object Type: Script
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Charlyne Creger WASP Promotion] (open access)

[Charlyne Creger WASP Promotion]

Notice from the War Department promoting Charlyne Creger from WASP Trainee to Women's Army Service Pilot with new station and pay-grade.
Date: December 7, 1944
Creator: United States. War Department.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping: Flying in war was 'best time of her life'] (open access)

[Clipping: Flying in war was 'best time of her life']

Photocopy of a newspaper clipping providing a brief history about the life and experiences of Mary Ruth Rance as a former Women Airforce Service Pilot. The clipping also includes information about Miss Rance's training and the types of air craft she flew.
Date: July 7, 1998
Creator: Robb, Julia
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from V. V. Boatner to M. H. Knowles, July 7, 1942] (open access)

[Letter from V. V. Boatner to M. H. Knowles, July 7, 1942]

Copy of a letter from V. V. Boatner to M. H. Knowles discussing previous correspondence on negotiation fro a railroad track spur to Plosser-Prince Flight School in Sweetwater, Texas.
Date: July 7, 1942
Creator: Boatner, V. V.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from 1998 WASP Reunion Committee to All WASP, May 7, 1996] (open access)

[Letter from 1998 WASP Reunion Committee to All WASP, May 7, 1996]

Letter from 1998 WASP Reunion Committee to All WASP discussing the 1998 Sweetwater WASP Reunion.
Date: May 7, 1996
Creator: 1998 WASP Reunion Committee
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History
[WASP General Biennial Business Meeting] (open access)

[WASP General Biennial Business Meeting]

Meeting agenda and several reports from a WASP board meeting in held in Sweetwater, Texas in 2000.
Date: October 7, 2000
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
Avenger Field Yearbook, Class 44-W-5 (open access)

Avenger Field Yearbook, Class 44-W-5

Book documenting the 44-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: December 7, 1943
Creator: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.)
Object Type: Book
System: The Portal to Texas History
[WASP Graduation Booklet] (open access)

[WASP Graduation Booklet]

Booklet for a WASP graduation with "Avenger Field Sweetwater, Texas" seen embossed on the cover. The pages include a poem by WASP, Effie Pratt, photos of WASP activities and a list of graduate names, as well as photos of Jacqueline Cochran, Ethel Sheehy, Leoti Deaton, General Henry H. Arnold, Lt. Gen. Barton K. Yount, Brig. General Walter F. Kraus, and Lt. Col. Roy P. Ward.
Date: December 7, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Pamphlet
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Clipping: "WASPs Fitted For Uniforms"] (open access)

[Clipping: "WASPs Fitted For Uniforms"]

Newspaper clipping of the 10th issue of The Avenger. It includes 12 articles that update the reader about events in Avenger Field.
Date: January 7, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History
[WASP Memorial Land Survey] (open access)

[WASP Memorial Land Survey]

Engineering land survey for the area designated to have the WASP wishing well memorial built upon.
Date: August 7, 1992
Creator: Morris, Stanley
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Rig Edwards Release Form] (open access)

[Rig Edwards Release Form]

Release form relieving Rigdon Edwards from duties as flight instructor to accept employment at another facility.
Date: September 7, 1944
Creator: Krieger, Henry E.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Press Release: Address by General H.H. Arnold, and Statement from Jacqueline Cochran] (open access)

[Press Release: Address by General H.H. Arnold, and Statement from Jacqueline Cochran]

War Department press release quoting the speech General Arnold gave to the final graduating class of Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II and a statement made by Jacqueline Cochran on the WASP's accomplishments. The pages are torn away at the edges in several places, most noticeably in the bottom left corner of the first page.
Date: December 7, 1944
Creator: Arnold, Henry Harley
Object Type: Script
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Miltary History of Eleanor McLernon Brown] (open access)

[Miltary History of Eleanor McLernon Brown]

Document containing a biography of Eleanor Brown, including details of her early life, her interest in aviation, and her service in the WASP organization. The first page is flyer about the Victoria Schools Veterans Interview Project, which includes a list of potential interview topics.
Date: November 7, 2001
Creator: Brown, Eleanor McLernon
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[44-W4 Time Schedule] (open access)

[44-W4 Time Schedule]

Memo from Group Commander E. A. Parker to Flight Commanders discussing the schedule for the 44-W4 class of Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas.
Date: March 7, 1944
Creator: Parker, E. A.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Photograph From the Graduation of WASP Class 44-W-10]

Photograph of three women and two men standing around a small table, taken during the graduation ceremony for class 44-W-10 of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). The typewritten label taped to the photograph's bottom edge reads, "J. Cochran, E. Shuhip's Ear, Col. Ward, Deaton's nose, Gen. Arnold. 44-W-10 Graduation, 12/7/44." The back of the photograph is stamped "D. Deaton from D. Strother."
Date: December 7, 1944
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History
Avenger Field Yearbook, Class 44-W-5 (open access)

Avenger Field Yearbook, Class 44-W-5

Book documenting the 44-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: December 7, 1944
Creator: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.)
Object Type: Yearbook
System: The Portal to Texas History
Plosser-Prince Air Academy Financial Statement: July 31, 1943 #3 (open access)

Plosser-Prince Air Academy Financial Statement: July 31, 1943 #3

Report compiled regarding financial statements for flight activities at the Plosser-Prince Air Academy in Sweetwater, Texas. It includes explanations from the auditors and two exhibits showing the financial condition of the organization (as of July 31) and a statement of profit and loss (for October 1, 1942-July 31, 1943). The opening letter notes that flight operations at the Academy have ended as of April 3, 1943 and that the organization closing down.
Date: September 7, 1943
Creator: Hutchinson and Bloodgood
Object Type: Report
System: The Portal to Texas History
Plosser-Prince Air Academy Financial Statement: July 31, 1943 #2 (open access)

Plosser-Prince Air Academy Financial Statement: July 31, 1943 #2

Report compiled regarding financial statements for flight activities at the Plosser-Prince Air Academy in Sweetwater, Texas. It includes explanations from the auditors and two exhibits showing the financial condition of the organization (as of July 31) and a statement of profit and loss (for October 1, 1942-July 31, 1943). The opening letter notes that flight operations at the Academy have ended as of April 3, 1943 and that the organization closing down.
Date: September 7, 1943
Creator: Hutchinson and Bloodgood
Object Type: Report
System: The Portal to Texas History
Plosser-Prince Air Academy Financial Statement: July 31, 1943 #1 (open access)

Plosser-Prince Air Academy Financial Statement: July 31, 1943 #1

Report compiled regarding financial statements for flight activities at the Plosser-Prince Air Academy in Sweetwater, Texas. It includes explanations from the auditors and two exhibits showing the financial condition of the organization (as of July 31) and a statement of profit and loss (for October 1, 1942-July 31, 1943). The opening letter notes that flight operations at the Academy have ended as of April 3, 1943 and that the organization closing down.
Date: September 7, 1943
Creator: Hutchinson and Bloodgood
Object Type: Report
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Certificate of Retirement to Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Griggs] (open access)

[Certificate of Retirement to Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Griggs]

Certificate of retirement from the "Armed Forces of the United States of America" to Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Griggs. The certificate reads: "To All Who Shall See These Presents, Greeting: This Is To Certify That Lieutenant Colonel Charles R. Griggs...Was Retired From The United States Army." This certificate was signed by the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, Edward C. Meyer; there is a letter from W. T. Prescott accompanying the certificate with details of Griggs' status on the retired list.
Date: October 7, 1979
Creator: Meyer, Edward C.
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History
[Letter from Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Griggs to Captain Charles R. Griggs, April 7, 1945] (open access)

[Letter from Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Griggs to Captain Charles R. Griggs, April 7, 1945]

Letter from Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Griggs to their son Captain Charles R. Griggs discussing the house work that they have done recently including replacing fence posts, and wondering if they should get a barbecue pit. They also tell Charles that they do not worry about him as they "had the assurance of God [that he] would take care of you."
Date: April 7, 1945
Creator: Griggs, Mrs. C. K.
Object Type: Letter
System: The Portal to Texas History