KINGMAN – Saturday, February 22, at 2:00 pm, Mohave Museum of History and Arts, Sounds of a Kingman, Airport Cafe and Arizona Humanities presented “Our Time, Our History” The Women Airforce Service Pilots of WWII featuring speaker Natalie J.Stewart Smith at the Mohave Museum of History and Arts.
Natalie J. Stewart-Smith has been an educator for over 25 years and has taught at all levels. She is a former Army Officer, historian and is interested in women’s contributions to the military, particularly those who served as military aviators.
“The presentation shares the stories of fliers, patriots and women who fought for the right to be called veterans.During World War II, over 1,000 women served in this capacity, freeing male pilots for combat roles at a critical time of the war. The WASPs ferried planes from factories to embarkation points; performed engineer test flying of repaired aircraft; and did target towing for gunnery training.” Quoted from the events program.
“So the two organizations began end of August beginning of September 1942 and it is July- August 1943 that the two are combined into one organization to be known as the Women’s Flying Training Detachment. A generation of women pilots who, how old were they, would have to been born between 1906 and 1924. 25,000 applied but women had to already have their pilots license and that took money,” says Natalie J. Stewart-Smith. Smith also shared that of the 25,000 that applied. 1874 were accepted, 1074 completed pilot training, they flew 77 different planes in the US air arsenal, flew a total of 60 million air miles and 38 WASPs died in the war.
Sounds of Kingman presents these 2020 Events all free admission partnering with the Mohave Museum of History and Arts and Arizona Humanities. Upcoming events include Chris Hiatt Experience Saturday, March 21, 2:00 to 5:00 pm at the Mohave County Fairgrounds, Concerts in the Park, all performances in Metcalfe Park at 4:00, April 19th Torres and Hendrix, May 17th Arizona Thunder, June 14tg Dar Gillespie Blues Project, July 19th Doug Barnett, August 16th Paired Down, September 13th The Riptides, and October 24th, Arizona: a History of Snake Oil Salesman, Scams, and Hoaxes presented by H. Christine Reid at the Mohave Museum of History and Arts.
- Jasmine Duhon
