Individual Details
Virginia May HOPE
(17 Aug 1921 - 7 Dec 1944)
The following was taken from a Minnesota Historical Society Project.
"BIOGRAPHY OF VIRGINIA MAE HOPE
Virginia Mae Hope was born August 17, 1921, the daughter of Robert Q. and Adaline A. Hope of Winnebago, Minnesota. Early in 1941, during a term at Northwestern University, she enrolled in a flight training course and obtained a pilot's license. In 1943 she enrolled in the Women's Air Service Pilots (WASP) and spent six months at its training camp in Sweetwater, Texas.
The WASP was part of the Army Air Forces' World War II civilian pilot recruitment program, instituted to free military pilots for combat duty. In September 1942, its Air Transport Command had created the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), made up of experienced pilots, and also initiated a women's pilots' training program. On August 5, 1943, these two programs were merged as the WASP, under the direction of Jaqueline Cochran. After completing their training, most WASPs were assigned to the Air Transport Command, their main task being to ferry aircraft and supplies from base to base in the United States, although they eventually participated in other service missions. The WASP was deactivated on December 20, 1944, when military victories freed male pilots for non-combat missions.
Virginia Hope was assigned to Army Air Forces Weather Wing, 69th AAF Base Unit, at Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio, in November 1943. The Weather Wing at that time supervised all weather units assigned to the Army Air Forces. Her duties included ferrying Weather Service personnel and planes on military missions.
In November 1944, she secured a position in Oklahoma City ferrying surplus army planes to civilian airports for resale. On December 7, 1944, she and 16 other pilots were killed in a plane crash at Omaha, Nebraska."
She was also included in the Minnesota Historical Society History Player Project:
"When you meet Virginia Mae Hope in the Minnesota A to Z exhibit, you will hear exciting stories of women flying airplanes and serving their country during World War II. So look for Virginia in her Santiago blue dress uniform, and don't forget to ask her about her silver wings.
Virginia Mae Hope, a native of Winnebago, Minn., was a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II. The WASP performed wartime duties in the United States, thus freeing male pilots for combat. Hope was one of only 1,074 women to recieve the WASP silver wings after completing rigorous training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. After graduation, she was assigned to the Weather Wing and stationed at Patterson Field in Dayton, Ohio. She died on Dec. 7, 1944, in Omaha, Neb., when the plane on which she was a passenger crashed after takeoff.
Virginia Hope was known to say, "Isn't it just wonderful!" about her WASP career, though she and other female pilots faced blatant discrimination simply because they were women. Not until 1977, 33 years after the program was disbanded, did Congress recognize the WASP as military pilots and grant them veteran status."
"BIOGRAPHY OF VIRGINIA MAE HOPE
Virginia Mae Hope was born August 17, 1921, the daughter of Robert Q. and Adaline A. Hope of Winnebago, Minnesota. Early in 1941, during a term at Northwestern University, she enrolled in a flight training course and obtained a pilot's license. In 1943 she enrolled in the Women's Air Service Pilots (WASP) and spent six months at its training camp in Sweetwater, Texas.
The WASP was part of the Army Air Forces' World War II civilian pilot recruitment program, instituted to free military pilots for combat duty. In September 1942, its Air Transport Command had created the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), made up of experienced pilots, and also initiated a women's pilots' training program. On August 5, 1943, these two programs were merged as the WASP, under the direction of Jaqueline Cochran. After completing their training, most WASPs were assigned to the Air Transport Command, their main task being to ferry aircraft and supplies from base to base in the United States, although they eventually participated in other service missions. The WASP was deactivated on December 20, 1944, when military victories freed male pilots for non-combat missions.
Virginia Hope was assigned to Army Air Forces Weather Wing, 69th AAF Base Unit, at Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio, in November 1943. The Weather Wing at that time supervised all weather units assigned to the Army Air Forces. Her duties included ferrying Weather Service personnel and planes on military missions.
In November 1944, she secured a position in Oklahoma City ferrying surplus army planes to civilian airports for resale. On December 7, 1944, she and 16 other pilots were killed in a plane crash at Omaha, Nebraska."
She was also included in the Minnesota Historical Society History Player Project:
"When you meet Virginia Mae Hope in the Minnesota A to Z exhibit, you will hear exciting stories of women flying airplanes and serving their country during World War II. So look for Virginia in her Santiago blue dress uniform, and don't forget to ask her about her silver wings.
Virginia Mae Hope, a native of Winnebago, Minn., was a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II. The WASP performed wartime duties in the United States, thus freeing male pilots for combat. Hope was one of only 1,074 women to recieve the WASP silver wings after completing rigorous training at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas. After graduation, she was assigned to the Weather Wing and stationed at Patterson Field in Dayton, Ohio. She died on Dec. 7, 1944, in Omaha, Neb., when the plane on which she was a passenger crashed after takeoff.
Virginia Hope was known to say, "Isn't it just wonderful!" about her WASP career, though she and other female pilots faced blatant discrimination simply because they were women. Not until 1977, 33 years after the program was disbanded, did Congress recognize the WASP as military pilots and grant them veteran status."
Events
| Birth | 17 Aug 1921 | Winnebago, Faribault County, Minnesota | |||
| Death | 7 Dec 1944 | Airplane crash. - Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska |
Families
| Father | Living ( - ) |
| Mother | Adaline Adell FREEMAN (1892 - 1992) |