Brief

Over 3,000 women flew aircraft for the Army during WWII. This story is a fiction account inspired by those units of pilots, following a group of women as they enter training in Sweetwater, Texas; their hopes, dreams, courage, and struggle to fit in.

What We Liked

It's a little-known aspect of WWII and shows characters performing under great stress. It's patriotic,
inspiring, and the reader/viewer really roots for the ladies to make it. Their journey is fun to watch as
they fly planes for the Army - which doesn't even want the program to succeed, creating an
“underdog” feel that is most welcome to the narrative. These plucky ladies hold their own against
chauvinist men, bad weather, and lots of sand. The story has drama, love, family, bonding, flying, and
heart. This could be a hit across a variety of platforms. It's always fun to watch competent people
achieve greatness under pressure and adversity. Additionally, the beauty of vintage airplanes and
learning what it takes to become a pilot are draws.
There is a lot of emotion involved in the time period, during which almost every American had a friend
or family member at war. One would want to watch the budding relationships, and stressful trials the
ladies endure in order to be pilots and help the war effort.
Key points: Fierce, determined ladies; beautiful vintage airplanes and how to fly them; a little known
aspect of WWII; the inherent danger - and thrill - of flying; beautiful scenery.

Synopsis

Early 1940s. Sophie gets a letter delivered to her farm, saying she’s been accepted as a domestic pilot
trainee to fly supplies for the war. The family - her aunt Liz, her uncle Mike, her brother Ben - say
tearful goodbyes at the train station that has soldiers, young and old, waiting to be shipped off to a
base in Texas. Everyone there has a story related to or a family member that has been shipped of to
fight in Europe. Sophie has a cousin there, Jimmy.
The base in Fort Worth is filled with all kinds of different girls, from all over the country. Friendships
develop, fighting ensues - everything that can be expected from confinement. The ladies who do this
are called WASPs. The instructor goes on to explain that this program has a lot of bureaucratic
hurdles since everyone is against women pilots. Their pay is low and they can’t afford mistakes or
scandals. Daily life includes stifling heat, storms and endless sand that the ladies are constantly
trying to find relief from. Sophie flies to different places in various planes and does well. Her friend
Willa, however, gets a letter that her husband went missing in combat, which reminds everyone of
what’s really happening. During night flying, two planes accidentally land at the same time and crash.
Sophie and another pilot, Sarah, run over to get the pilots out. One is okay, but the other lady is killed.
Sarah and Sophie suffer minor scrapes and burns and get treated like heroes. They have a rodeo,
food and dancing - and all of the women have a great time. The town’s public pool is a popular
destination - everything to wind up after facing the harshness of reality. The training, however,
continues - they train in dark, cramped and sweaty flight simulator pods to learn how to fly at night.
Sophie gets a telegram - her cousin Jimmy was killed in Sicily, at age 19. She’s devastated. She
speaks to Ben and Uncle Mike on the phone and finds out that her aunt is devastated as well, and
won’t leave her room. Sophie offers to come home, but Mike tells her to stay and make Jimmy proud
by getting her wings. After a harrowing landing in Houston, it’s graduation time. Aunt Liz surprises
Sophie by showing up to pin wings on the WASPs who have made it through training.

About The Author

Stan McCord is a former community college teacher, now in the manufacturing field. He has a degree in journalism.