This Day in History: WWII Heroine Violet Cowden

ILLUSTRATIONS: (1) WASP Florene Watson at the controls of a P-51D at the North American Aviation factory in Inglewood, Calif., prepares for a ferry flight to a USAAF base. (2) WASP Ruth Dailey prepares to ferry a P-38G Lightning for delivery to the USAAF. (3) WASP Barbara Jane Erickson gets some last-minute instructions from Evelyn Sharp before ferrying an A-36 Apache (forerunner of the P-51 Mustang) to turn over to the USAAF. (4) The WASP mascot,"Fifinella." (5) WASPs pick up P-38s from the Lockheed factory in Burbank, Calif., to deliver to the USAAF. (6) WASP Betty Gillies preflights a P-47D before delivering it to the USAAF. (7) WASPs Frances Green (from left), Margaret Kirchner, Ann Waldner and Blanche Osborn head for Lockbourne Army Airfield, Ohio's operations building after ferrying a Boeing B-17E to the base. (8) WASP Violet 'Vi' Thurn Cowden stands outside the cockpit of a USAAF A-20 Hudson.

SPC Diana D. SPC John Williams SSgt Dr. David Leffler SPC Bob Ridley

A great contributed to America and the war effort.

The ladies could and did handle up when needed.