The Women with Silver Wings

The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II

By: Katherine Sharp Landdeck

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman

Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

“With the fate of the free world hanging in the balance, women pilots went aloft to serve their nation.... A soaring tale in which, at long last, these daring World War II pilots gain the credit they deserve.” (Liza Mundy, New York Times best-selling author of Code Girls)

"A powerful story of reinvention, community and ingenuity born out of global upheaval." (Newsday)

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Cornelia Fort was already in the air. At 22, Fort had escaped Nashville’s debutante scene for a fresh start as a flight instructor in Hawaii. She and her student were in the middle of their lesson when the bombs began to fall, and they barely made it back to ground that morning. Still, when the US Army Air Forces put out a call for women pilots to aid the war effort, Fort was one of the first to respond. She became one of just over 1,100 women from across the nation to make it through the Army’s rigorous selection process and earn her silver wings.

The brainchild of trailblazing pilots Nancy Love and Jacqueline Cochran, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) gave women like Fort a chance to serve their country - and to prove that women aviators were just as skilled as men. While not authorized to serve in combat, the WASP helped train male pilots for service abroad, and ferried bombers and pursuits across the country. Thirty-eight WASP would not survive the war. But even taking into account these tragic losses, Love and Cochran’s social experiment seemed to be a resounding success - until, with the tides of war turning, Congress clipped the women’s wings. The program was disbanded, the women sent home. But the bonds they’d forged never failed, and over the next few decades they came together to fight for recognition as the military veterans they were - and for their place in history.

©2020 Katherine Sharp Landdeck (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“The Women with Silver Wings is the true story of America’s unsung heroines of World War II. Katherine Sharp Landdeck has written a beautifully researched tribute to the courageous women who bravely served their nation in a time of need.” (Fannie Flagg, New York Times best-selling author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café and The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion)

“With meticulous research and breathless pacing, The Women with Silver Wings will make you soar with pride at the daring and commitment of America’s first women military pilots - and cheer for the men who backed them to the end.” (Elizabeth Cobbs, Professor and Melbern Glasscock Chair in American History at Texas A&M University and author of The Hello Girls: America’s First Women Soldiers)

“A must-read for those interested in women’s and World War II history.” (Library Journal, starred review)

What a wonderful portrayal of one segment of American Hero’s!

In a time the we live that certain groups are looking for and politicians bowing to give reparations, the WASP families deserve reparations- they actually contributed to US winning the war, only be cheaply and sexist treated- all 1102 of them/ their families should be given reparations.
The book is amazing, the reading exceptional all while giving us a glimpse of these American Heroines!

Moving story

I truly appreciate the WASP story being brought to my attention. I had no idea that these women ever existed and IM totally moved by what they went through. The narration was spot on and I could not have enjoyed the story more.

Great book and a great story

I enjoyed this book very much and I thought the author did a wonderful job on presenting the story of the WASP.

Thank you

omg! get this book and listen to this book. Thank you author and narrator and Wasp!

Need More Stars!

If there were 10 stars 🌟 to give this book, I would give all 10.
I enjoyed the stories of these women and could relate to some of their struggles.
I am a retired Army Reservist. I had an MOS that was taken away from me because it was re-rated a combat MOS. That was back.in 1980. Today women are in this MOS and many others.
Katherine did an awesome job of capturing the struggles of the WASP's. There were laughter and tears throughout the book.

Excellent book

Great detailed history of the WASPS. Enjoyed the details of their struggles. They continued to fight for decades.

Amazing women pilots

I truly enjoyed this book written about the WASP women pilots. I would recommend this book to anyone I know. I'm proud of all the work that these women have done.

Women of the Air

Great Book of the history, I learned so much about women pilots. If you are interested in the history of women pilots I recommend this book.

Excellent! Fabulous research & storytelling

This book is packed w early aviation & USAF history & tells the story of the WASP in a compelling way until the very last page. You don’t often read a book that is screaming to be made into a movie, but this one certainly does!

Wasp?

Enjoy this very much. Made me want to know more about the WASP. I live in West Texas. Not far from Sweetwater, where some of this took place. Next time I am going down I20 I am going to allow time to stop there and go to the WASP museum.