3 months ago
Mather Field, CA -- Dorothy "Dot" Goot was just barely in her 20's, yet she was flying one of America's newest bombers in World War II. Dot was one of 1,074 young women who made up WASP: Women Airforce Service Pilots.
The WASP mission was primarily to fly brand new fighters, bombers and cargo planes from the factories to military bases throughout the United States.
"You actually had to fly in those days," said the former WASP pilot Goot. "We didn't have any autopilot or anything like that. You actually had to fly the plane."
Dot's service in World War II, and the service of other WASP pilots, freed up hundreds of male pilots for combat duty overseas.
Dot flew a B-26 bomber, towing an aerial target. Her mission as a WASP pilot, was to drop a mesh target on a practice range in eastern Oregon. Male pilots would bomb the target, and Dot would land her plane at a nearby airfield, retrieve the target and count the hits.
"Unfortunately there weren't many holes in it, very often," said Goot. "I was hoping they got better by the time they got overseas."
When Dot was just 5 years old, a barnstorming pilot landed in her small Texas hometown. Her father, the local sheriff, plucked down five bucks for his young daughter to take a ride. Dot knew from that moment, she wanted to be a pilot.
More than 25,000 women applied to become part of WASP during World War II. Applicants needed to be between the ages of 21 and 35, and already have a commercial pilots license with at least 500 hours of flying time. The Army Airforce would train the women in navigation, firearms, military rules and discipline, and the flight characteristics of its various aircraft. 1830 young women were accepted into the WASP training program. 1074 would graduate to become WASP pilots.
From September 1942 to December 1944, WASP pilots ferried 12,650 military aircraft from factories to bases. As a group, they flew 78 different types of planes. They flew virtually very type of US military aircraft in service during the war. 38 WASP pilots would lose their lives in service to their country.
WASP pilots were civilians, working for the military. So when the WASP program was deactivated at the end of the war, the young women received no military honors or benefits. "I wish I would have stayed in the Air Force," said Goot. "But at that time, there were no women pilots in the military, so we were just out."
For 35 years after the war, the WASP program was a classified secret. It wasn't until 1977 that the women pilots of WASP were granted the distinction of full military status. In 1984, they were awarded the congressional Victory Medal. They were the first women to fly American military aircraft. The Women Airforce Service Pilots blazed a trail in the sky for future generations of women pilots.
On Veteran's Day 2009, four former WASP pilots living in Northern California, were presented Congressional Medals in a ceremony at Veterans Memorial Plaza at Mather Field. Dot Goot, Capitola Johnson, Barbara Kennedy and Doris Ohm were honored for their remarkable service that helped win the war.
"To me, there is no word more honorable than 'veteran'," said Goot. "I am very proud to be one."
KXTV/News10
