A Concise History of the US Air Force - Air Force Historical Studies ...
A Concise History of the US Air Force - Air Force Historical Studies ...
A Concise History of the US Air Force - Air Force Historical Studies ...
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The newly independent U.S. <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong>’s (<strong>US</strong>AF’s)<br />
first Secretary, Stuart Symington, and its first Chief <strong>of</strong><br />
Staff, General Carl Spaatz.<br />
Similarly, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> helped lead <strong>the</strong> nation in <strong>the</strong> struggle to<br />
extend equal opportunities to women; 29,323 women served in <strong>the</strong> Army<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong>s in World War I1 as part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Women’s Army Corps (estab-<br />
lished on July 1, 1943); ano<strong>the</strong>r 1,074 served as civilian Women’s <strong>Air</strong>-<br />
force Service Pilots (WASPS). Under <strong>the</strong> leadership <strong>of</strong> Nancy Love and<br />
Jacqueline Cochran, WASPs ferried aircraft and trained male airmen.<br />
President Truman signed <strong>the</strong> Women’s Armed Services Act on June 12,<br />
1948, establishing <strong>the</strong> WAFS (Women in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong>). Ano<strong>the</strong>r barrier<br />
to pr<strong>of</strong>essional advancement was removed in 1976 when women entered<br />
<strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> non-combat pilot training programs for <strong>the</strong> first time.<br />
Atomic bombs carried by strategic bombers eventually ruled<br />
postwar <strong>Air</strong> <strong>Force</strong> and Department <strong>of</strong> Defense (DOD) war planning. Only<br />
aircraft such as <strong>the</strong> B-29 Superfortress, <strong>the</strong> B-36 Peacemaker, and <strong>the</strong><br />
42<br />
WASPs (Women’s <strong>Air</strong>force Service Pilots)<br />
and Martin B-26 Marauders.