General Henry “Hap” Arnold is called to the White House to discuss the danger of war with Nazi Germany with President Franklin Roosevelt.

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Jacqueline Cochran, America’s most famous woman pilot, writes to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, suggesting the idea that women could fly stateside in non-combat military roles and release men pilots for combat duty.

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Nancy Harkness Love, prominent woman pilot, writes Col. Olds, Ferrying Command. She knows 49 women pilots, perhaps 16 more, with over 1,000 flight hours who could ferry aircraft and relieve male commercial pilots for military duties. Col. Olds passes this information along to General Arnold.

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Cochran becomes first woman to fly a military aircraft across the Atlantic. She meets with 50 British women in London who will be ferry pilots and examines their records. Cochran begins to formulate plans for American women pilots to join Britain’s war effort.

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Cochran submits her plan for a separate unit for women, to be lead by a woman directly under General Arnold. Her plan includes tabulations on the CAA card files – names of women pilots – total of about 2,100 but few have more than 300 hours, which is the requirement set by Olds for ferrying pilots.

Pearl Harbor is attacked by Japanese forces. Just before 8:00 a.m. Honolulu time, 360 Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor, the U.S. military base on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The attack cripples the U.S. Pacific fleet and kills more than 2,300 American soldiers, sailors, and civilians. The attack precedes Japan’s formal declaration of war, which was delivered by the Japanese foreign minister to the U.S. embassy in Tokyo seven hours later.

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The U.S. Congress establishes the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) under the direction of Oveta Culp Hobby, editor of the Houston Post. Oveta’s husband William P. Hobby, was the governor of Texas from 1917-1921.

Women’s Auxiliary Firing Squadron (WAFS) is formed to ferry light military aircraft. Nancy Love is put in charge. Love and General George go to Arnold’s office for the official announcement to the media.

WFTD (Women’s Flying Training Detachment) is created when AAF CG/Arnold approved memo from M/Gen. George of Air Transport Command requesting a training program for women pilots. Smith submits memo to Arnold outlining Cochran’s plans to train women and qualifications for entrance. General Arnold approves.

Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) is created and officially approved. Initial goal of WFTD is to supply trained pilots exclusively for service in the Women’s Auxiliary Firing Squadron. (WAFS) Jacqueline Cochran is appointed Director of the WFTD to supervise activities of all American women pilots flying military aircraft connected to the Army Air Force. Salary was $1 a year.

25,000 women apply for the WASP program. 1,830 were accepted into the program and 1,074 completed their training. Program included strenuous training exercises. A second Women’s Flying Training Detachment facility in Sweetwater is approved.

President Barack Obama signs legislation awarding the WASPs the highest civilian honor of the Congressional Gold Metal.

President Jimmy Carter signs legislation that awards WASP organization veteran status; Deputy Secretary of Defense officially supports the WASP as veterans.