WWII WASP Archive
GUEST: I brought my mom's WASP jacket. Women's Air Service Pilot during World War II. And the telegram telling her she was in from Jackie Cochran. And the wing. She had an extra set, because the-the real ones weren't ready for their graduation. And then, of course, a photo. She loved to fly. That's all she ever wanted to do was fly, and she got to fly for her country, it was... it was an honor. She towed targets for gunnery practice with live ammunition, and she ferried some planes when they were repaired.
APPRAISER: It's an A-2 flight jacket. These were made in the '30s and into the middle of World War II for all of the aviators and anybody else who could get their-their mitts on one. This one's made by Star Sportswear in Lynn, Massachusetts. But the thing about this one that sets it apart from all the others is the fact that this is an A-2 to a WASP, and more specifically, to your mother. And she's wearing her-her blue uniform with the class wing there…
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: …it looks like. You have three wings. You have the WASP wing, you have the class wing, and then you have this Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron wing.
GUEST: Right.
APPRAISER: How many WASPs did serve in World War II?
GUEST: Just over a thousand.
APPRAISER: So for everybody who has a World War II exhibit or display, who's wanting to put WASP wings or anything WASP related in that display, these things are very hard to find.
GUEST: Yes.
APPRAISER: And what normally happens in those circumstances is that there are fakes and forgeries made aplenty. And one of the easiest things in the wing world to get burned on is a pair of WASP wings. The real wings were all made by Josten. And they were all clutch back as opposed to pinback. This one has that mark, and this one is clutch back. This one meets the criteria.
GUEST: It flew everywhere my mom did.
APPRAISER: The class wing is made in pinback, and that is correct, with the class insignia on the front. The one with the enamel here is kind of a rare one. This is the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. Note that on the very bottom of that, it says "civilian pilot."
GUEST: Right.
APPRAISER: And that's what they were.
GUEST: They were.
APPRAISER: According to Uncle Sam at that time.
GUEST: Yeah.
APPRAISER: They were civilian pilots. During World War II, what was the duration of her service?
GUEST: 20 months-- she went in-in 1943, and late '44, and then right after that, they disbanded the WASP.
APPRAISER: It's one thing to find a pair of wings out in the world. It's quite another thing to find wings or other material that is specifically identified to an individual. Because at that point, you don't just have WASP wings, you have her wings. And for all of us who love these things, that makes them more significant. The items that you brought here that we have out, are going to range in retail between $13,000 and $19,000.
GUEST: Wow. I did not expect that. (chuckles) She was one in a million.
APPRAISER: An identified WASP A-2 is easily a $5,000 jacket.
$13,000 - $19,000 Retail
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