DOC Finding Dorothy Scott: Letters of a Wasp Pilot by Sarah Byrn Rickman in History

Review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Chapter after chapter reveals new pieces of American historyBy Hall Ways“Experiencing the letters was like taking literary communion. They beckoned to me to “take; read.” "Much of what makes Finding Dorothy Scott: Letters of a WASP Pilot excellent is the author’s passion and connection she made to her subject matter. When letters recently surfaced; written from 1942-1943 from Dorothy Scott to her family; Sarah Byrn Rickman clearly felt called to write about Scott; one of the nation’s first women to fly its military aircraft. Readers not only get a glimpse into young Dorothy’s incredible and tragically short life but so much more.I knew of the existence of the WASP WWII Memorial Museum simply because I’d seen the exit signs on I20 on one of my many trips driving from Fort Worth to Lubbock; Texas and back. I knew that WASP stood for Women Airforce Service Pilots – I learned that in middle school – but I didn’t know much more. For mostly uninformed readers like myself; chapter after chapter of Finding Dorothy Scott reveals pieces of American history that I’d never heard before. (FDR had a female pilot on his campaign for the presidency! Short Snorters!) I was enlightened that so many women were accepted into the world of aviation given that they were struggling for so many basic rights in the same time period. I was disheartened by the limits set upon their service and the lame; unfair reasons behind the limits.The actual letters included in the book give an extraordinary snapshot of the lives of the WAFS/WASP who were part of our military without technically being part of our military – yet another travesty in American history (though corrected many years after these women served our country). Dorothy’s enthusiasm for flying and learning and living life to its fullest made it all the more difficult to see how her life ended. Author Sarah Byrn Rickman honors Dorothy’s life – and all the WAFS/WASP – in the best way possible by putting it in writing so their stories are never lost or forgotten.The writing is intelligent without being overly academic; and the research is outstanding. Rickman providess plenty of additional resources including a must read preface (you’ll miss too much if you skip it); appendices; a bibliography; notes; and an index to support the text. Additionally; the inclusion of lots of photographs really enhances the information presented; making Dorothy; her experiences; and the people in Dorothy’s life very real and all the more memorable.Reading Finding Dorothy Scott has filled-in a huge piece of American WWII history for me in an eye-opening fashion about yet another “unsung hero” role women played. I can say that next time I make that trek west on I20; I know of a new exit I will take and a museum I will be visiting in Sweetwater; Texas.Thank you to the Texas Tech University Press and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review – the only kind I give. If you like this review; visit my blog Hall Ways for book views; reviews; and news you can use - or not. [...]1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A captivating biography of an amazing WASPBy Mary E. TrimbleSarah Byrn Rickman has written a captivating; scholarly biography of Dorothy Faeth Scott; the 25th woman to join the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) in November; 1942. Finding Dorothy Scott: Letters of a WASP Pilot is a masterpiece; written by an author who has made a years-long study of these fascinating women who gave so much to our country.America was at war; in both Europe and the Pacific; and pilots were critically needed for combat. In order to free up the male pilots; civilian women were trained and called into service to deliver liaison and fighter planes from factory to training fields and embarkation bases throughout the continental United States.Even before the war; many women showed interest in flying and some had even made a living as pilots. As a child; Dorothy had been fascinated with flying and was a regular visitor at the small airport near their hometown of Oroville; Washington. Dorothy Scott graduated from the University of Washington Pilot Training Program; and after joining WAFS had extensive additional training in the various planes being used in combat. Much to their chagrin; the women were only allowed to ferry planes within the United States and Canada; not overseas like their fellow male pilots.WAFS’ life was not easy. They weren’t always well received and; although they followed military protocol; WAFS were still civilians. They didn’t have the advantages of male military pilots; such as riding back to their base aboard military transport after delivery. The American Red Cross played a significant role in assisting the women pilots with a meal and transportation to civilian airports so they could return to their home base.In 1943 the name WAFS was changed to WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots); which also broadened the scope of their duties. Many graduates of flight school served in different jobs around the country; such as instructors; in addition to ferrying planes. But the women were still considered civilians without the privileges or pay of military pilots. When their unit was disbanded in 1944; many WASP even had to pay their own bus fare home.The driving forces in this biography are the letters Dorothy wrote to her family during her time of service; letters that surfaced in 2000. These letters give a sense of time; place and mood of the country during these war years. Through these letters; Dorothy’s strong; steady voice relates her struggles; victories and her love of family.Finding Dorothy Scott is an intriguing study of the life and times of these exceptional women who filled a needed void during World War II. After a long struggle; the WASP were afforded Veteran status in 1977. The biography concludes with news of belated but much-welcomed recognition when; on July 1; 2009; President Obama signed into law a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). The description of the ceremony and a joyous reunion serves as a satisfying ending to this extraordinary story.Sarah Byrn Rickman is the author of five previous books about the WASP; the women who flew for the U.S. Army in WWII.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. her favorite AT6; the BT-13 and the PT-17 for instanceBy Annabel J.Sarah Byrn Rickman is an expert on the WASP- Women Auxiliary Service Pilots; and she has written several books about this squadron. Through the letters of Dorothy Scott Sarah Rickman tried to discover the real Dorothy. Who was this young woman and what drove her to fly and even join the war? Dorothy was as a determined personality and an enthousiastic aviatrix. To her family she wrote about her life with the WAFS; the trips she made with several planes; her favorite AT6; the BT-13 and the PT-17 for instance. She also mentioned her achievements on which she was proud; like her flying on instruments. By Captain Wright she was asked to be an instructor in instrumental flying. However; flying was not a romantic profession; as the letters revealed as well. The cockpits were so cold; that Dorothy got an ear infection; which troubled her several times.‘Finding Dorothy Scott’ is an excellent book; because it not only tells the excited personal story of Dorothy Scott; but it also describes the interesting history of the WAFS and the WASP. Being an aviatrix in wartime meant hard work; even though women were not allowed to fly to the foreign fronts. Occasionally; women had to fly new airplanes. They came straight from from the factories and the pilots were given very little time to discover how the aircrafts had to be flown. However; the harshness of that time did not diminish the enthousiasm of these female pilots; they stayed ambitious to join the warefforts till the end of the war.However; after the war they were completely forgotten; despite their impressive achievements and the risks of losing their lives. Thanks to authors like Sarah Byrn Rickman the stories of these brave female pilots continue to be told!