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F I R S T
S F O R W O M E N I
N A V I A T I O N
This is
intended to be a living document. If you see errors, or have
something you think should be added to the list, please send the
information to info@oshkoshwai.org.
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DOCUMENT
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1940
Physicist Pearl Young became NACA’s first female professional,
paving the way for women to work in laboratories, and making her
one of the first prominent women in the agency.
1941
Jacqueline Cochran is the first woman to ferry a bomber across
the Atlantic (July 1).
Marina Raskova
appointed by Soviet Union high command to organize regiments of
women pilots.
1942
Nancy Harkness Love and Jackie Cochran organize women flying
units and training detachment.
1943
Women make up more than 30% of the work force in the aviation
industry.
Love and
Cochran’s units are merged into the Women Airforce Service
Pilots (WASP) and Jackie Cochran becomes the Director of Women
Pilots. WASP flew more than 60 million miles before the program
ended in December 1944, with only 38 lives lost of 1830
volunteers and 1074 graduates—these pilots were seen as
civilians and were first recognized as military personnel in
1977.
1945
Melitta Schiller is awarded the Iron Cross and Military Flight
Badge in Germany.
1953
Jackie Cochran becomes the first woman to break the sound
barrier.
1960
Nancy Roman, Ph. D. becomes the first Chief Astronomer at NASA.
1963
Valentina Tereshkova becomes the first woman in space as a
cosmonaut on the Vostok 5 (June 16).
1964
Jerrie Mock is the first woman to pilot a plane around the world
(March 19).
1965
Marjorie R. Townsend becomes the first woman to manage a U.S.
spacecraft launch.
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