Customer Reviews

The Originals: The Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron of World War II

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I've heard of WWII all my life. Having arrived only a month and a day before Pearl Harbor I was a part of the war and it a part of me. People talked about it. Movies by the score were made about it. The songs I heard my parents playing were those of the 1940's. Yet, for whatever reason THE ORIGINALS made me truely realise what it was like for a whole country to be of one mind. The patriotism, the unselfishness, the adventure and the horror. It was all there seen through the eyes of these women. They were unique in their ability to fly. But they weren't unique in their desire to serve. And I doubt that we shall see the like of their generation again. Read this book and discover, or perhaps remember, an America we can all be proud of and women who showed our country they were the original "right stuff".

To begin...I love the sepia cover. Next, I like the disbursment of the photos throughout. No centerfold as in so many biographies, but intermittent treats. The WAFS history is written in both the view of the author and directly from the memory banks of the ladies. Their backgrounds and hometowns were certainly diverse. I got a kick out of Teresa James' colloquialisms (a goose pimple moment!)and the language of the times. This book is a "gotta read" for those interested in flying and a "must read" for those who love a good story, well told. Many thanks for the entertainment.

Journalist Sarah Byrn Rickman has done an excellent job documenting the achievements and triumphs of these courageous women pilots. The Originals is a fitting memorial to these individuals who served their country selflessly, bravely daring to break the boundaries of gender bias for all time.

Cindy Appel

Again, I needed this book to supplement my research on one of the Original WASP members, Evelyn Sharp. The book arrived quickly, in excellent condition, and was most helpful. These women were real leaders and role models at a time when our country and our world really needed them. The things they did have led others on to new heights.

The first females to fly for the U.S. military were the "Originals," better known as the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron, a WWII group led by beautiful aviatrix Nancy Love. Twenty-seven women strong, between the ages of 21 and 35, this elite corps of experienced pilots ferried planes across America from factories to docks for shipment overseas. In doing so they paved the way for women becoming fighter jocks decades later. The WAFS first flew small trainers but quickly moved into ferrying hot pursuit planes such as the Lockheed P-38. Demanding and dangerous, the flights resulted in the deaths of three WAFS. But like many other women during WWII, the Originals went unrecognized for their outstanding contributions to the war effort; their work helped free our men to fly combat missions.

Journalist Sarah Byrn Rickman's compelling book tells the WAFS' story, a vital piece of women's history. Of particular interest are long-ago letters and diary entries written by the pilots themselves and Rickman's interviews, all of which capture the drama and political maneuvering taking place. Chock full of photos and original itself, this must-read book takes readers on an unforgettable journey into a remarkable era.