World War II Honoree

Willa Brown Chappell

Hometown

Glasgow, Kentucky

Honored By

Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame Class of 2003

FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN LICENSED IN THE U.S. AS A PILOT. CO-FOUNDER OF THE NATIONAL AIRMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA AND WORKED TO GET BLACK AVIATION CADETS INTO THE ARMY AIR CORPS AS PILOTS. IN 1941, SHE WAS NAMED FEDERAL COORDINATOR OF THE CHICAGO UNIT OF THE CIVIL AIR PATROL CIVILIAN PILOT TRAINING PROGRAM. AS DIRECTOR OF THE COFFEE SCHOOL OF AVIATION, SHE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN TRAINING 200 AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN WHO BECAME MEMBERS OF THE LEGENDARY TUSKEGEE AIRMEN.