World War II Honoree

Ann Darr

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Bagley, Iowa

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

ONE OF THE 1,074 FEMALE AVIATORS WHO WERE WOMEN AIR FORCE SERVICE PILOTS, OR WASPS, BETWEEN 1942 AND 1944. THEY WERE CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES WHO WERE PROMISED MILITARY COMMISSIONS THAT NEVER CAME THROUGH. IT WASN'T UNTIL 1977 THAT THEY WERE ACKNOWLEDGED AS MILITARY VETERANS. FLEW EVERY KIND OF AIRCRAFT IN SIMULATED STRAFING AND SMOKING MISSIONS, SEARCHLIGHT TRACKING AND MOUNTAIN MAPPING. FLEW A PLANE WITH WIND-DAMAGED WINGS FROM CALIFORNIA TO TEXAS FOR REPAIR. FLEW B-26 AIRCRAFT, TOWING TARGETS AT THE GUNNERY SCHOOL NEAR LAS VEGAS, WHILE GUNNERS IN B-17 AIRCRAFT FIRED LIVE AMMUNITION AT THE SLEEVE SHE TOWED. THIRTY-EIGHT WASPS DIED DURING THE TWO YEARS OF THE PROGRAM