World War II Honoree

Jacqueline 'Jackie' Cochran

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Indio, California

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

IN JUNE 1944, BECAME THE FIRST WOMAN TO PILOT A BOMBER ACROSS THE NORTH ATLANTIC. SHE ORGANIZED A GROUP OF TWENTY-FIVE AMERICAN WOMEN TO FLY FOR GREAT BRITAIN IN THE WAR EFFORT. ON SEPTEMBER 11, 1942 SHE WAS APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF WOMEN'S FLYING TRAINING FOR THE UNITED STATES. IN JULY 1943 JACKIE WAS APPOINTED TO THE GENERAL STAFF OF THE U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES AND DIRECTED ALL PHASES OF WOMEN'S AIRFORCE SERVICE PILOTS (WASP) PROGRAM. IN 1945 SHE RECEIVED THE UNITED STATES DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, TRAVELED TO THE FAR EAST AS CORRESPONDENT FOR LIBERTY MAGAZINE AND WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN TO ENTER JAPAN AFTER WORLD WAR II.