WWII Pilot, Betrayal, Then Congressional Gold Medal: A Great Ride for WASP, Jean Landis

Jean Landis flew for the Army Air Force in WWII, as a WASP (Women’s Airforce Service Pilot). She delivered P-51 Mustangs from Long Beach, California to Newark, New Jersey where they were loaded onto Liberty Ships headed for the European fighting front. She expected the WASP to be militarized and to receive a commission of Second Lieutenant. Congress betrayed Jean and other WASP in 1944 when they denied militarization to the WASP, even though it would take at least 5 months of training and experience for male pilots to do the WASP jobs. This was corrected 33 years later when Congress finally granted the WASP military status. President Barack Obama gave the well-deserved Congressional Gold Medal to the WASP in 2010.