And You Will Find Love

In September, Cochran's dream finally came true. The War Department in Washington announced that henceforth, women flying or training to fly planes in the Army Air Force's ferrying division would be under new jurisdiction. They would serve under a Special Assistant and Director of Women Pilots: Jackie Cochran.

Cochran took up her WASP duties in the Pentagon in Washington and before long, Barbara learned she had a new name. She was no longer a WAF or a Woofteddy. The two organizations were merged into the Women's Airforce Service Pilots, and Barbara wrote her godson he could now call her a WASP. Down from his wall locker came his Fifinella drawing and up went one of his own that looked like a bee in a skirt.

During advanced training under Cochran's leadership, Barbara and her fellow WASPS began long-distance navigation, flying AT-6 Texan planes cross-country. They became her favorite.

As more of her ferrying took her to the western states, Barbara fell in love with Wyoming. Flying over the Grand Tetons around Jackson Hole, she loved looking down at ranches where horses grazes. She longed to ride one in the Tetons, but never got the chance. One day, she promised herself, she would.

A week before graduation, two student pilots and their instructor were killed. At first rumors were that a Bunson Burner had blown apart during their flight in an AT-17 and the plane exploded. A later investigation revealed that structural failure caused the crash.

Shortly afterward, following 190 days of training, Barbara graduated and became one of 120 WAFS and WFTD women pilots on active duty with the Army Air Forces. Soon there would be over 300.

Barbara never felt so proud as when she walked onto the reviewing stand at the graduation ceremony at Avenger Field and Jackie Cochran pinned on her silver WASP wings. It was against regulations, but Barbara wore Paul's Pegasus pin over her heart, as she did whenever she could. She had told her friend before about its importance to her, and Cochran pinned her wings next to it. After the ceremony, Barbara kissed an index finger and then touched it first to the Pegasus, then to her new wings.

Barbara had wondered all during her training, what her first assignment would be as a WASP. She knew she could not fly a plane overseas, but hoped she would be assigned to something exciting.

Her hopes were soon realized as she was named to an elite group of seventeen WASPS who would join 300 male pilots learning to fly four-engine B-17 Flying Fortresses, the biggest, most famous bombers of the war. She and others of her graduation class would be sent by train to Lockbourne Army Air Base near Columbus, Ohio.