I was honored to speak to the Southwest Section of the 99s, the women pilots’ organization, at the Estrella Warbirds Museum, another favorite, last night. I have to admit that it was a thrill. For one, it was a packed house. For another, I was happy to see that the pilots were of all ages, from their early twenties to women who have been 99s for over 40 years.

I talked about the history of local aviation, including women pilots, and then about the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs).

Over 1,000 WASPs augmented the military flying force by ferrying combat airplanes from factory to field, test-flying repaired trainers, towing targets and other tasks. Thirty-eight died for their country, but since they were technically “civilian contractors,” the Army refused to pay for their funeral expenses. They were summarily fired in December 1944.

It took thirty-two years for Congress to finally recognize them for what they really were: Military veterans of World War II.

In talking about these incredible women last night, I’ve rarely had a livelier audience. They cheered when the name of Elizabeth Dinan, a legendary local pilot and flight instructor, appeared, and when the image of Blue Angel Amanda Miller appeared. (Elizabeth’s P-40 Warhawk earrings endeared her to me, immediately.) They liked this slide, and they laughed, a little ruefully, at its message. (The cadets in training did not share their commanders’ view. Many came to the WASPs for advice: “What should I do if my plane….?”)

The 99s were so much fun for me. Afterward, folks came up to me to talks awhile. A man suggested I research “Lucky” Penny, the Air Force fighter pilot who was ordered to scramble, unarmed, on 9/11. She decided that if it came to that, she would ram one of the hijacked jets. I met another local woman, now retired, who became a DC-10 pilot. I was so thrilled that I almost started hopping up and down, like I did the time the B-17 “Sentimental Journey” passed over AGHS and interrupted me, happily, in the middle of a lecture on the Thirty Years War. I ran outside my classroom and began hopping up and down—“A B-17! A B-17!”— with my students staring at me. They looked a little worried.

What the 99s did was validate the interest I discovered in teaching women’s history as part of the AP Euro course at AGHS. It’s part of a larger topic, social history that, along with military history, is important to me.

Thank you, San Luis Obispo 99s, for your invitation to speak.