Firsts matter to Americans – Lindbergh crossed the Atlantic – Yeager broke the sound barrier – Armstrong walked on the moon.

On October 22, 1942 a group of six ordinary / extraordinary women flew six tiny L4 Cubs from the Piper Aircraft factory in Lockhaven, Pennsylvania to Long Island, New York. On that day six WAFS, Betty Gillies – Cornelia Fort – Pat Rhonie – Helen Mary Clark – Del Scharr – and Teresa James broke an aviation glass ceiling. They were the first women to officially fly United States military aircraft.

Flying a little Cub from Pennsylvania to New York may not seem like a big feat compared to Lindbergh’s or Yeager’s, but in all honesty – it truly was – considering those fellas had no glass ceiling to break … only an ocean to cross and a barrier to breach.