Winning My Wings: A Woman Airforce Service Pilot in World War II

By Marion Stegeman Hodgson

Book Overview

One of the first women in the United States to train as a military pilot, the author was part of a little-known World War II experiment called the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) program, which... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557503648
• ISBN13: 9781557503640
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Length: 257 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.3" x 5.8"

Customer Reviews

An Absolute Joy To Read!!

This is probably the best non fiction book I have ever read. I enjoyed the style very much, the way it goes from Marion's narrative to letters she or her husband, Ned, wrote. It begins with Marion leaving home to join the WASPs with a little background leading up to the moment. Marion tells the story with a lot of "pep" and I found myself laughing out a loud a few times. Despite the fact there was a war going on, Marion and her fellow WASPs not only worked long days flying numerous aircraft, but also managed to have fun and maintain their senses of humor. After 6 months of grueling training, Marion begins to ferry aircraft around the United States and meanwhile, the letters show us the growing and evolving relationship between her and her then friend, Ned. By the end of the book, Marion is an experienced pilot ready to take on a new challenge: marriage. I loved the look at the life of a WASP. The details of their training, instructors, prejudices they faced, different emergency situations, and information about World War II in general are not told in a boring, textbook like way, but matter of fact and even witty at times. Majority of autobiographies I have read are "woe is me..." or they exagerate the author's good qualities. Not so, this one. Marion retained a positive attitude throughout her experience and the writing of this book. She also tells of mistakes she made, embarrassing situations, and doubts or hesitations that went through her mind. This was truly a joy to read. As I turned the last page, I had a smile on my face.

Winning This Reader's Heart!

From the moment I met the author at a Daedalian's meeting earlier this year, I knew I was in the presence of greatness. Not only did Marion Stegeman Hodgson conquer the sky as one of the first female pilots to fly military aircraft stateside during WWII, she went on to capture this remarkable time in her life in this well written memoir that will win your heart. This former WASP pilot, turned Marine wife and mother of three, invites you into her cockpit of memories as she takes control of the written word and weaves a tale that makes you wish you'd walked in her shoes and even slipped on the infamous "zoot suit" before taking off from Avenger Field. Photos of the author at the end of the book depict a tall, pretty blonde who could have easily passed for a movie star. Instead she chose the sky and became a trailblazer for so many other women. Although she flew many types of aircraft during her short stint as a WASP, the author's favorite was the AT-6. I wiped away a few tears at the end of the book as Marion described her last encounter with this aircraft. As she turned to walk away from her beautiful AT-6 and her life as a WASP, you knew she was leaving behind an old friend. I highly recommend this book to both male and female readers. You don't have to be an aviation buff to enjoy this tale. As the author is fond of saying, "Tail winds and blue skies."

very entertaining!

I'm not a pilot, and in fact, I don't even like flying, but I heard the author speak at a conference, and just HAD to buy her book. She is a great speaker, and knows how to tell a good story. This book chronicles the true story of what it was like for women who supported the USA by being pilots during WWII. There are some very funny anecdotes, some not really appropriate for young audiences, but very funny nonetheless. Things were different back in the 1940s, when no one had ever heard of sexual harassment or discrimination. The women who served as pilots had to put up with a lot of "wolf whistles" and insults, but they took it all with good humor. They knew how to roll with the punches, and they supported each other. They flew airplanes that men refused to fly because they thought they were too dangerous. You don't have to be a pilot to feel inspired after reading this book. The "can do" attitude of these pilots is truly worthy of respect, and the author keeps you smiling through it all. It makes for a good read!

Winning My Wings: A Woman Airforce Service Pilot in World War II

This was a wonderful book. I belong to a book club and I like to choose books about women. I was visiting the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington several months ago and came across this book. It looked so interesting that I decided to choose it for my book club to read. Everyone LOVED the book and we plan to read more books about the WASPs. You will thoroughly enjoy this book --- I love how a lot of the book is written through letters that Marion Stegeman Hodgson actually wrote to her mother and a man friend, whom she eventually married. The only thing I wish is that the book was LONGER!!! It was one of those books that you can't wait to pick up again!! ENJOY!!

Outstanding insight to the joys and tragedies of flying

Marion has written an excellent insight into the experience of flying. As a fellow pilot, I greatly enjoyed reading about the experiences of Marion and the other women pilots during WWII. The story is filled with joy and tragedy splashed across her story of becoming a military pilot. Just as important as the flying, she relates how she came to marry her husband of over 50 years, Ned Hodgson. This is a wonderful book that anyone interested in flying and the romance of the air should read.