Wings: A Novel of World War II Flygirls Review

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Wings: A Novel of World War II Flygirls ReviewBooks honoring the heroes of World War II abound and rightfully so. Karl Friedrich breaks out of the mold and venerates women trained to fly planes on the home front due to a shortage of male pilots. What no one realized at the time was that these "flygirls" could pilot the pants off their male counterparts.
Karl Friedrich, newspaper reporter, public relations writer, photographer and copy writer makes his debut as an author in Wings: A Novel of World War II Flygirls. He gives voice to a neglected but intriguing slice of World War II. His lifelong fascination with women who accomplish great things despite the displeasure of men and his love of flying permeate the pages of his book.
Charged with aviation duties within the US so that male pilots were free for combat, members of the Women Air Force Service Pilots program were free to resign whenever they wanted. Their salaries were half that of the male aviators who often heckled the "skirt" pilots. WASP women trained for five months so they would be qualified to deliver airplanes anywhere needed by the military.
Sally Ketchum leaves the poverty and superstition of her Texas home with no sense of security or family history to be a member of the civilian WASP program. Her hands are full dealing with daily calisthenics, sub-standard chow and some jousting amongst the women trainees. Harassment from the men intimidated by their female associates tops it off. Waterman, a lawyer hired by Congress to find a way to shut down the WASP program turns out to be her biggest challenge. Her victory comes in being called "the best pilot in the army."
Not exactly a plot driven novel, Wings does capture the era of wartime 1940 as well as the battle of the sexes. It offers this interesting tidbit--the job of male flight instructor was desirable because the pay was better than army pilots and it was a way to avoid the draft. Of most interest to this reader was senior flight instructor Skinner, prone to tirades and sympathy for the women of WASP. The author's technique of developing Sally and Tex's characters of through Sally's recollections is commendable, but the many Tex references seemed overdone. Sally's romance with Beau, who turns out to be a much better writer than a pilot, seems forced. Be prepared for extensive descriptions of aircraft and flying.
All in all, the book was an energetic story of an intrepid woman who wouldn't quit until she achieved her dream. The Epilogue of Wings notes that in 1979, women of the WASP program were finally granted long overdue military recognition and veteran status. This reader commends Karl Friedrich for bringing to light those women who served our country as part of the WASP program. World War II and aviation buffs will love this book.
I thank McBooks Publishing for supplying a review copy of Wings. The opinions expressed in my review are unbiased and wholly my own.
Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont
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