Bernice “Bee” Haydu, WAAC
WASP Class 44-W-7
1944 – 1946
As told to me during her interview:
Why did you enlist and where?
I enlisted in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
I was a depression kid. My brother was 11 months older than me. He and I grew up together. I knew our parents only had money for one child to go to college, so my brother went to Newark College of Engineering. After high school, I joined the working world as a secretary.
The day following December 7, 1941, it seemed as though everybody was running around trying to join the military to serve in the war. Until that point, I felt people did not realize we were fighting for our lives and our freedom on both sides of our nation. Once Pearl Harbor was bombed, a whole nation joined in to fight for our freedom.
Several of the gals working with me (we were all secretaries) decided we wanted to learn to fly. We looked into private flying lessons. When we heard of a nearby program that we thought would train us to work on airplanes. It actually prepared us for a private pilot’s license. It was 1943, and I decided I would go up in the air.
The girls and I also talked about the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) Program during lunch breaks. All six of us decided to try and get into the same WASP class. We all thought life was wonderful! We researched all the details required to join the WASP Program. Interviews to enlist in the program were held in Newark, New Jersey.
Initially women pilots had to have over 500 flight hours. Jackie Cochran (head of the WASPs) wanted to have 12-22 support people for every combat pilot. She said we need pilots to take the anti-aircraft classes. We had to pass the same engineering test given to all the male pilots.
Where did you go to boot camp? How did it go?
I got into the WASP Program in 1944. We were paid through the Civil Service Program. We had to pay our own way to Sweetwater, Texas, and if you washed out of the program you had to pay your own way home.
Leadership tried several different things with us. At first we needed to have 150 flying hours; then we needed 75; and then finally just 50 hours. They reduced the required flight time hours, because they realized many people reinforced and learned bad habits the longer their required hours.
We started in basic training and then went to primary and advanced training. We started flying in Stearman (bi-plane) aircraft, because the advanced aircraft model had narrow landing capabilities. It had a 220 to 600 horsepower engine. The one drawback was the Stearman had an open cockpit. It also had retractable gear.
Women could fly the Stearman only if they took the same training as the men. And we were good enough for that!
In training we had dress uniforms. We bought our own uniforms. Those who graduated got the formal uniform. It consisted of an Eisenhower jacket and shirt slacks. The women’s formal uniform had a skirt.
Would you tell me about your training?
We learned to fly the twin engine UC-78. I had only been flying single engine planes up until that point.
I learned how to overhaul the engines of the planes I flew, to make sure repairs had been made. We were also taught how to navigate. We did our own navigating from the start of training. We had to learn Morse Code, with a minimum of eight words a minute. We flew in the day. We flew at night. At night it was clear. A light line was set up every 10 miles. It helped us learn to navigate and every ten miles we knew where we were going!
Did you feel special?
Not to begin with, we were all very nervous about staying in the program. Approximately fifty percent of the male cadets washed out. We had to learn to fly the U.S. Army way, within the U.S. Army time limit. We were always aware we could fail. Each of us felt, “I can’t fail; I just can’t fail!” The pressure was immense and we felt it all the time.
We had Flight One and Flight Two Classes. We knew everybody in our flight class, but rarely knew those in the other flight class. They were on the ground, when we were in the air.
I flew non-flying personnel wherever they were sent. The longest trip was flying instructors from base to base. I flew all around…Las Vegas, over the Rocky Mountains, and up and down the California coastline. It took a little over a week to complete this trip.
When the war ended, our civil service contracts ended. We were all let go. We just wanted to continue to fly. As it worked out, we were not recognized as veterans until 1977.
In 2010, the WASPs were given the “Congressional Gold Medal.”
Would you recommend a young woman join the military?
Absolutely! I would recommend young women consider joining the military. It was the best thing I’ve done.
Would you do it again?
In a heartbeat!
Is there anything else you would like to share?
Bernice "Bee" Haydu showed me her Congressional Medal of Honor and said I could hold it. I was nervous, because of its meaning and the honor of the WWII woman veteran receiving it. It was heavy, beautiful, and awesome! She told me she has a copy of the Congressional Medal on a blue ribbon that she wears when in full dress uniform.
Bee shared the following story:
“When we went to the White House to receive our Congressional Medals, we waited outside the oval office. We were instructed that when the Secret Service opens the door, that we were to walk into the office, and around the back of the President’s desk.”
“Well the door opened and President Obama was standing there! I was first in line and I said, “I know you.” He shook my hand and introduced himself to me. He invited me into the office and then introduced himself to the others. I was placed to his right, behind his chair. My hands were on his chair, so when he came to sit, I pulled the chair out for him. He signed the legislation and presented each of us with a pen. Then the President gave us our medals. It was very exciting!”
“On our way out of the office, I asked if he had a second for a short story. He said yes. I told him this story of our training days—we arrived in Sweetwater, Texas. When the flight instructor saw we were mostly women he said, “Women shouldn’t be flying. It’s a man’s job. I’m not going to teach a female how to fly!” Well fifty percent of the men didn’t pass his class. The majority of women did and that’s when he changed his mind.”
“One of the women in our flight class got the better of him. They got married and were together over 60 years. She got him back again and again for that comment over that lifetime! The President laughed and thanked me for sharing that story. Photos were taken of me talking with the President. Comments from the public ranged from, “Good for her!” to “What is she talking to him about?” If only they knew!”
Life continues to be good.