What do you think?
Rate this book
Maggie Ray; World War II Air Force Pilot
"Maggie Ray" inspires us to follow our dreams to new heights. It was wartime 1943. Many people thought women weren't capable of piloting military planes. In a daring move, young Maggie earned her pilot's license and responded to an invitation from Uncle Sam to join the Womens Air Force Service Pilots, the WASP. One of America's first women Air Force pilots, Tom Brokaw paid tribute to this amazing woman, dedicating an entire chapter to her story in "The Greatest Generation." Now her daughter, author Marsha J. Wright, brings you the exciting story beginning when Maggie was ten through war's end.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
8 people want to read
About the author
Marsha J. Wright
4 books1 followerMarsha J. Wright Marsha J. Wright is the daughter of pioneer aviatrix, Margaret Ray Ringenberg, and served as her mother’s speechwriter, correspondence secretary, and the author of Maggie Ray, World War II Air Force Pilot. Her writing credits include short stories, articles, thirty musicals, and her mother’s biography.
Wright attained her private pilot’s license at age seventeen and raced with, and against, her mother in numerous air races. Her informative and inspiring presentation, Life Lessons Learned from a WASP, shares the military and racing adventures of her mother through pictures and stories with a glimpse at how the two women, different in temperament and ability, learned to work in harmony.
Wright holds degrees from Fort Wayne Bible College and Ball State University and has studied at Jerusalem University College and Taylor University in Fort Wayne. Prior to retirement, Wright served as worship and music leader at Grabill Missionary Church and continues to direct the area senior adult choir, Senior Saints.
She and her husband, Stephen, have five children and a pile of grandchildren. They live in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Wright attained her private pilot’s license at age seventeen and raced with, and against, her mother in numerous air races. Her informative and inspiring presentation, Life Lessons Learned from a WASP, shares the military and racing adventures of her mother through pictures and stories with a glimpse at how the two women, different in temperament and ability, learned to work in harmony.
Wright holds degrees from Fort Wayne Bible College and Ball State University and has studied at Jerusalem University College and Taylor University in Fort Wayne. Prior to retirement, Wright served as worship and music leader at Grabill Missionary Church and continues to direct the area senior adult choir, Senior Saints.
She and her husband, Stephen, have five children and a pile of grandchildren. They live in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 9, 2017
Maggie Ray was a WASP - women's air service pilot - during WWII. This book focuses on those years but also describes how she learned to fly and fills us in on what she did after the WASPs were disbanded because they were no longer needed.
The WASPs ferried aircraft of all kinds during the war. The WASP division of the air force was created only so that all the male pilots could be sent to the war zone. The women flew everything -- planes from the manufacturer to the airbase for loading on a ship, planes that needed to be tested, planes that needed to be fixed, planes that needed to be scraped. At the end of the war when the male pilots were coming home, the WASP division was disbanded and the woman told to go home. Shamefully, they were not accorded veteran status until 1977.
I knew some about the WASPs but I learned much more over the past weekend when I visited the International Women's Air and Space Museum in Cleveland, Ohio (http://iwasm.org/wp-blog/). The museum is a gem for learning about women pilots and astronauts. I bought this book in the small gift shop in the museum. The author is the daughter of Maggie Ray. It tells the story of Maggie Ray's experience as a WASP. It doesn't go into great detail, but provides a nice overview. Maggie was quite remarkable. She continued flying until into her 80's! Her daughter, the author, and her granddaughters are all pilots.
The WASPs ferried aircraft of all kinds during the war. The WASP division of the air force was created only so that all the male pilots could be sent to the war zone. The women flew everything -- planes from the manufacturer to the airbase for loading on a ship, planes that needed to be tested, planes that needed to be fixed, planes that needed to be scraped. At the end of the war when the male pilots were coming home, the WASP division was disbanded and the woman told to go home. Shamefully, they were not accorded veteran status until 1977.
I knew some about the WASPs but I learned much more over the past weekend when I visited the International Women's Air and Space Museum in Cleveland, Ohio (http://iwasm.org/wp-blog/). The museum is a gem for learning about women pilots and astronauts. I bought this book in the small gift shop in the museum. The author is the daughter of Maggie Ray. It tells the story of Maggie Ray's experience as a WASP. It doesn't go into great detail, but provides a nice overview. Maggie was quite remarkable. She continued flying until into her 80's! Her daughter, the author, and her granddaughters are all pilots.
December 27, 2023
It was great reading about female pilots during world war 2. I loved how the author is her daughter so she was able to gain special insights.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews