Women in History: Flying High, Nancy Harkness Love

Born to a wealthy doctor, having the ability to take advantage of all the privilege offered her, didn't necessarily mean that Nancy Harkness took advantage. Quite the opposite, Harkness was a restless, adventurous young woman.

She developed an intense fascination with airplane flight as a child. She took her first flight at the age of 16 and had her pilot's license one month later.

When she married Robert Love, and Air Corp Reserve Major, they began their own company, Inter-City Aviation with Nancy as the pilot. Love performed safety tests for the Bureau of Air Commerce, helped mark water towers with town names to aid pilots in navigation, and also gained experience delivering planes from factories to customers. The latter experience would come in particularly handy at a later time in her life.

When World War II broke out, Love wrote to Lt. Col. Robert Olds suggesting the use of women pilots to help transport planes from factories to bases in the U.S. Olds took Love's suggestion to Gen. Hap Arnold who was Chief of Staff. He turned down the proposal at that time.

Jacqueline Cochran, another woman pilot, was also trying to get Gen. Hap Arnold to allow women pilots to fly planes on domestic missions to help the war effort. It was Cochran who finally convinced Arnold that women were capable of handling almost any aircraft built and that, by allowing women to fly domestic missions, it would free male pilots to fly in the war.

Robert Love was called to duty in DC as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Ferry Command. Love went with him and took a civilian post with the Air Transport Command (ATC) Ferrying Division Operations office in Maryland.

Col. William H. Tunner was searching for experienced pilots at this time. It came to his attention that Love was commuting to her job daily in her plane. Love and Tunner discussed the idea of using skilled women pilots in the ferrying division. Within a few months, Love was Commander of the newly-formed Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), beginning with almost 30 experienced women pilots.

Less than a year later, Love was in command of four squadrons of WAFS: Love Field in Texas, New Castle in Delaware, Romulus in Michigan and Long Beach in California. The Women's Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas had greatly increased the numbers of the WAFS.

The efforts of both Jacqueline Cochran and Nancy Love became a union when the WAFS were merged with the WFTD to become the Women Air force Service Pilots (WASP). Cochran was Director of the combined units and love was named Executive for all WASP ferrying operations.

Love was certified to fly 16 different military aircraft, including the P-51 Mustang, the B-25 Mitchell and the B-17 Flying Fortress.

Women served during World War II in many capacities. Not only was Rosie the Riveter tightening bolts in the factory, she was also serving with the WASPs, the WACS and the SPARS. Yet few of these women were recognized as being part of the U.S. military.

After disbandment of the WASPs, Love and husband Robert were decorated at the same time. Robert was presented with the Distinguished Service Medal and Love received the Air Medal for "operational leadership."

Love had three daughters but continued setting landmark aviation records. She was the first woman to make a flight around the world, flying the plane at least half the time.

After the creation of the United States Air Force, Love was bestowed the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves.

Nancy Harkness Love died October 22, 1976, shortly before the WASPs were recognized as part of the United States military in 1977.

Sources:

Wings Across America
National Museum