The Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) stands as a milestone in America’s aviation and military history. Its a testament to courage, skill, and the will to serve when the nation needed it most.

In September 1942, as World War II demanded every available resource, a select group of 28 women pilots formed the WAFS under the U.S. Army Air Forces. Their mission was to ferry military aircraft from factories to air bases, freeing male pilots for combat duty. These women, among the best civilian aviators of their time, took to the skies often flying without advanced training, radios, or even the guarantee of recognition.

The WAFS became the foundation for what would evolve into the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Together, these trailblazers flew over 60 million miles, delivering nearly every type of aircraft in the U.S. arsenal, from the nimble pursuit planes to the massive bombers. Though they faced skepticism and resistance, their performance shattered stereotypes, proving that skill and determination, not gender, defined a pilot.

This same spirit of service lives on in the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, a youth program founded in 1958 and officially chartered by Congress in 1962. Designed to foster leadership, discipline, and respect for naval tradition, the Sea Cadets give young Americans the opportunity to train with the Navy and Coast Guard. Many cadets go on to serve in the Armed Forces, carrying forward the legacy of those who came before them.

The stories of the WAFS and the Sea Cadets are united by a common thread: ordinary citizens answering an extraordinary call. One group of women breaking barriers in wartime skies, the other preparing new generations to serve with honor on sea and shore.

Neither is just history. They are enduring reminders that service comes in many forms, but always with courage, sacrifice, and devotion to something greater than self.