Betsy Ross Air Corps
Encyclopedia
The Betsy Ross Air Corps (1929–1933) was a pre–World War II pilot's organization of female pilots. Organized by Opal Kunz
and named after Revolutionary war heronie Betsy Ross
, the organization had a short lived period of existence during the Great Depression
and was never formally recognized by the US military.
The Betsy Ross Air Corps was formed as a semi-military service to support the Army Air Corps and to act in times of emergencies, such as flood, earthquakes, etc. “The Betsy Ross Corps was formed to ferry planes, give flight instruction, compete in benefit air meets to raise funds for charities, and provide first aid. Mrs. Kunz obtained about 100 members and kept the organization going for about four years.” She also indicated she placed as much money as she could spare into the service. “I spent all my resources trying to form Women’s Reserve Corp [sic].”
There appears to be very little original information or other primary sources about this organization, outside of some newspaper articles, that was a precursor to many of the women’s flying organizations during World War II. Most of the information found are in the comments of the early members, which often were not recorded for posterity. “…In the spring of 1931, the year before she (Pancho Barnes
) ran for L.A. County supervisor, she heard about the Betsy Ross Corps, a national organization of female pilots intended to function as an auxiliary to the Army Air Corps, the precursor to the US Air Force. She joined immediately, donning the uniform of khaki jodhpurs and shirt, and meeting with other local women fliers at March Field. But she was disappointed with the lack of activities…”
As a student pilot at Brainard Field, Mary Goodrich Jenson wrote a series of articles for the Hartford Courant on her experiences. The so-called “girl pilot” (she earned her license at the age of 20) continued to write on aviation for the Courant, the first woman to have a bylined column for that newspaper. She was a charter member of Earhart’s Ninety-Nines, Inc., an international organization of women aviators founded in 1929. Jenson piloted her own Fairchild KR-21 biplane around Connecticut, and made history as the first woman to fly solo in Cuba. She was a director of the Betsy Ross Corps, a group of female pilots organized to assist in national defense during emergencies. In 1940 she promoted the Women Flyers of America, a unit of female pilots trained to relieve male pilots for wartime service by ferrying planes from the factories to airfields and transporting supplies. The WFA motto was “Airmindedness – for Sport, Profession and Emergency!”
Hattie Meyers Junkin (1896–1985), was an aviator and observer of a number of historical events in the aviation industry. "…Always interested in aviation, in 1931 she became one of the first women to earn a glider class C license. …Hattie spent much of her life writing, especially about gliding and about the history of the Weaver Aircraft Company. She was also an early member of the Betsy Ross Flying Corps."
There is a recent obituary for a fellow member of the Betsy Ross Flying Corps: "Martha Morehouse (formerly Zettler) of Columbus, Ohio died Friday, October 8, 1999... She was a member of… the Lauderdale Yacht Club, The Betsy Ross Flying Corps, The National Aeronautical Association, Pilots Association, …Captain of the Motor Corps in Tampa… and an ambulance driver during the war."
Opal Kunz
Opal Kunz, also known as Opal van Zandt Giberson Kunz was a noted early American aviator, the first president of the "Ninety-Nines", a women pilots’ organization, that was formed in her living room, and an early feminist. She was married to Dr. George Frederick Kunz.As an aviatrix, Opal Kunz...
and named after Revolutionary war heronie Betsy Ross
Betsy Ross
Betsy Ross is widely credited with making the first American flag. There is, however, no credible historical evidence that the story is true.-Early life:...
, the organization had a short lived period of existence during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and was never formally recognized by the US military.
The Betsy Ross Air Corps was formed as a semi-military service to support the Army Air Corps and to act in times of emergencies, such as flood, earthquakes, etc. “The Betsy Ross Corps was formed to ferry planes, give flight instruction, compete in benefit air meets to raise funds for charities, and provide first aid. Mrs. Kunz obtained about 100 members and kept the organization going for about four years.” She also indicated she placed as much money as she could spare into the service. “I spent all my resources trying to form Women’s Reserve Corp [sic].”
There appears to be very little original information or other primary sources about this organization, outside of some newspaper articles, that was a precursor to many of the women’s flying organizations during World War II. Most of the information found are in the comments of the early members, which often were not recorded for posterity. “…In the spring of 1931, the year before she (Pancho Barnes
Pancho Barnes
Florence Lowe "Pancho" Barnes was a pioneer aviator, the founder of the first test pilots union and the owner of the Happy Bottom Riding Club, a bar and restaurant. She broke Amelia Earhart's air speed record in 1930...
) ran for L.A. County supervisor, she heard about the Betsy Ross Corps, a national organization of female pilots intended to function as an auxiliary to the Army Air Corps, the precursor to the US Air Force. She joined immediately, donning the uniform of khaki jodhpurs and shirt, and meeting with other local women fliers at March Field. But she was disappointed with the lack of activities…”
As a student pilot at Brainard Field, Mary Goodrich Jenson wrote a series of articles for the Hartford Courant on her experiences. The so-called “girl pilot” (she earned her license at the age of 20) continued to write on aviation for the Courant, the first woman to have a bylined column for that newspaper. She was a charter member of Earhart’s Ninety-Nines, Inc., an international organization of women aviators founded in 1929. Jenson piloted her own Fairchild KR-21 biplane around Connecticut, and made history as the first woman to fly solo in Cuba. She was a director of the Betsy Ross Corps, a group of female pilots organized to assist in national defense during emergencies. In 1940 she promoted the Women Flyers of America, a unit of female pilots trained to relieve male pilots for wartime service by ferrying planes from the factories to airfields and transporting supplies. The WFA motto was “Airmindedness – for Sport, Profession and Emergency!”
Hattie Meyers Junkin (1896–1985), was an aviator and observer of a number of historical events in the aviation industry. "…Always interested in aviation, in 1931 she became one of the first women to earn a glider class C license. …Hattie spent much of her life writing, especially about gliding and about the history of the Weaver Aircraft Company. She was also an early member of the Betsy Ross Flying Corps."
There is a recent obituary for a fellow member of the Betsy Ross Flying Corps: "Martha Morehouse (formerly Zettler) of Columbus, Ohio died Friday, October 8, 1999... She was a member of… the Lauderdale Yacht Club, The Betsy Ross Flying Corps, The National Aeronautical Association, Pilots Association, …Captain of the Motor Corps in Tampa… and an ambulance driver during the war."