‍The Beginning

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‍ Created in 1998 by Nancy Parrish, Wings Across America began with a vision: to help document and share the little-known history of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) of World War II. The goal was simple and the bar was high—to give every WASP the opportunity to tell her own story, in her own home, on digital video, so her experiences could be preserved and shared with future generations.

‍ As the first women in history to fly America's military aircraft, the WASP forever changed aviation history—and their voices deserved to be heard. Joined by my mother, the WASP, we believed these remarkable women pilots could continue to educate, motivate, and inspire long after their flying days were over.

‍ Thanks to Baylor’s Institute for Oral History, THAT MISSION IS NOW COMPLETE…YET THE STORY CONTINUES! Wings Across America’s new home is now digital.

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‍ THANK YOU to the many faithful supporters of Wings Across America throughout the years. The complete collection of Wings Across America interviews now resides safely online in the care of Baylor University's Institute for Oral History.

‍ From 1998 through 2024, Wings Across America grew far beyond its original vision. It expanded from a handful of web pages to more than 2,000 pages of WASP history... from the first digital interviews recorded in Waco, Texas, to more than 100 interviews with WASP across America... from a simple timeline to books, a traveling museum exhibit, educational resources, a CD of Marching Songs of the WASP, a WASP Legacy Afghan and the first WASP app.

‍ Along the way, my mom became Associate Director and Chief Interviewer for Wings Across America. I honestly believe that the fact she had written the first—and still the only—WASP rap song, "We Got the Stuff, The Right Stuff," opened doors across America. Beyond the song, she was a WASP, and there was an instant trust and bond with her sisters that remained forever unbroken.

‍ Together, Wings Across America and WASP on the WEB grew into multimedia educational resources dedicated to ensuring that the courage and accomplishments of the Women Airforce Service Pilots would never be forgotten. From the beginning, the WASP themselves—and some remarkable early supporters—understood the importance of preserving these stories in their own words.

‍ My mom and partner, WASP Deanie Bishop Parrish, passed away the day before her 100th birthday in 2022. Twenty-six amazing years of working together. Yes, Mom... I miss you still.

‍ What began as a project to preserve history became a multimedia educational resource dedicated to ensuring that the courage and accomplishments of the WASP would never be forgotten.

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‍ I believe we are only beginning to discover the power of digital storytelling. As technology continues to evolve, history will become more personal, more immersive, and more alive through the eyewitness accounts of those who lived it.

‍ The pages that follow preserve not only the story of the WASP, but also the remarkable journey of Wings Across America itself. They are offered with deep gratitude to the many people who made this mission possible—and with the hope that the stories of these extraordinary women will continue to inspire generations to come.

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