Hazel Ying Lee: Flying for China

Hazel at the Portland Flying Club, 1932.

Museum of Chinese in America (MOAC)

When Japan invaded Manchuria, the large northern province of China, in September, 1931, it caused great concern for people who lived thousands of miles away: Chinese Americans, many of whom had settled on the West Coast of the United States.

The Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in Portland, Oregon, decided to take action: it raised $20,000 and donated it to the local Chinese Flying Club in order to train young Chinese Americans to fly in Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's air force...

In March, 1933, Hazel and 16 other Portland Flying Club trainees left for China. But when she arrived, Hazel was told that the Chinese Air Force would not allow any woman pilots to fly military missions. Why? The Chinese Air Force officers claimed "women are erratic in combat."

Hazel was given a desk job with the Chinese Commission on Aeronautical Affairs and also flew for commercial flights, sometimes flying Soong Mei-ling, wife of the Generalissimo from place to place. She also flew over highly populated areas, dropping pro-Chinese leaflets to encourage Chinese resolve against the Japanese.

Her base of operation eventually became the populous southern city of Canton, where she opened a school for her young Chinese relatives. 

Hazel was still in China in 1937 when the Japanese began their campaign to conquer the entire country. When Canton was bombed in the spring of 1938, Hazel found safe shelter for herself and her family. Her friend Elsie Chang asked why she seemed so fearless. "If everybody else is afraid," Hazel replied, "there has to be somebody that could take over. And I'm the one to take over."

From "Hazel Ying Lee: American Flygirl" from Women Heroes of World War II. 

Hazel Ying Lee: WASP

Hazel is pictured on the left

The WASPs often faced serious hazards. One of the most perilous tasks for any stateside flier was ferrying what were called "war weary" planes, those that needed repairs or replacement. No one knew if they would stay in working condition on the way to being refurbished. But someone had to fly then. and WASPs often did.

Flying seven days a week in all sorts of weather and at high altitudes could also be dangerous, or, as in Hazel's case, at least hazardous to one's health. On October 14, 1944, she was grounded due to a severe respiratory infection. Chafing with impatience, she wrote a letter to Inez Woodward, a fellow WASP who had also graduated in the 43-W-4 class and who had worked with Hazel at Romulus.

In the letter, Hazel told Inez that she had received an offer from he former employer, the Chinese Commission on Aeronautical Affairs. Hazel wrote that she hoped to recruit ex-WASPs to fly in China. They had to have new plans because by now they had all received word that the WASP program would be disbanded in December.

Although Hazel seemed filled with hope for the future, the war was taking a toll on her. Sometime in 1944, she wrote a letter to her friend Elsie Chang, telling her that "this war is going on too long. I don't know whether I will make it or not."

From "Hazel Ying Lee: American Flygirl from Women Heroes of World War II: 32 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue. 

Anna Yegorova: A Close Call

One day Anna was ordered to fly to the first Cavalry Corps--they needed a radio. But when she landed in the designated village, she didn't see them anywhere. Leaving the plane running, she ran to a nearby hut, tapping on the window to ask for information. An old man opened the door.

"Grandfather," Anna asked politely, "have our troops been through here?"

"Run away from here, Sonny," urged the old man, mistaking Anna for a man. "The Germans are here! They got here late last night!"

Anna turned around. There were Germans standing near the tent hut, their backs to her. But she couldn't seem to move her legs. The old man gave her a push, which did the trick. Anna ran to her plane and took off. Below her, she heard the crackle of machine gunfire. She looked down. The old man was lying facedown in the snow. And the Germans were now taking aim at her.

Excerpt from "Anna Yegorova: Soviet Pilot" from Women Heroes of World War II: 32 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue. 

Melitta von Stauffenberg and the plot to kill Hitler

Melitta at an airfield, 1934.

Courtesy of Gerhard Bracke from his book, 

Melitta Grafin Stauffenberg: Das Leben Einer Fligerin

On May 21, 1944, Melitta wrote in her diary: "Early call, Claus, Berthold, Haeften, finally came to an agreement." Melitta, the two Stauffenberg brothers, and their close friend, Werner von Haeften, spent a long day together, swimming and sailing, activities that insured their conversations could not be overheard. On that day, most likely, Claus related to Melitta his plan to assassinate Hitler and overthrow the Nazi government. He asked if she would be willing to fly him to Hitler's military headquarters in the forests of East Prussia in order to do the deed, then fly him directly back to Berlin to announce the fuhrer's death and complete the coup.

Melitta agreed immediately.

She was now involved in aerodynamic tests designed to intercept Allied bombers. Her work, she felt, would save the lives of German Luftwaffe pilots and the German civilians being killed in the Allied raids. She was in no way trying to support Hitler. Quite the opposite--she blamed him for all these deaths, telling her trusted friends that he "needed to disappear as soon as possible."

From Melitta von Stauffenberg: "The Plot to Kill Hitler" from Women Heroes of World War II: 32 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue. 

Hannah Senesh: Parachuting into Yugoslavia

Hannah and her brother, the day before she left to train with the British in Cairo. 

On the night of May 13, 1944, a plane took off carrying the first members of the Hungarian team, including Hannah and Reuven Dafne, a young Palmach man who had fought with the British Army and was the team's leader.

Reuven had his doubts about the ultimate success of the mission, but Hannah's intense optimism affected him. As they flew to Yugoslavia, Reuven saw that her face "exuded happiness and excitement."

The roar of the plane's motor made conversation impossible, but just before Reuven jumped, Hannah, her face "wreathed in a smile," gave him a thumbs-up. She jumped right after him but was blown far from Reuven's landing spot because she was lighter than he was.

After the the partisans found them, the team walked four days to headquarters, where they learned the German invasion of Hungary had just occurred. Their rescue mission now seemed impossible.

"We are late, we are late," Hannah cried. What will happen to all of them...to the million Jews in Hungary? They're in German hands now--and we're sitting here...just sitting."

Excerpt from "Hannah Senesh: British Paratrooper" from Women Heroes of World War II: 32 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue.