The Wings to Fly by Lisa Gabriel

Author:Lisa Gabriel [Gabriel, Lisa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The Realm of Photahsiamirabel
Published: 2016-11-02T02:00:00+00:00

After lunch, Jackie spent two hours talking with the President. She explained to him what Pauline Gower and the women of the ATA were doing in Britain.

“Wouldn’t it be just swell if we could recruit some of the best American gals and try something like that?”

“It would, Miss Cochran, and if anyone has the determination to convince the Generals, you have,” President Roosevelt replied.

“But where should I start, Mr. President? I have suggested these ideas before but nobody seemed keen to take them up. I even had a battle on my hands flying that Hudson and that was with both Clayton and Hap on side.”

“I think you might find this helpful, Miss Cochran.”

“Jackie, if you please, sir.”

“Jackie it is then. Here’s a note of introduction to Robert Lovett. He’s the assistant secretary of war and has responsibility for the air forces.”

“Thank you, Mr.. President.”

“You have me at a disadvantage with all this formality. I really can’t call you Jackie if you call me Mr. President or sir all the time. Franklin will do, in private that is, or FDR. They all call me that behind my back.”

“And is there anything else you’d like me to do Mr. President… sorry... Franklin?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact there is. You have the letter to Robert Lovett and I want you to draft a plan for him; one for organizing women pilots to serve with the Army Air Corps.”

“Sir, Franklin, I mean, that’s wonderful. I will get on to it right away.”

Later that evening, Eleanor asked FDR what he thought of Jackie now they were better acquainted.

“So, how did you two get on once I was relegated to the drawing room, Franklin.”

“How could anyone not get on with her? She’s a real man’s woman. She can talk war stories, fast cars, football and yet underneath it she is very feminine.”

“Was she anything like you expected?”

“Well, no, not really. I expected a bit of a tomboy. I also thought she might be a hard case, you know, somebody who has had it tough in early life and gets straight to the point. She is actually very pretty, charming and quite the seductress on the quiet.”

“I can see some of the political wives having a very real problem with that. They’ll all want to lock up their husbands once they’ve met her.”

“Maybe,” FDR chuckled. “Out of interest, does she have many female friends?”

“I don’t think so. Maybe one or two very close. I hear she’s a crisis a moment gal and very competitive in everything she does.”

“Perhaps that’s a good thing. She’s going to need all that true American grit and determination to succeed. As a young woman in an old man’s world it will be a nearly impossible task to get any of her ideas off the ground, however ingenious they might be.”

Using the data from the Civil Aviation Authorities as her prime source, Jackie hoped to tap into the dreams and ambitions of young female pilots. There were many experienced fliers and also

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