78TH CONGRESS 2d Session HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES { REPORT No. 1277 PROVIDING FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF FEMALE PILOTS AND AVIATION CADETS OF THE ARMY AIR FORCES MARCH 22, 1944.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. MAY, from the Committee on Military Affairs, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany H. R. 4219] The Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4219) to provide for the appointment of female pilots and aviation cadets in the Air Forces of the Army, having considered the same, submit the following report thereon, with the recommendation that it do pass: The legislation under consideration authorizes for the period of the present war and for 6 months thereafter, or for such shorter period as the Congress by concurrent resolution or the President by proclamation shall prescribe, the inclusion in the Army Air Forces of female commissioned, flight officer, and aviation student personnel. Personnel appointed would receive the same rights, privileges and benefits as male members of the Army of the United States with the same grade and length of service. There is no controversy over the fact that there exists in this country an acute shortage of manpower necessary for the armed forces and essential industry. This shortage requires every economy in the use of available manpower and the substitution of women wherever possible, both in industry and in the armed forces, thereby releasing men for combat military service. In recognition of these principles, the Army Air Forces now employ as Federal civil-service employees over 500 woman pilots. These women are engaged in piloting all types of aircraft within the continental limits of the United States. It is hoped that many more qualified woman pilots can be obtained eventually to replace male pilots engaged on similar work within this country thereby releasing such men for overseas service. The present organization and required procedure is not well adapted to the H. Repts., 78-2, vol. 2- -40 peculiar and special nature of the duties performed and most efficient personnel administration. A second consideration dictates the advisability of incorporating these woman pilots in the armed forces. By virtue of their present civil-service status, they are ineligible to receive the benefits and emoluments provided for members of the military forces engaged in identical work. There is no basis for such distinction, and it exists. at the present time merely because of the lack of enabling legislation. Consideration has been given by your committee to the advisability of incorporating the women in question in the Women's Army Corps. Your committee concurs with the War Department that such procedure is inadvisable because of the specialized nature of the work involved. The women in question constitute a group of highly trained professional personnel with special technical qualifications. These qualifications and the special nature of their duties which they perform make their assimilation in the Women's Army Corps impracticable. It should be pointed out, however, that passage of the proposed legislation would not result in the creation of another separate women's corps. To the contrary, it eliminates an otherwise necessary separate civilian organization now attached to the Army and provides for the incorporation of this personnel in the Air Forces in a manner similar to that whereby professional female personnel with specialized skills are assimilated by the Medical Department of the Army. Your committee believes it advisable also to point out that while the incorporation of the Women's Air Forces Service Pilots into the Army Air Forces is contemplated, the proposed legislation does not authorize the compulsory transfer of this civilian personnel to the Army Air Forces. Each woman involved would have an opportunity to volunteer for appointment. Should she not elect to do so, her release would follow as a matter of course. Gen. Henry H. Arnold, the Commanding General, Army Air Forces, appeared before your committee during its consideration of the proposed legislation. He stated unequivocally that an acute need existed for the legislation in question and urged its passage as an emergency war measure. He also furnished your committee with factual information which cannot be made public for reasons of national security which information amply sustained his recommendations. There follows a letter from the Secretary of War to the chairman, Committee on Military Affairs with respect to H. R. 3358 recommending the enactment of such bill with certain amendments. H. R. 4219 incorporates the amendments in question. FEBRUARY 16, 1944. Hon. ANDREW J. MAY, Chairman, Committee on Military Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. DEAR MR. MAY: The War Department favors the enactment of H. R. 3358. Seventy-eighth Congress, a bill to provide for the appointment of female pilots in the Air Forces of the Army upon which you have requested an expression of its views, provided the bill is amended as indicated in the revised draft. In substance, the bill provides that such licensed female pilots as the Secretary of War may consider necessary shall be appointed by the commanding general of the Army Air Forces and removed at his discretion subject to the approval of the Secretary of War. Pilots appointed under this legislation shall be commissioned in the Army of the United States and shall be entitled to the same rights, privileges, and benefits as members of the Officers' Reserve Corps of the Army with the same grade and length of service. It is understood that the primary purpose of the legislation is to release male pilots for combat training and assignment. The bill is effective for the period of the war and 6 months thereafter. The War Department believes that presently qualified female pilots and such necessary female administrative personnel should be commissioned in the Army of the United States without delay, and that provisions be made for additional appointments as the need arises. And further, that provision should be made for the appointment of qualified female personnel as aviation cadets who upon completion of training may be commissioned as second lieutenants or flight officers in the Army of the United States. In the event the proposed legislation becomes law, it is the intention of the War Department to absorb qualified members of the Women Air Force Service Pilots. The present membership of this organization and those in training are employed in a civilian status by the Army Air Forces and are performing valuable services in this respect. However, the rights, privileges, and benefits available to comparable military personnel are denied them. The organization is small and is composed of women who are offering a special skill in connection with the prosecution of the war. The integration into the Army of this personnel will not create a new women's organization. It will eliminate an existing civilian organization. It should be noted that neither the bill in its present form nor as amended contemplates any separate Women's Corps. The important element of morale of women pilots will be adversely affected by incorporation of this personnel into the Women's Army Corps. To flying personnel, membership in the Air Forces carries with it a natural and proper pride and a sense of participation in their flying activity. Women pilots are professional personnel with specialized skill in the same sense as female doctors and nurses. Considerations which dictated incorporation of such professional skills directly into the Medical Corps of the Army indicate the disposition of women pilots as proposed in H. R. 3358. In order to fully meet the requirements believed necessary by the War Department to properly establish and maintain the service contemplated in H. R. 3358, the proposed bill has been redrafted, copy of which is enclosed. For the reasons hereinbefore expressed, the War Department recommends enactment of the proposed legislation in the form as indicated in the attached revised draft of bill. Information available at the present time is not believed sufficient to warrant any accurate estimate of the fiscal effects of the proposed legislation. The Bureau of the Budget advises that there is no objection to the submission of this proposed legislation for the consideration of the Congress. Sincerely yours, HENRY L. STIMSON, The proposed legislation does not repeal or amend any existing law. O |