Pat Connelly became a Link Trainer Instructor during World War II, training Navy pilots how to fly.
This is part of our month of video, a countdown to the release of Homefront Heroines: The WAVES of World War II for home video.
Tag Archives: aviation
Hawaii Jobs
As 1945 progressed, more and more WAVES would arrive in Hawaii doing more and more jobs, including this batch of air traffic controllers.
Control Tower Operators
Control Tower Operators at Naval Air Station Norfolk keep tab on plane traffic using binoculars.
The color photograph comes from the National Archives.
Control Tower
Control Tower Operators at Naval Air Station Norfolk include WAVES.
The color photograph comes from the National Archives.
January 1944
Aviation Machinist Mates make the cover of the WAVES Newsletter from January 1944.
The Engine
Aircraft Machinists Mates (WAVES and sailors) alongside an aircraft engine.
The photo comes from the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies, Harvard University.
Looking at the Plane
Aviation Machinist Mates inspect a plane part with a sailor. The photograph comes from the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University.
The Crash
Aviation in World War II was a dangerous business – both in combat and (perhaps even more so) in training. These photographs from the National Archives show just how dangerous aviation training could be.
The wreckage is of a fatal crash of an SNV-1 (of Squadron 2B based at Saufley Field) 100′ north of north end of Lyons Field, FL. Pilot: D.H. Kaufman. Passenger: AVCR. Sample. Both died in the crash, which happened 70 years ago today, December 13, 1944.
BuAer Exhibit
A section of the BuAer exhibit, showing training literature and some of the sills used by Aerology mates in forecasting the weather. It’s at the Sixth War Loan Drive Exhibit in Chicago, held in November 1944.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
Celestial Navigation
WAVE Ensign Abigail Donohue demonstrates the Link Celestial Navigation Training device at NAS Quonset Point, Rhode Island.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
Hinges of History 