The International Women’s Air & Space Museum (IWASM) in Cleveland will host the virtual book launch of Sarah Byrn Rickman’s new WAFS (Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron) biography entitled, “Teresa James WAFS Pilot: Gear Up/Gear Down – a P-47 to Newark”, at 7 p.m. Oct. 20. In this virtual event, Rickman will discuss her experience interviewing Teresa James in 1999 and her experience during World War II.
Teresa James learned to fly at 19, and when the United States entered World War II, she volunteered to fly military aircraft. She and 27 other members of the WAFS stepped into newly created roles flying newly designed and built airplanes for the war effort.
Sarah Byrn Rickman is a national authority on these women fliers, and “Teresa James WAFS Pilot” is her 11th book about the women who ferried warplanes during World War II. Known first as WAFS and later as WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), 134 skilled female pilots, like Teresa, qualified to move high-performance fighter aircraft to the docks to be shipped to the war zone.
Rickman is the recipient of 17 book awards including the prestigious Combs Gates Award from the National Aviation Hall of Fame, twice: in 2009, for her history WASP of the Ferry Command; and 2019 for her then two-book WASP biography series for young adults, BJ Erickson: WASP Pilot and Nancy Love: WASP Pilot. New releases, Betty Gillies: WAFS Pilot (2020) and now Teresa James: WAFS Pilot, have expanded the young adult series.
Registration is required. All participants will receive a Zoom link to join. Registration is $10 per person with proceeds directly benefitting IWASM in its mission. At the time of registration, IWASM is offering pre-orders of Rickman’s newest book along with special book bundles. The Young Adult series bundle including BJ Erikson: WASP Pilot, Nancy Love: WASP Pilot, Betty Gillies WAFS Pilot and Teresa James: WAFS Pilot as well as the advanced reader The Originals: The Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron.
To register, visit www.iwasm.org or by calling 216-623-1111. For more information, call the museum at 216-623-1111 or email info@iwasm.org.
