Four of Six ... The Jester

Teresa James

"Never again!", she shouted after soloing for the first time.

Teresa James did not enjoy flying. It scared her to death. Being infatuated with one of her brother's flying buddies motivated her to take flying lessons. The relationship with the handsome young flyer never developed, but Teresa's interest in flying did.

In 1933, at the age of 19, Teresa soloed after only 4 hours and 20 minutes of instruction. After receiving her private pilot's license she began performing stunt exhibitions at air shows. Determined not to let her fears hold her back, she became a natural at acrobatic flying. On Sunday afternoons Teresa would have spectator's hair standing on end by performing 26-1/2 death spirals followed by 12 consecutive loops; a daring act that other stunt pilots refused to do. Refusing to wear a parachute, Teresa developed an uncanny ability to land a plane almost anywhere. After earning her instructors rating in Long Island, New York, she returned home to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she became a flight instructor.

In 1942, she received a telegram stating that a group of women pilots was being established for domestic ferrying: the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS). With 3,000 hours of flying under her belt, she reported to New Castle Army Air Base in Wilmington, Delaware. On September 20, 1942, she became one of the original 25 women pilots selected to ferry planes for the military. Her fellow WAFS could see that she truly was an original. She was a spirited young pilot who enjoyed life and knew the importance of laughter. She delighted in mimicking a variety of the other WAFS distinctive accents and ways of walking. There were times when Teresa could be seen on the flight line wearing her long dangling earrings while in uniform - not quite regulation attire.

One of her most memorable ferry missions was delivering the 10,000 P-47 Thunderbolt to roll off the factory line. It was christened the "10 Grand". Teresa became the first WAF to ferry a plane coast to coast. A movie was being made about the WAFS and a PT-19 was needed in Hollywood for filming. She had never experienced the hazards of mountain passes before and her adrenaline was high. Being a woman of faith, Teresa never flew without her rosary beads. On this particular mission, a good amount of time was spent "rattling the rosary".

During her service as a WAF Teresa's husband was declared missing in action. The B-17 he piloted was shot down over France. She took leave of her WAFS duties temporarily, but was called back to base because she was needed. For forty years Teresa remained devoted to her husband and hoped for his return. It was not until 1984 that she learned what happened to his B-17, and that he actually died when his plane went down.Teresa was a person who never let her fears control her life. From getting back into an airplane after her first terrifying solo flight to wearing wild earrings on the flight line, Teresa would not be stopped from being herself and doing exactly what she wanted.