Wings of Gold: The Story of the First Women Naval Aviators

On Feb. 2, 2019, the skies over Maynardville, Tennessee, filled with the roar of four F/A-18F Super Hornets streaking overhead in close formation — executing the first all-woman Missing Man Formation flyover in Navy history in memory of Captain Rosemary Mariner. Mariner was a groundbreaking Navy jet pilot, inspiring commander, and a determined and dedicated leader, whose drive to ensure the United States military had its choice of the best America had to offer, both men and women, broke down barriers and opened doors for female aviators wanting to serve their country.

Selected for Navy flight training as an experiment in 1972, Mariner and her five fellow graduates from the inaugural group of female Naval Aviators racked up an impressive roster of achievements like first woman to fly a tactical jet aircraft and first woman to command an aviation squadron — but also like being plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit that overturned limits on women's ability to fulfill their military duty. Leading by example, and by confrontation when necessary, they challenged deep skepticism within the fleet and blazed a trail for female aviators wanting to serve their country equally with their male counterparts. This is the story of their struggles and triumphs as they earned their Wings of Gold — and of the legacy they left behind.

No results found.