Publishers Weekly
10/25/2021
Journalist and pilot Weintraub debuts with a meticulous and often infuriating chronicle of the obstacles faced by the first six women to earn their naval aviation wings in the early 1970s. Barbara Rainey, the daughter of a naval commander, was the first to qualify as a Navy jet pilot. Joellen Oslund became the U.S. military’s first female helicopter pilot. Rosemary Mariner was the first woman to fly a tactical jet, the first to command an aviation squadron, and one of the first to serve on a Navy warship. Even though they made it through the same pilot training course as male aviators, they were not allowed to land or take off from aircraft carriers or to fly combat missions. Weintraub exhaustively documents the battle to pass—over the objections of the commanders of all four branches of the military—a 1991 bill that lifted the ban on women serving in combat, and details the fallout from the Tailhook sexual assault scandal. Aggravating details abound—Weintraub notes that in the ’70s, “female officer candidates had to wear skirts and heels, even when marching in the snow”—as does evidence of these pioneering women’s bravery and determination. This is a fine-grained look at a critical battle in the fight for gender equality. (Dec.)
From the Publisher
"Journalist and pilot Weintraub debuts with a meticulous and often infuriating chronicle of the obstacles faced by the first six women to earn their naval aviation wings in the early 1970s... This is a fine-grained look at a critical battle in the fight for gender equality." —Publishers Weekly
"Blending thorough research with first-hand accounts, Weintraub paints a fascinating tale of the first women pilots in the navy who eventually succeeded in overturning archaic laws and policies that stymied their careers and hurt the navy. Wings of Gold is an inspiring story about strong women who never gave up on their goal of making things better for future generations of women."
—Col. Eileen Bjorkman, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), author of Unforgotten in the Gulf of Tonkin: A Story of the U.S. Military's Commitment to Leave No One Behind
“Wings of Gold” is an inspiring motivational read for all. It is especially a motivational read for those who, frustrated by a lack of equal opportunity, seek to change the system for the better, despite the long uphill fight they might face.
—Lt. Col. James G. Zumwalt, USMC (Ret.)
“Wings of Gold” is one of those books that serves as both a reference and history book while telling a compelling story of the women who paved the way in a sometimes unfriendly atmosphere. Many of the principal subjects are familiar, but there’s also information that may be unfamiliar and surprising. The Source section adds great background specifics and provides an opportunity to delve deeper into the story. – Jacque Boyd, Ninety-Nines Magazine
