As women, the WASPs were not allowed to fly combat missions. However, they flew dangerous missions none the less. One of their primary functions was to ferry aircraft from the USA to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. This often entailed flying to South America, across the Atlantic, to Africa, and then on to the Middle East (early war), or Russia for Lend Lease delivery. That's how they racked up 60 million miles while staying away from the combat zones.
While not "combat" missions, this activity was critical to the war effort and it was also relatively dangerous considering the technology and infrastructure of the time. There were few airports in S.A. and Afrika, not to mention a lack of navigational aids and weather forecasting. They flew across the ocean and endless wastes (the Amazon, the Sahara, the Atlantic) with a compass and a map, not a G.P.S. system.
Those women had some real grit. Hat's off to them!
