2009 Medal Women AF Service Pilots Bronze 38mm

Coin Details

Description

This 2009 bronze medal at 38mm honors the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), the female aviators who flew military aircraft during World War II. More than 1,000 women served as WASPs from 1943 to 1944, ferrying aircraft from factories to military bases, towing targets for live anti-aircraft gunnery practice, and test-flying repaired aircraft — freeing male pilots for combat duty. Thirty-eight WASPs died in the line of duty, yet they were denied military status and veterans' benefits until 1977. Medal collecting has experienced renewed interest in recent decades as numismatists have recognized these pieces as historical artifacts deserving the same scholarly attention given to coins and currency. Congress awarded the WASPs the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009, one of the most belated recognitions in American military history.

Rarity Notes

Bronze 38mm Congressional Gold Medal duplicate. Women Airforce Service Pilots. Smaller format.

Cross References

PCGS #912023; WASP; Women Airforce Service Pilots; Congressional Gold Medal 2009; World War II