November 7, 1930 With only 15 hours of flight experience, sixteen-year-old Nancy Harkness left Milton Academy with two friends to fly to Vassar in Poughkeepsie, New York. Harkness’ plane ran into rough weather and she did not know how to read a compass. After making a successful emergency landing she vowed to train more seriously. During WWII, she became the director of WAFS, then Executive for all WASP ferrying operations. She was awarded the Air Medal and continued to lead the charge for women in aviation.
