Helen Wyatt Snapp

W.A.S.P Pilot, WWII, 43-W-4

Research and artwork is by;

Sir Ernie Hamilton Boyette

Aviation Art Store

www.aviationartstore.com

Print Size 12x18"

There were only 350 Limited Editions Published.

Limited Edition Price $60.00

I do have some posters autographed by Helen. They are available below.

Autographed Poster by Helen Snapp. $35.00

There were only 400 Poster Prints Published.

Poster print only. $18.00

Helen Wyatt Snapp

I was born and raised in Washington D.C. and attended Mary Washington Collage in Fredericksburg, Virginia. I learned to fly on a whim and soon thereafter dropped out of collage and became a government clerk in D.C. to pay for my lesions. I joined a new group called the Civilian Pilot Training Program and received my private license.

In February 1943 I received a telegram from General Hap Arnold and Jackie Cochran to report for an interview at Mayflower Hotel in D.C. I never expected such an invite so I met with them and after hearing of their offer I joined with them right away. My training had qualified me for this chance to personally help in the war effort. My first assignment was to report to Avenger Field, Sweetwater, Texas for further training.

After graduating I was sent to Camp Davis, North Carolina. Here I was trained to pull targets for anti-aircraft training, helped in search light training, radar operations and strafing exercise. My final assignment was at Liberty Field, Fort Stewart, Georgia. At this base I found myself pulling targets for 18, 19 and 20 year old recruits who were firing live ammunition at me while trying to hit the target. My most exciting assignment was a top-secret project where we worked with radio-control aircraft that would be packed with explosives and used as the first guided bombs.

Returning from leave I was heading back to my base and caught a ride with the crew of the Memphis Belle which was on a War Bond tour. I joined the crew at McDill Army Air Base in Tampa and we were to fly north to Fort Stewart. The pilot and crew were young men who had returned from Europe but they meant nothing really to me because there were so many thousands of airmen I met during my service.

However as young men can be, they had too good of a time the night before and asked me to fly the bomber to Georgia while they slept in the back. I had my multi-engine rating so I was qualified to Pilot this airplane. I was delighted to have the chance to fly such an aircraft.

As we neared Jacksonville, Florida the weather turned very bad so I had to notify the crew. The weather was so severe that we landed in Jacksonville and stayed the night. The next morning my air base sent an airplane for my return.

In December 1944 the WASP program was disbanded and I returned to civilian life. I never thought about my flight in the Memphis Belle for many years. It was several years later I discovered the fame of the Memphis Belle. Many, many years later I met Robert Morgan with the Memphis Belle at an air show again in Florida. We recounted our experiences with the Memphis Belle and I only wished that I had someone take a photo of Robert, the Memphis Belle, and Me. I feel very fortunate to have been able to pilot the Memphis Belle.

Written by Helen Snapp.

I asked Helen to send me her story and after I received it, I could not get my self to break it up and rewrite it. I knew that it was best to have Helen tell her own story so I asked her to proof it herself as she wished for the print publication. I am so glad I decided to let her have full editorial privileges. I was not able to videotape our meeting but I enjoyed sitting with her for two hours as we autographed her prints in the limited edition series. I listened to her stories for the full two hour period. We did discuss some current issues, but her war time adventures were a delight to hear.

Helen was about five feet one or two inches, an officer, or as close to being an officer with advanced aviation abilities compared to her male counterparts. Helen Wyatt Snapp is number thirty-two in my series of "Famous American Aviators." I am so fortunate to be able to work with America's best.

This is Helen in her living room holding my painting of the Memphis Belle. She was kind enough to autograph the painting for me.

Yes this little lady, now at the age of ninety-one, was once qualified to fly America's finest aircraft.

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Posted March 16, 2009