Lorraine Zillner Rodgers (September 11, 1920 – July 3, 2018) was a Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) pilot for the United States Army Air Forces.
Background
Born Lorraine Zillner in Park Ridge, Illinois, she went on to graduate from the University of Illinois and began working in the office of Chicago's Douglas Aircraft facility. Fascinated with aircraft since childhood, she would spend her free time on the factory floor, admiring the C-54 Skymasters being produced there. After a test pilot took her for a ride in one, she began weekend flying lessons in a Piper J-3 Cub.
WASPs
Once the United States committed its involvement in World War II and male pilots were being called to serve, the WASP program was created for domestic support. Zillner had read that interviews for women with pilot licenses were being held for the experimental program. Despite not having a license and, initially, only eight of the 35 required hours of flight time, she was accepted for training two weeks later via telegram from the Department of the Army.
Media
In the TV show Legends of Airpower, Rodgers life is covered in Season-4.