:: By Sam Gill, ‘05

:: Photo credit: Courtesy Special Collections Research Center

Peer Review ::

In January 1942 Axis armies swarmed over Europe and the Pacific, compelling Americans to help out Uncle Sam. Rather than serving drinks to high-flying passengers, the registered nurses usually recruited by Transcontinental and Western Air were busy patching up GIs on the battlefield. Forced to look elsewhere for its “air hostesses,” TWA turned to female college graduates. Scores of U of C women took to the skies, becoming America’s wartime commercial-flight attendants. Here, a veteran air hostess shows three Chicago seniors how to prepare a seven-course meal for the passengers of a 21-seat aircraft.