1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Hey everyone. Technically you're getting two days in History today 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: because we were running two episodes from the History Vault. 3 00:00:05,840 --> 00:00:08,880 Speaker 1: You'll also here two hosts, me and Tracy V. Wilson. 4 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,119 Speaker 1: Hope you enjoy Welcome to this Day in History Class 5 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: from how Stuff Works dot Com and from the desk 6 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: of Stuff you Missed in History Class. It's the show 7 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: where we explore the past one day at a time 8 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: with a quick look at what happened today in history. 9 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: Welcome to the podcast. I'm Tracy V. Wilson and it's 10 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: August five. The Women Air Force Service Pilots or WASP 11 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:37,520 Speaker 1: was formed on the state in Okay. So think about 12 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:39,960 Speaker 1: some of the things that a pilot needs to do 13 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 1: during a war. Some of it's obvious, right a pilot 14 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: needs to fly combat missions, flying troops and supplies into 15 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: and out of combat areas, doing recon. But there's also 16 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 1: a lot of work that's not as obvious if you're 17 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:56,520 Speaker 1: not already a pilot or maybe in the military, like 18 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: flying the newly built airplanes from a factory to their 19 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 1: departure point, or testing these new planes to make sure 20 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: that they are working correctly, or when a plane has 21 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 1: been repaired, making sure that the repairs were done correctly, 22 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: towing targets for target practice. That one is actually my favorite. 23 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: You need a lot of pilots to do all of 24 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: this work, and during World War Two there was a problem. 25 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,600 Speaker 1: They needed more pilots, and so the whole idea was 26 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: that they would recruit women to do this less obvious 27 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: non combat work to free the men up for combat flying. 28 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,959 Speaker 1: The WASP was formed when two other previously existing groups 29 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,360 Speaker 1: combined together. One of the groups was the Women's Auxiliary 30 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:44,679 Speaker 1: Ferrying Squadron, which had been organized by Nancy Harkness Love, 31 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 1: and the other was the Women's Flying Training Detachment, which 32 00:01:48,040 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: had been arranged by Jackie Cochrane. When the two merged, 33 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: Cochrane became the WASPS director. To be eligible to join 34 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: the WASP, women needed to be between the ages of 35 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: twenty one and thirty five, and they already needed to 36 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: have a pilot's license. Flying was actually kind of a 37 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: hobby for a lot of people. At this time. Flying 38 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 1: clubs had become really popular. Some women lived on farms 39 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,080 Speaker 1: or in other real rural areas, and they had flying 40 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 1: experience from flying crop dusters, but you needed to have 41 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 1: more than that to get a pilot's license, and that 42 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: meant that a lot of women were paying for their 43 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,080 Speaker 1: own training so that they could join the WASP, and 44 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:28,119 Speaker 1: then once they did join them, they had to get 45 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:32,120 Speaker 1: through further training, really intense training program to be able 46 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: to do this work. These were the first women to 47 00:02:34,960 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 1: fly aircraft for the U. S. Military. They flew virtually 48 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:42,160 Speaker 1: every type of aircraft that the military was using, and 49 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 1: more than a thousand women served in the WASP during 50 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: World World War two. Thirty eight of them died during 51 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,640 Speaker 1: their service, eleven of them during training and twenty seven 52 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: during missions. Since they weren't considered part of the military though, 53 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:58,040 Speaker 1: even though they were doing work that was definitely connected 54 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,720 Speaker 1: to the military, these women, when they died during service, 55 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: weren't given any kind of burial coverage. They weren't giving 56 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: military honors at their funerals, so when deaths did happen, 57 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: usually it was their fellow WASP who raised the money 58 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 1: to send their bodies home and to pay for their funerals. 59 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: The whole idea at the beginning, though, had been that 60 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,160 Speaker 1: the WASP were eventually going to become part of the military, 61 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 1: but on June twenty one of nineteen forty four, Congress 62 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 1: actually voted that idea down. About six weeks later, it 63 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: was announced the WASP we're going to be completely disbanded. 64 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:34,679 Speaker 1: When the program ended on December twenty, nineteen forty four. 65 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: The last class of trainees had just graduated a few 66 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: weeks before everyone was sent home, and this is a 67 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,560 Speaker 1: huge blow to all the women involved. A big reason 68 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:47,400 Speaker 1: for this disbanding was that it looked like the war 69 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: was coming to a close really soon, and a lot 70 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:52,400 Speaker 1: of male pilots were worried about their jobs, so the 71 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: program was ended to preserve those jobs for the men 72 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: who would be returning from the front. The WASP, though, 73 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: to end on a happier note, were are finally granted 74 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: military status in nine seven, and in two thousand nine, 75 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: the WASP were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, at which 76 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: point about three hundred of them we're still living and 77 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 1: more than two d attend to the ceremony in Washington, 78 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,760 Speaker 1: d C. You can learn more about the WASP in 79 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: the March one episodes of Stuff You Miss in History Class, 80 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: and those episodes I interview Dr Catherine Sharp Landic about 81 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: their history. Thanks to Tari Harrison for her audio skills. 82 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,560 Speaker 1: In these episodes. You can subscribe to This Day in 83 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: History Class on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and wherever else 84 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:36,839 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts. We'll be back in World War 85 00:04:36,839 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: two tomorrow, although we'll be looking more at the end 86 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: of the war. Hello, Hello, everyone, Welcome to This Day 87 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 1: in History Class, where we bring you a new tidbit 88 00:04:53,680 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 1: from history every day. The day was August five hundred. 89 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 1: John Ruthven, third Earl of Gowrie, and his younger brother 90 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:17,960 Speaker 1: Alexander Ruthven died under mysterious circumstances. The incident became known 91 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: as the Gowrie Conspiracy. Back in fifteen sixty six, Patrick Ruthven, 92 00:05:24,200 --> 00:05:28,320 Speaker 1: third Lord Ruthven, and his son William were involved in 93 00:05:28,360 --> 00:05:32,320 Speaker 1: the murder of David Rizzio, the private secretary of Mary, 94 00:05:32,440 --> 00:05:37,160 Speaker 1: Queen of Scots. William, fourth Lord of Ruthven, was pardoned 95 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: and he was made Lord Treasurer of the Realm in 96 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:44,599 Speaker 1: fifteen seventy one, and in fifteen eighty one he was 97 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: named first Earl of Gowery by James the sixth, the 98 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:52,400 Speaker 1: King of Scotland and the son of Mary, Queen of Scots. 99 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: The year after William was named Earl, he lay at 100 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:59,720 Speaker 1: the Raid of Ruthven a plot when King James the 101 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: City was held captive at Ruthven Castle for several months 102 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 1: while the Earl remained at the head of government. The 103 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:10,960 Speaker 1: Earl was pardoned, but he continued to plot against the 104 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: king and was eventually executed in fifteen eighty four. His 105 00:06:15,920 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 1: oldest son, James, second Earl of Gowery, died in fifty eight, 106 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:24,960 Speaker 1: and John Ruthven became the third Earl of Gowery when 107 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: he was a child, So the relationship James the Six 108 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: had with the Ruthven family was a fraud one, to 109 00:06:32,040 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 1: say the least. James also owed the ruth Fence a 110 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:39,000 Speaker 1: considerable amount of money, as the first Earl of Gowery 111 00:06:39,160 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: had advanced money to the crown. On August five hundred, 112 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 1: James set out to hunt in Falkland. According to James's 113 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:52,560 Speaker 1: version of events, while he was out, Alexander Ruthven approached 114 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 1: him and said that he and his brother John had 115 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,240 Speaker 1: met a man carrying a pot of gold coins in 116 00:06:58,279 --> 00:07:02,440 Speaker 1: the field outside of Perth. The king agreed to ride 117 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,159 Speaker 1: out to Perth to investigate the man. Once the royal 118 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: party got to the Gowery House in Perth, they ate 119 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: a meal, and Alexander took the king up the main 120 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,640 Speaker 1: staircase into a turret room, but when he got there, 121 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:18,280 Speaker 1: instead of meeting a man with a pot of gold, 122 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: he found gowery servant Henderson, who was armed, alluding to 123 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 1: the execution of his father, the first Earl. Alexander threatened 124 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 1: to kill the king with Henderson's dagger if he opened 125 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 1: a window or called for help. Alexander left the room 126 00:07:34,520 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: and told the king's party that he had left. Alexander 127 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: soon returns to the room where Henderson and the king 128 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: were and the conflict resumed. But James cried treason and 129 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: called for help, and his followers, who saw the struggle 130 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: at the window, came upstairs to help him. The ruth 131 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: Then brothers were killed in the ensuing struggle. The King 132 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: made it out alive, and the corpses of the brothers 133 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:03,800 Speaker 1: were later hanged and quartered, their body parts put on spikes. 134 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 1: Many people did not believe James's story, and it's still 135 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 1: not clear whether the conspiracy was by the Rothmans or 136 00:08:12,400 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: against them. Maybe the Roughmans planned to seize the king 137 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 1: and failed, or maybe James was conspiring to get rid 138 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,960 Speaker 1: of the Ruffmans and his indebtedness, or the Roughmans could 139 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 1: have upset James in some way that led to an 140 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: unplanned struggle. The circumstances surrounding the conspiracy were investigated, but 141 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 1: the true explanation for the events of August five remains 142 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: a mystery. I'm Eaves, Jeffcode, and hopefully you know a 143 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: little more about history today than you did yesterday. You 144 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 1: can find us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at t 145 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:54,640 Speaker 1: D I h C podcast Tune in tomorrow for another 146 00:08:54,720 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: Day in History. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, 147 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 148 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.