A WASP Story at Woodland Cemetery & Arboretum

Mar 7, 2021

Nadine Nagle, US Army Air Corp, Women Air Service Pilot, World War II

Nadine Nagle was a history maker serving as a pilot with the Women Air Service Pilots (WASP) during World War II. This mild mannered kindergarten teacher served one year flying, mainly in the state of Texas. She took flying lessons one summer and soloed before joining the air corps. She piloted the C-45 aircraft and was a co-pilot on both the B-25 and C-47. The mission at hand was to fly aircraft from station airport to station airport and transport military ground personnel to various stations. Additionally, the WASPs towed targets for gunnery practice, did engineering test flying, radio control flying and tracking and search light operations - everything male pilots did except combat maneuvers, but a few of the women did that on the sly. The program was disbanded by Congress in 1944. After her stint with the WASP, Nadine turned her attention to work with the Red Cross where she met pilot Frank Nagle. His US Air Force career would bring him to Dayton where he was stationed at Wright Patterson AFB. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1966. Mrs. Nagle taught kindergarten for 21 years at Beverly Gardens School in the Mad River Twp. School District.

Nadine Nagle was 99 years and 10 months old when she died on August 29, 2018. She rests peacefully in Section 308 Lot 28 in the cemetery.

For more of Nadine's story, visit her on the Women of Woodland Tour at the Woodland Cemetery website.