ANNE NOGGLE, WORLD WAR II WOMEN PILOTS

“With black and white photography, Anne Noggle (1922–2005) confronts themes of gender equality and aging through portraits of World War II women pilots in the United States and the Soviet Union. Women pilots, and especially those who volunteered to fly for the military, were considered cultural anomalies. They defied gender norms and took to the skies when society and sometimes their own families placed a woman’s value in the home and kitchen. Noggle’s photographs of aging World War II pilots convey their grit, defiance, femininity, and love of flying. Above all, they capture a spirit that bonds this rare group of aviation heroines together. As a photographer, Noggle was specifically equipped for this project with an insider’s perspective—because she was one of them.” - NASM