GUEST: I brought some World War
II memorabilia from the WASPs,
the Women's Air Service Patrol.

This is Jackie Cochran. She
headed up the WASPs in World
War II, and my mother was her

secretary. And my mother asked
Jackie Cochran if she could
have a set of the wings, and

Jackie said yes. And so that's
what you see over here is her
wings. And she had it engraved

to my mom on the back.

APPRAISER: And tell me
about your photographs.

GUEST: The photographs were
autographed by Jackie Cochran
to my mom. This one was, "For

Miss McSweeney, with all good
wishes, Jacqueline Cochran."
And then this one, over here to

the right, I think is funny. "To
Miss McSweeney, "This is just
the way I feel sometimes. Jackie

Cochran." And then my mom put
a little notation underneath
that, "Most times." (laughs)

APPRAISER: So did your mom
tell you anything about
why she made that notation?

GUEST: It didn't matter what
time of day it was, if Jackie
called, you, you came. She

was a demanding woman, but
she was also... It seemed like
she was a really nice person,

as well.

APPRAISER: Well, she was
also a force of nature.
She was somebody who was
a very, very accomplished

aviator before the war. She won
a number of the air trophies.
She worked with Amelia Earhart.

She had connections before the
war even started. And we see the
WASPs as something that occurred

during World War II, but the
genesis of that started in 1939,
when Jackie wrote to Eleanor

Roosevelt and said, "You
know, I think there should
be a role for women."

GUEST: Oh, nice.

APPRAISER: Within the... At that
time it was the Army Air Corps.
And that kind of got passed

up the chain. And in 1941, prior
to our involvement in the war,
she was even corresponding with

officers in the Army Air Corps
talking about, "Women could
ferry aircraft, "there are jobs

that they could take over and
let the men go and do something
else." So, when she comes

back to the United States, as
that first class comes through--
they're training with Jackie

in command...

GUEST: Ah.

APPRAISER: She wanted wings for
these ladies. And she simply
paid for them out of pocket.

GUEST: I do remember
reading that now, yes.

APPRAISER: So, even though
your mom was not a pilot, these
were Jackie's to give out.

GUEST: Right.

APPRAISER: And, clearly, she
decided that's what she, that's
what she needed to do. And

she has engraved this on
the reverse, specifically
to your mother.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: Which is awesome.

GUEST: Yeah, I think so.

APPRAISER: Clearly, you
understand the historical value.

GUEST: Yes.

APPRAISER: Because you
understand how it relates
to women's position
within flying. And now

we've got... Some of the best
pilots in the Air Force are
female, which is awesome.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: So, they've, they've
come a long way. But she is
really the driving force that

got that all started. Have you
given any thought to, beyond
the historical value, what the

monetary value might be?

GUEST: Not whatsoever.
I have no idea.

APPRAISER: A retail
value on the market today
for this set would be,
conservatively, between

$6,000 and $8,000.

GUEST: Are you kidding me?
(laughing): Oh, my gosh! Great.
Well, thank you very much.

I really appreciate
it. It's crazy.