Major Tamara Aleksandrovna was in charge of an all-female air force for Russia in World War II. Their phenomenal success is evidenced by their record of flying in 125 combat situations, completing 4,000 sorties, and shooting down 38 Nazi aircraft. Other amazonian aviatrixes were Captain Budanova, Nancy Wake of New Zealand who flew for the allies in France, and Ludmilla Pavlichenko who killed 309 Nazis by herself!

Nina Teitelboim, called “Little Wanda with the Braids,” was an anti-Nazi fighter who commanded a special force of Poland’s People’s Guard which blew up the elite Cafe Club, a hangout for top-ranking Gestapo. Thus empowered, she was part of a raid on the Nazis, stealing back some of the enormous stockpiles of cash the Nazis had stolen from the people of Warsaw. After this success, the price on her head was higher than ever, and she was captured and executed.

This excerpt is from The Book of Awesome Women by Becca Anderson, which is available now through Amazon and Mango Media.