EL PASO, Texas -- World War II wasn't an easy time for women in the airforce.

Now, President Barack Obama is doing something to fix it.

He recently signed a bill awarding the Women Airforce Service Pilots, also known as WASP, the Congressional Gold Medal.

Between 1942 and 1943, 1,000 women signed up to fight for their country.

Suzie Azar, president of Blue Feather Aero, said, "These women had to have a real serious passion for aviation. ‘Pillars of Aviation’ is a really great name for them. They really stood out because they left the farm, left the cities, left the secretary jobs and went out and said, 'I want be a pilot; I want to risk my life for this country.'"

Azar also said several of the pilots had to deal with discrimination and prejudice, because in the World War II era not many women worked outside the home, especially in aviation.

To learn more about WASP and its contributions head to the Doña Ana County Airport in Santa Teresa.

There you'll find the War Eagles Museum, which houses historic aircraft.