Trained Like the Men

 

Aviation Machinist

 

During World War II, the only way people knew about women in the military and what they did was by photos like the one above. Many thought that women held only the positions in communications, nursing, and secretarial work. Little did they know that women played just as big as role on bases at the stateside that men had done. With the men gone, women had to slide into the positions that were still needed to be filled so that the United States had some protection back here at home. This led to women filling jobs like working in aviation, being mechanics, and learning different strategies in order to protect our country when the time came. The above photo shows Violet Falkum turning over the engine of a Pratt and Whitney R-1340. It was pictures like these that were put onto recruiting posters that encouraged women to enlist and to help their country out in a time of need.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still the Weaker Sex

Poster Women

 

This was the cover for the Women's Journal Magazine in the year of 1944. The statement was extremely racy for this period of time because women were still expected to be the soft spoken women who kept the house tidy for their husband. They were not suppose to be the ones who wanted to challenge the ever changing gender roles. Even though women had proved themselves over and over again through all ranks and positions in the military they still were not perceived as stronger people. In the magazine the statement “Many of us may be serving shoulder to shoulder with America’s fighting men—but we’re still the weaker sex, and it’s still up to us to appear as alluring and lovely as possible.” Despite the fact that women were able to hold these positions, they were satisfied knowing that they were still perceived as beautiful. 

Women in Vogue

 

Library of Congress

 

During the 1940's women relied heavily on magazines for all aspects of their life. From the way they dressed to what meals they should prepare for certain occasions, magazines were the go to item. Since magazines played a huge role for women during this time, having a woman pilot featured on the front of a magazine like Vogue was a big deal. This was something to be idolized for women because this was not the typical cover for Vogue that had the model with the hair and makeup done like society expected. The cover broke all these barriers and featured that patriotic woman who was willing to fight for her country. By having Vogue adverrise this "new" idea of a women is what sparked many of the gender role changes that women were going through during this period of time. 

 

 

 

 

War Poster

 

Library of Congress

 

Recruiting posters were a huge way to have women gain the interest of joining any of the new branches of government for women that had been recently written into law. So many women were used to obtaining the role as a loving mother and wife, but now with the men away they could be focused on taking on new responsibilities. During this time women's roles were shifting towards being more active not only in society but in the workforce as well. This was okay to happen because the changing gender roles were due to reflect a national emergency and the fact that women were needed in all aspects at the stateside. With posters like these being posted all over, women were encouraged to take up positions in things like the Women's Army Corps. By also advertising patriotism in the poster they were not only encouraged to step up the plate to help themselves but also to show that they loved our country and were dedicated to it. 



 



 



Nurse Corps During World War II

 

 

Nurses Corps

 

The establishment of Army nurses have been around since 1901 and Navy Nurse Corps since 1908. The field had expanded over the years into having 59,000 Army nurses and 11,000 Navy nurses by the end of World War II. This amount of people  that were trained to be nurses all came to help when Pearl Harbor was bombed. The vast amount of nurses working in Hawaii during the bombing came to the rescue of thousands of injured soldiers requiring medical attention. These nurses were also stationed overseas with soldiers in places like the Philippines. The above photo shows a nurse aiding a soldier in the Philippines as part as their jobs. Some of these women were put into areas where war had taken place to aide soldiers while others worked on bases that helped out with sickness. During the war, men were not the only ones to be taken as Prisoners of War, women nurses were also known to be taken and kept.

Shirley Slade on LIFE Magazine

 

WASPS

 

This magazine cover marks a huge accomplishment for women during their participation of World War II. Shirley Slade was a pilot in training for the WASPS and served as a poster girl for their regiment during this time. Many females saw this cover and inspired them to actively seek a way to enlist into the group in order to become like Shirley. LIFE magazine during this time was extremely important because so many people read the magazine. This showed that women were just as capable as men to be flying in planes like the B-17 that were carrying ammunition to help with the war efforts. It also shined a light on the active role that women were playing during this time and informed those reading that every person can play a drastic role during the war.

Women as Pilots During World War II

Women as Pilots

 

During the war, the United States was faced with a shortage of pilots, so in order to help with this, the government allowed for the training of women in this area. These women were known as Women Airforce Service Pilots or in others words for short WASPS. About 1,100 women were recruited for the job of getting trained to fly loaded planes filled with ammunition and were capable of firing weapons. Despite the fact that these women had the same dangers to face as men they did not receive the same compensated pay if they were hurt or they died. Despite this, many women were willing to fill the shoes of men to serve for their country. Some paid the $500 to receive a pilot's license and then enlisted to serve one of the most active duties that were available to women during this time. The program was cancelled after two years and only a few women were able to find piloting jobs after the fact, so many returned to their family farms or started to have families.

African American Women in the World War II

 

First African American WACS Regiment

 

Above shows the first African American Women of WACs to go overseas. This was huge for African Americans because not only were women allowed to serve but they were also sent overseas too. At this time, many women were stationed at the stateside rather than being deployed. So to be actively deployed somewhere was huge. Even though these women were segregated during the whole process of becoming a WAC, they accomplished it. They were required to attend different sessions on training, separate barracks, and were required to eat at different times then the white females that were also receiving training as well. African American women were still able to work and find many of the same assignments as the white females, but were required to always stay separate.

 

Women in the Marines During World War II

Women in the Marines

 

July 30, 1942 was the day that the Marines Corps for women was established. The main purpose for this regiment was to allow women to protect the shores in place of men that they would be replacing during war time. Within the Marines, women were assigned to over two-hundred jobs that they could actively do while serving. This actively filled 85% of the jobs that men were actively doing in their own branch, which was huge for women that were serving in the Marines. Some of these various jobs included radio operator, photographer, parachute rigger, driver, aerial gunnery instructor, cook, baker, quartermaster, control tower operator, motion picture operator, auto mechanic, telegraph operator, cryptographer, laundry operator, post exchange (store) manager, stenographer and agriculturist. This is the one branch where women most actively served within a military branch. Many men changed their opinion about women once they saw that women could complete so many tasks that men were able to do with just as much ease.

Women in the Women's Army (Auxilary) Corps During World War II

More on WAACS

 

Upon its' establishment, the Women's Army Corps was the first women's branch of military in the United States history. On May 15, 1942, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps was officially put into law. With the recruitment of about 150,000 many rankings and uniforms were issued amongst this vast number of women willing to serve for their country. Even though these women were able to get to the ranks of first, second, and third officer and captain but were not able to receive the same benefits  and equal pay due to the idea that the Army's existing culture. Even though majority of the women served at home at stateside, some were sent to various places in Europe to help with the war effort. Women enlisted in WAACS had duties including sorting military mails, operating tele-type machines, and working as clerks. The picture above shows a woman who was actively involved in the Ordinance Department. This department was solely dedicated to computing the velocity of bullets, measured bomb fragments, mixed gunpowder, and loaded shells. Others worked as draftsmen, mechanics, and electricians, and some received training in ordnance engineering.   

Women in the Navy During World War II

 

 

 

 

Women in WAVES

 

After a lot of fight to establish a women's regiment in the United States Navy, President Roosevelt signed the group into law on July 30, 1942. After its' establishment, there was a vast amount of women that were interested in enlisting so organization and management of WAVES was critical. After a year, there were about 27,000 women who were actively serving and wearing the uniform. Being apart of the WAVES regiment included many duties from secretarial work to different types of aviation work  on base. Some women were found working on new innovations and technologies that were atypical duties in the branch while others helped with communications during the intense fight to bring down men like Mussolini and Hitler. The picture above shows Members of the first class of WAVES to graduate from the Aviation Metalsmith School, at the Naval Air Technical Training Center, Norman, Oklahoma, 30 July 1943. These women would go on to be the first to start working on Naval bases in order to help the war effort. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Women in the Coast Guard During World War II

 

Photos of SPAR Women

 

The Women's Reserves Coast Guard was established November 23, 1942 by President Roosevelt. This program, like the other military services for women, was created in order to fill the spots of the men in the military stationed here at home, so that they were able to be sent overseas and the United States were still able to have protection at home. Women that enlisted in the Coast Guard were not allow to be deployed and were held under several restrictions including that female soldiers of any rank could not give orders to a male soldier enlisted in the same branch. Even with these restrictions, women were still enlisting to fulfill their duty as a citizen. The picture above shows ten women in training at Hunter's College Bronx Campus. The amount of women trained at this college was 1,914. These women were able to actively participate in all at home exercises and assignments that were brought to their attention due to their successful training.