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.