united states world war 2 navy enlistment records

Men occupied most of the barracks, so women had to provide their own housing, commuting from home, renting a room in a house, or sharing an apartment. Since the Bureau of Navigation-the branch of the Navy responsible for personnel-automatically assigned new Sailors to ships, women were assigned to sunken vessels, unused barges, or docked vessels. For the first time, Sailors’ gender had to be indicated, so it classified these women as Yeoman (F). The Navy had a few administrative problems to address. The Navy recruited mothers and daughters, multiple sisters from one family, several sets of twins, and best friends from across the United States and its territories. The shortage of clerical workers was so acute that many started their jobs the same day wearing their civilian clothes. After completing an application, an interview, a physical exam, and a business skills test, qualified women took the oath. They volunteered to submit to Navy rules and regulations 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and to be assigned wherever the Navy needed them most for four years. A male and a female in the same naval rank earning the same salary meant equal pay for equal work, which appealed to them. They also thought their service would persuade President Woodrow Wilson to support the 19th Amendment. Patriotism and hoping to end the war sooner were their primary motivations. More than 11,000 women joined her, working in naval districts across the United States, particularly in Washington, D.C. On 17 March 1917, Loretta Perfectus Walsh of Olyphant, Pennsylvania, distinguished herself as the first enlisted woman, forever changing the Navy.

citizen could join, Daniels recruited women.

Since the Naval Reserve Act of 1916 read that any U.S. Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels sought additional workers after learning that the civil service could not meet the need for clerical support. So what do WAVES have to do with female naval reservists? Why are they important? A more complete answer to these questions necessitates an explanation of their origin, which begins with World War I. The quick answer is on 30 July 1942, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Public Law 689 creating the women’s reserve as an integral part of the Navy. What are the WAVES and why should they be celebrated? If you are like most, many images may come to mind, including actual waves of water.

United states world war 2 navy enlistment records