USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ W.W. II WAVES ~ February 25 2003

Naval Military History | February 25 2003 | snippy about it

[snippy_about_it]

World War II era WAVES --
Overview and Special Image Selection

After a twenty-three-year absence, women returned to general Navy service in early August 1942, when Mildred McAfee was sworn in as a Naval Reserve Lieutenant Commander, the first female commissioned officer in U.S. Navy history, and the first Director of the WAVES, or "Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service". In the decades since the last of the Yeomen left active duty, only a relatively small corps of Navy Nurses represented their gender in the Naval service, and they had never had formal officer status. Now, the Navy was preparing to accept not just a large number of enlisted women, as it had done during World War I, but female Commissioned Officers to supervise them. It was a development of lasting significance, notwithstanding the WAVES' name, which indicated that they would only be around during the wartime "Emergency".

Establishing the WAVES was a lengthy effort. Inter-war changes in the Naval Reserve legislation specifically limited service to men, so new legislation was essential. Though far-sighted individuals in the Navy Department, and especially in the Bureau of Aeronautics, had long known that uniformed women would be a wartime necessity, general service opinion was decidedly negative until the crisis at hand. Even then, creative intrigue had to be used to get an authorization through The Congress. President Roosevelt signed it into law on 30 July 1942. The next few months saw the commissioning of Mildred McAfee, and several other prominent female educators and professionals, to guide the new organization.

Recruiting had to be undertaken (or at least managed, as the number of interested women was vast), training establishments set up, an administrative structure put in place and uniforms designed. The latter effort produced a classic design that still has many elements in use nearly six decades later. Difficulties were overcome with energy and indispensable good humor, and within a year 27,000 women wore the WAVES uniform.

These women served in a far wider range of occupations than had the Yeomen (F). While traditionally female secretarial and clerical jobs took an expected large portion, thousands of WAVES performed previously atypical duties in the aviation community, Judge Advocate General Corps, medical professions, communications, intelligence, science and technology. The wartime Navy's demand for them was intense as it struggled to defeat Hitler and Mussolini in Europe and the Japanese in the Pacific. At the end of the conflict, there were well over 8,000 female officers and some ten times that many enlisted WAVES, about 2 ½ percent of the Navy's total strength. In some places WAVES constituted a majority of the uniformed Naval personnel. And many remained in uniform to help get the Navy into, and through, the post-war era.

This page features an introduction and special image selection on the Navy's World War II era WAVES, selected from the more comprehensive coverage contained in the following pages:

• Recruiting and Training;
  

• Quarters & Meals;
  

• Recreation, Leisure & Good Deeds;
  

• Ship and Aviation Orientation;
  

• Transportation
  Transportation Part II;
  

• Occupations--Aviation Related;
  

U.S. Navy W.W. II WAVES

Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service

USS Missouri (BB-63)
WAVES visiting the ship in an east coast port, during her shakedown period, circa August 1944.
They are standing on the main deck at the bow, with the Navy Jack flying behind them.

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WAVE Specialist (Photographer) 3rd Class
Saluting, as she stands among the springtime cherry blossoms
near the Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C., during World War II.

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USS Missouri (BB-63)
Yeoman Third Class Betty Martin exiting the rear door of a 5"/38 twin gun mount,
while touring the ship in an east coast port during Missouri's shakedown period,
circa August 1944.

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Aviation Metalsmith 3rd Class Claire Bickham and
Seaman 1st Class (Aviation Metalsmith) Susie Alvis
Riveting aircraft structure in the Assembly and Repair Department
at Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida, circa 24 July 1943.

---

Aerographer's Mate 2nd Class Julia Murray, USNR(W)
Launches a weather balloon from a theodolite platform at
Naval Air Station, Santa Ana, California, circa mid-1945.
The balloon is used to check wind velocity.

---

---

U.S. Naval Air Station, Santa Ana, California
Specialist (X) 2nd Class Marcelle Whiteman holds one of the 200 carrier
pigeons "based" at NAS Santa Ana, circa June 1945.
The birds were used to transmit communications from the air
to the station when radio silence is in force. One of the occupations
covered by the Specialist (X) rating was Pigeon Trainer.

My "Vanity" section begins here. :)

snippy's Mom at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor
Wave barracks-January 1946
Aviation Machinists' Mate

Mom (standing center) and the girls-Hawaii 1945

Mom and her brother Reeves McGillicuddy, Bellmore LI, NY c1944
From here it was a troop train to SF CA and on to Hawaii

• text

For the Duration of the Emergency....

When the United States was propelled into World War II by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, it faced the necessity of fighting a two front war (Atlantic and Pacific) as well as becoming the "Arsenal of Democracy," supplying armies on two fronts as well as the armies of our allies in the form of Lend-Lease supplies.

When military and industrial demands clashed, it became obvious that the shortage of manpower demanded the use of woman power once again, but on an even larger scale than previously. During World War II, all four services - Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, formed special women's components "for the duration of the emergency and six months."

WOMEN IN MILITARY SERVICE FOR AMERICA MEMORIAL
Dept 560, Washington, DC 20042-0560

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER

[Valin]

Winter: Getting a grip in the cold white season
http://www.startribune.com//images/ss/721_0.html

[Bethbg79]

You did a fantabulous job on todays thread!
WAVES deserve all the attention they can get..

Great pictures too!

[tomkow6]

My personal hero:

[HiJinx]

Sir, Target, Sheena Cox, one round of electronic mail loaded and launched!

Standing by for further instructions, Sir!!

[Bethbg79]

I'm afraid that this could be the end result! LOL

Has anyone ever seen burka man wet before? lol

[tomkow6]

Cool things about being a man

1. Your butt is never a factor in a job interview.
2. Your last name stays put.
3. The garage is all yours.
4. Wedding plans take care of themselves.
5. You never feel compelled to stop a friend from getting laid.
6. Car mechanics tell you the truth.
7. You don't give a rat's a$$ if someone notices your new haircut.
8. Hot wax never comes near your pubic area.
9. Same work...more pay.
10. Wrinkles add character.
11. You don't have to leave the room to make emergency crotch adjustments.
12. Wedding Dress $2000; Tux rental $100.
13. If you retain water, it's in a canteen.
14. People never glance at your chest when you're talking to them.
15. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
16. One mood, ALL the damn time.
17. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds.
18. A five-day vacation requires only 1 suitcase.
19. You can open all your own jars.
20. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
21. Your underwear is $10 for a three-pack.
22. If you are 34 and single, nobody notices.
23. You can quietly enjoy a car ride from the passenger's seat.
24. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
25. You can quietly watch a game with your buddy for hours without ever thinking "He must be mad at me."
26. No maxi-pads.
27. If another guy shows up at the party in the same outfit, you just might become lifelong friends.
28. You are not expected to know the names of more than five colors.
29. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
30. You are unable to see wrinkles in clothes.
31. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
32. Your belly usually hides your big hips.
33. One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons.
34. You can "do" your nails with a pocketknife.
35. Christmas shopping can be accomplished for 25 relatives, on December 24th, in minutes.

[tomkow6]

Oh, so you're gonna turn on me too? It's a good thing I can't see that graphic! Only the red X box.

[Bethbg79]

Awww, I'm not turning on ya hon!

I dont really think you'd get in the bath...lol
Burka man is gonna stay the same way he's always been.

Just the idea of burka man and water and soap are funny is all...lol

We all still love ya, ya know!

[MoJo2001]

The great thing about being a woman is that we don't have time to read why it's great to be a man. LOL!

[MoJo2001]

Awwwww! If ya just take a bath, no one would turn on the Burka Man!!LOL!

[Bethbg79]

Does anyone else have problems seeing my graphics?

Let me know, I think a new closet is in order.

[Johnny Gage]

What a great history on the WAVES, and the stories of your mom's service. The WWII period while bad because of the war, was grand because of how the citizens of this country felt it "was their DUTY" to help out the war effort in any way possible.

Unlike today. *sigh*

.

VERY CHILLY HERE this a.m. Was supposed to be -16 last night but it was only about -8 *BRRRRR*

.

A "Three Howie" salute to our troops and their families.

LET'S ROLL!

[Bethbg79]

Good Morning!!

[Bethbg79]

Good morning!

Thank you for the goodnight wishes last night :-)

[Mudboy Slim]

Yes, LET US ROLL...MUD

[HiJinx]

Any time...well, anytime I happen to still be awake and on line!!

Good to see you this morning.

[Dubya]

[SevenofNine]

Speaking of Women officers

There is sad news out of Israel this morning I hate to be bearer bad news well female IDF soldier was shot and killed when she stop Hamas miltant try sneak into border of Gaza to put bomb near Israeli kid school well she shot the dude but dude fire back and kill her LUCKELY she save the kids who play near the school according to Hareetz wire this morning

Also report off AFP wire reporting that France and Germany has secret peace deal that run for Saddam before they gave approval for smackdown on Iraq

YEAH Dubya going listen I don't think so

[Bethbg79]

Good to see you too!

[tomkow6]

At sea aboard USS Constellation (CV 64) Feb. 20, 2003 -- Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McClain removes film from a Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod System (TARPS) shot during a recent aerial mission. TARPS pods are carried by the F-14D “Tomcat” fighter aircraft. Constellation is deployed in the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Felix Garza Jr.