When I was a kid, stories of World War II came to me from my father, whose West Point class graduated early to join the fighting in 1944. His stories were few and far between; it was only reading studies of war veterans in my Psych 101 class in college that I learned that most individuals who actually fought didn’t have the “glorious memories” route that those war movies said they did.
What my father did tell me, which history didn’t for many years, were the stories of the women he encountered who “were as brave as other soldiers.” I never realized until I started searching the history books that women in battle were rarely seen in the same heroic light as men, even when they did work that was just as dangerous.
Only this year did President Obama recognize the WWII WASPS. In July he signed into law a bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Air Force Service Pilots, a.k.a. the WASPs. “Every American should be grateful for their service, and I am honored to sign this bill to finally give them some of the hard-earned recognition they deserve,” Obama stated. WASPs were the first women to ever fly American military aircraft, and they flew more than 60 million miles. It wasn’t until 1977 that they were afforded veteran status.
I found a blog this morning that gives further history of women in WWII, including a brief synopsis of those women who were at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. According to the blog, “The Japanese attack left 2,235 servicemen and 68 civilians dead. Eighty-two Army nurses were serving at three Army Medical Facilities in Hawaii that infamous December morning.” Take a moment and read the blog; it goes on to tell the story of women getting officially recognized as WAACs (Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps).
The Women in Military Service for America Memorial was finally finished and opened to the public in 1997, and it is “the only major national memorial honoring women who have served in our nation’s defense during all eras and in all services.” The Vietnam Women’s Memorial recognizes and honors the 265,000 women who served during the Vietnam War, all of whom were volunteers. Both memorials are powerful; visit them when you are in D.C. if you have a chance.
What about women in the military today? As of October 6, the Navy notified Congress of a change that will put women on some submarines for the first time — not the attack ones based at Pearl Harbor, though. And just a few days ago, on November 25, the Veterans Administration announced that it will “conduct an in-depth study of the effects of military service on the women veterans who served during the Vietnam War.”
To all women who serve on behalf of their country, we salute you! We would love to hear your stories of life as a military woman.
This is a fantastic post on women’s service in the military. I learned so much so thank you! Also, thank you to all of the veterans mentioned for their service, especially Mother Blake!
I come from a military family. My father was in the military for 26 years and he was a WWII vet. My 92 year old mother is a WWII vereran. She was an Army nurse who took care of soldiers that were brought back from overseas. She saw the worst of the worst. Much like the nurses and doctors of Walter Reed and other military hospitals today.
Nothing makes me prouder than to tell new nursing students at Shenandoah University about Mother Blake and what a phenomonal nurse she was. I know she has touched more lives in her 92 years than she will ever know. If we graduate just one student nurse to be a Mother Blake, our world will be a better place.
I am lucky to be the daughter of WWII veterans and all of us owe them a debt of gratitude for the freedoms we have and the lives we live.
Just received the title of a book to read: “War, women, and the news: how female journalists won the battle to cover WWII”. Anyone read it?
I read recently that the first woman to receive the Purple Heart — 1st Lt Annie Fox — did so for exemplary service as an Army nurse at Pearl Harbor. The rules for receipt of the Purple Heart were changed shortly thereafter to only those that were injured and her award was cancelled. She instead received the Bronze Star.