In 1972, the WAVES were disbanded and the “Equal Rights and Opportunities for Women in the Navy” policy was established. This greatly expanded opportunities and duties for women in the Navy, by stopping the policy of assigning women only to certain billets and equalizing training. Admiral E.R. Zumwalt was the Chief of Operations at the time.
The photograph is of Elena J. Peckenpaugh, training at the Naval Firefighting School in San Francisco in 1972. It comes from the Naval History and Heritage Command.
Hinges of History 