After boot camp, Josette Dermody was tapped to become a Gunner’s Mate. She would be training men to shoot at moving targets.
We went to gunnery school because they said we had to be able to face down the sailors. “We don’t need girls who’ve never even fired a shot.” So they, you know, being in the gunnery thing was hard work. It was hard work because the guns were so big. You had to break them down and put the back together again and all that. They were always laughing. “It takes two of you to carry what one guy can carry!”
This is the cover of her memoir about her experience as a WAVE. You can buy the book here. It’s a great read!
Hinges of History 