A Blog About Women Who Were Homefront Heroines: the WAVES of World War II
WAVE Ensign Mary McLean steps into the cockpit in flight gear while on duty at NAS Squantum, Massachusetts. Looking on are Lt. Leo J. Houle, the pilot, and Ensign Barbara Hunter. Lt. Houle was a former Flying Tiger pilot on the Chinese front.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
WAVE Dorcas Caldwell uses the buffer to shine the floors in a dormitory at NAS Los Alamitos.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
WAVES Marion Linderberg (left) and Doris Smith (right) take to mop duty at NAS Los Alamitos to clean up their barracks.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
The USS Franklin launches after its October 1943 christening at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock. WAVES were invited to attend the launch, WAVES commander Mildred McAfee christened the ship.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
Lt. Cmdr. Mildred H. McAfee, USNR, Director of the Women’s Reserve, christens the USS Franklin at its launching at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry dock in October 1943.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
Lt. Cmdr. Mildred H. McAfee, USNR, Director of the Women’s Reserve, shows the gift she received during the USS Franklin ship christening ceremony to a group of WAVES who were there.
The October 1943 photo comes from the National Archives.
Lt. Cmdr. Mildred H. McAfee, USNR, Director of the Women’s Reserve, is at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry dock for the christening of the USS Franklin in October 1943. She’s receiving a gift for her participation.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
WAVES at Port Magu, California, shoot photographs of the LST landing there 70 years ago today, October 15, 1943.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
70 years ago today, October 14, 1943, WAVES commander Mildred McAfee was on an inspection tour of the Norfolk Naval Base. Here, she inspects construction plans for the new Women’s Reserve barracks at the receiving station. Left to right: Capt. Thomas S. McCloy, McAfee, WAVE Grace Dimelow, and Micajah Boland.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
Mildred McAfee went on an inspection tour of the Norfolk Naval Base 70 years ago this week, October 13, 1943. Here, she arrives at the Norfolk Municipal Airport via Pennsylvania Central Airlines.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
Hinges of History 