A Blog About Women Who Were Homefront Heroines: the WAVES of World War II
In this day of automated answering services, it seems almost quaint to think that a real live person might answer the telephone at a Navy base. But WAVE S.M. Pugh had that duty during World War II at the Acorn Training Detachment, Port Hueneme, California.
Here, she learns the ropes on the base switchboard in October 1943.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
WAVES worked in a variety of jobs. Here, a WAVE is on duty at the ship’s store, working as a cashier. The photograph from October 1943 was taken at Port Huenume, Acorn Training Detachment.
It comes from the National Archives.
October, 1943 saw another uniform addition for the WAVES. Dorothea Jameson models the working smock for pharmacists, laboratory technicians, parachute riggers, and other technical specialists. It would only be worn by enlisted officers.
The photographs come from the National Archives.
Here’s another view of the new Mainbocher-designed summer uniform for the WAVES, released in October 1943. This view shows the uniform without the jacket. It’s modeled by yeoman Marion Pearson
The photo comes from the National Archives.
In October, 1943, the WAVES debuted new Mainbocher-designed uniforms, to be used in summer and at warm weather locales.
Above, WAVE officer Mary C. Broughton (left) and yeoman Marion Pearson (right) model the new seersucker uniforms.
Broughton posed solo as well (left). The only difference between her officer uniform and that of the enlisted women is the officer’s hat, the band on the sleeve of the jacket, and the bar on the collar of her dress.
On yeoman Pearson’s uniform (below), her hat has a removable cover that matches the seesucker of the dress.
Greetings from the San Pedro International Film Festival. It was a great weekend, and we’d like to thank everyone who came to the screening of Homefront Heroines: The WAVES of World War II. The festival was held in four different theaters – the big one, pictured here, is the Warner Grand. We were in the San Pedro Theater Club, which was much more intimate (but doesn’t have the great signage).
WAVE Josette Dermody Wingo was also at the screening and got cheered by the audience.
Thanks again for the support – and back to WAVES photos tomorrow!
In preparation for today’s screening at the San Pedro International Film Festival, we’re giving you a sneak peak of the film Homefront Heroines: The WAVES of World War II. In this clip, WAVE Helen Edgar Gilberts talks about the resentment some men had toward the WAVES. Gilbert lives in San Pedro and is scheduled to join us at the festival.
We hope to see you later today (12:30 p.m.)
In preparation for Sunday’s screening at the San Pedro International Film Festival, we’re giving you a sneak peak of the film Homefront Heroines: The WAVES of World War II. In this clip, WAVE Susan Ahn Cuddy talks about her experiences joining the WAVES. We’re hoping Ahn will be able to join us at the film festival too!
We hope to see you tomorrow, October 6th at 1230pm.
We’re getting prepared for our latest film festival screening, so the next few blog posts will a brief break from historical photos of the WAVES. We’ll be at the San Pedro International Film Festival on Sunday, October 16th at 12:30pm. We hope to see you there.
In the meantime, here’s a trailer for the Homefront Heroines: The WAVES of World War II.
This WAVE is working in the dispensary at California’s Port Hueneme as a pharmacist’s mate, c. 1943.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
Hinges of History 