Hinges of History

Captain Sara Joyner in 2010 became the first woman named to head a Carrier Air Wing. Her appointment was announced at the 23rd annual Women’s Leadership Symposium in Washington.

This photograph comes from the U.S. Navy.

Various women’s firsts would continue over the years. First Hispanic Brigadier General. First African American pilot. First helicopter pilot. First combatant ship commander. In 2010, the Navy appointed Rear Admiral Nora Tyson to be the first female to command a carrier strike group.

This photograph comes from the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Women were allowed to serve aboard ships in 1978, but it wouldn’t be until 1993 that women were allowed on combatant ships.

This photograph shows Cmdr. Kris Doyle, commanding officer of the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1), explains the readiness control officer console on Freedom’s bridge to Rear Adm. Earl L. Gay. It comes from the U.S. Navy.

1990 offered another first for women in the Navy. Captain Marsha J. Evans was named the commander of Naval Station Treasure Island in San Francisco. She would later become a Rear Admiral in the Navy.

This photograph comes from the Naval History and Heritage Command.

Women served on ships in a variety of duties for more than 10 years before the first woman would be named a ship’s commander. That was Lieutenant Commander Darlene Iskra, who was named the commander of the  USS Opportune.

This photograph comes from the Whidbey Crosswind.

The milestones continued in the 1970s. The Navy’s women in ships program began in 1978. It allowed women to serve on a wide variety of auxiliary ships (but not combat ships).

This photograph shows Seaman Recruit Joy Turner in the doorway of a repair ship. In 1978, USS Vulcan became the first U.S. Navy ship other than a hospital ship to have women permanently stationed on board.

The photograph comes from the Naval History and Heritage Command.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford signed Public Law 94-106 requiring the service academies to admit women by 1976. Women began their training that fall for the class of 1980

Eighty-one women were in that first class and 55 graduated. Elizabeth Belzer was the first woman graduate and Janie L. Mines, the first black female graduate.

This photograph of the class of 1980 comes from USO On Patrol.

Because of the new status of Navy women beginning in 1972, the 1970s would see expansion of the duties for women. In 1973, the first four women were selected for flight training. In this photo (left to right) are:  Lieutenant Junior Grade Barbara Allen, USN, Ensign Jane M. Skiles, USN, Lieutenant Junior Grade Judith A. Neuffer, USN, and Ensign Kathleen L. McNary, USN. Lt. Allen would become the first women to qualify as a Naval pilot, on February 22, 1974.

The Naval flight officer program was opened to women six years later.

The photograph comes from the Naval History and Heritage Command.

1972 was a milestone year for women in the Navy. Arlene Duerk, a World War II and Korean War veteran, became the Navy’s first female admiral that year. She had served as Chief of Nursing Service, Naval Hospital Great Lakes until 1970, when she was promoted to Director, Navy Nurse Corps.

This photograph comes from the Naval History and Heritage Command.

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.