1940s – Page 70 – Hinges of History

Love and Marriage

Franny Prindle met her husband-to-be Seth Taft while she was still in college. Seth was the grandson of the former U.S. President William Harding Taft. They were both officers in the Navy.

Initially, WAVES weren’t allowed to be married. But the Navy discovered that they were losing out on some qualified women (or were forcing them to resign upon marriage). So first women were only allowed to marry outside of the Navy. Then that policy too changed, and WAVES were allowed to marry Navy men.

This photograph is of Franny on her wedding day: June 19, 1943. She and Seth were both Ensigns at the time – he wore his dress whites to the ceremony. She had a half-dozen bridesmaids and changed into her Navy uniform before departing on her honeymoon.

This photograph is courtesy of Franny Prindle Taft.

Special Permission

Navy WAVES were active, regular military. That meant they were expected to wear their uniforms during all public functions. Including weddings.

Franny Prindle, like other WAVES of the era, had to get a special dispensation from the Executive Officer of the Naval Reserve to wear something other than her uniform on her wedding day. But note the special conditions: no photographs of Prindle outside of her uniform could be released to the press.

Getting the News

The Navy put out newsletters to keep the WAVES up to date. The newsletters at first started out quite simple – just a copied sheet or two of paper with a few sketches – but ultimately the publications became quite polished, featuring in-depth articles, photographs and even comics.

This newsletter was published in January of 1945. It was a national publication that was designed to go out to all WAVES regardless of where they served. The photo on a cover shows a WAVE working with sailors who are learning how to use pressurized masks for high-altitude flying.

The national newsletter focused on news of interest to any WAVE. But individual bases also put out newsletters, with location-specific information.

This newsletter is held in the Betty H. Carter Women Veterans Historical Project at the University of North Carolina Greensboro.

Coming Up Roses

Homefront Heroines director Kathleen Ryan and producer David Staton are at the Rose Bowl today. So in honor of the game and parade, we’re showing not roses but… cherry blossoms. After all, in the Tournament of Roses Parade everything on the floats is made of natural materials: flowers, seeds, leaves, etc.

This is WAVE Liane Galvin, an aerographer’s mate (weather forecaster) based in Washington, D.C. smelling the cherry blossoms during a D.C. spring in World War II.

New Year’s Day

Yesterday, we mentioned the idea of showing an image a day through 2012. Today we’re starting out with something festive.

During WWII, messages supporting the war effort were found in all sorts of interesting places. Including in fans.

This fan, found in the Betty H. Carter Women Veterans Historical Project at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, shows a woman dressed in patriotic clothing (note the braid and “overseas” hat she’s wearing), drawings of ships in battle at sea, and a copy of the Pledge of Allegiance.

This is the fan folded.

A Pin-Up Christmas

In case you missed our series of holiday pin-ups on Facebook, here they all are (and a few more), put to the tune of “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” sung by Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redborn. Have a wonderful wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice or whatever winter holiday you celebrate!