A Blog About Women Who Were Homefront Heroines: the WAVES of World War II
On this day in Navy History, 70 years ago, the WAVES Quarters D post office in Washington DC became. the first post office of its size (more than one or two employees) to be staffed entirely by women. On duty is Evelyn Bailey.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
Recruitment poster c. 1943 for the Navy WAVES shows a proud father and a photograph of his daughter in her uniform.
And this is the original John Falter painting that inspired the image. Seemed appropriate to share these this Father’s Day.
Both come from the Naval History and Heritage Command.
Navy WAVES raise the flag outside of their Quonset hut barracks c. 1944. It seemed an appropriate image for this Flag Day.
The photo comes from the special collections in the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
This paperwork from the U.S. Naval Training School in the Bronx for WAVES (at the former Hunter College) outlines the schedule for religious services. Note there are only three options: Catholic, Protestant and Jewish. It dates from June 11, 1943.
It comes from the special collections in the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
From 70 years ago this month.
It comes from the special collections in the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
In this 1943 image, Reita M. White, a Pharmacist’s Mate 3rd Class, inspects teeth in the dental clinic at the U.S. Naval Hospital, Oakland, California.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
WAVE Mattie Hyde draws blood from a Naval man at the Naval Hospital in Oakland, California c. 1943.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
In this photograph from 1943, WAVE Madeline Catman, Pharmacist’s Mate 3rd Class, is cutting and mounting paraffin blocks at the Naval Hosptial, Oakland, California.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
In this photo from June of 1943, a U.S. Navy Commander “listens is” as a WAVE gives instruction to a pilot of a Link trainer flight simulator in the Navy Department, Washington DC.
The photo by Edward Burkes comes from the National Archives.
WAVES welding at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Norman, Oklahoma. This photo was first released by the Navy on June 3, 1943.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
Hinges of History 