A Blog About Women Who Were Homefront Heroines: the WAVES of World War II
We continue our interview with Betty Bruns Lord and Lois Jean Linder, conducted in 2007.
Here, they talk about the Navy uniforms.
Their story is part of our month of video countdown to the home video release of Homefront Heroines: The WAVES of World War II.
The WAVES Newsletter announcement of a new WAVES garrison cap, effective January 15, 1945.
This is one of our favorite color photographs of the WAVES, showing women trying on the new overseas hat at Naval Air Station New Orleans. The hat would be a uniform addition (the “bucket” style hat would also remain an option during World War II), bu the overseas hat would eventually become the sole uniform standard for Navy women in the post-war years.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
Things are very neat and tidy in this view of a WAVES locker shown in the barracks at Camp Endicott, Davisville, Rhode Island, 1944.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
WAVE boots (new recruits) learn to march in formation in their street clothes. The first thing a boot would receive is her Navy hat, which the women are wearing.
The c. 1943 photo comes from the National Archives.
From the Navy-provided caption:
Sk3C Sharlene Osler models the new uniform, consisting of dungarees slacks and chambray shirt, which will replace the present aviation coverall worn by members of the Women’s Reserve engaged in work requiring protective covering. The slacks are Navy blue denim with pockets on each side. The cotton chambray shirt is a lighter blue, with short sleeves and one patch pocket. The wrap-around turban is of Navy blue material.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
We showed you the hats. Now here is the rest of the uniform, as WAVES wait to get fitted. The WAVES uniform was designed by the couture designer Mainbocher.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
After yesterday’s comic, we thought you’d like a look at the real thing. WAVES officers and enlisted hats from the World War II-era – plus some gloves.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
There were lots of different ways to look fetching in the WAVES uniform hat, obvious from this cartoon published in a WAVES Newsletter.
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.
Hinges of History 