A Blog About Women Who Were Homefront Heroines: the WAVES of World War II
WAVES at boot camp learned about the various jobs open to them. Here, a display with posters and photographs shows what the women might be doing in various positions, such as Aviation Machinist’s Mates.
The photograph comes from the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies.
The Navy caption to this photograph reads “Girls in the Classroom.” WAVES attend training at Cedar Falls, Iowa, c. 1943.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
Ever wonder if you have what it takes to become a WAVE? Attached is the physical exam from August 21, 1942 for would-be WAVE officer Winnifred Quick.
You’ll note that her vision was perfect, she was 5’4″ and weight 113 pounds. She was 30 years old at the time of her exam.
Oh, and she passed the exam with flying colors – Quick would become one of the first WAVE officers, would be the first WAVE to serve outside of the continental United States (in the then-territory of Hawaii), and would become director of the WAVES from 1957-1962.
Getting the plane prepped includes making sure all the safety equipment is one board. Here, WAVE Mary Arnold puts a parachute into an SNJ. ,Today’s entry in our series of photographs of WAVES at work in the Naval aviation was taken at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in September 1943.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
WAVES departing from the last boot camp at Cedar Falls, Iowa, board a train for new places of instruction in February, 1943. The photograph comes from the National Archives.
At the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Norman, Oklahoma, WAVES learned how to take airplanes apart as well as put them back together again. As the caption says, it “makes these girls an important part of Naval Aviation.”
The 1943 photograph comes from the National Archives.
WAVES receive instruction in Aviation Machinist’s Mates’ class at Naval Air Technical Training Center, Norman, Oklahoma, 1943. The photograph comes from the National Archives.
In this photograph from 1943, WAVES work on a plane at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Normal, Oklahoma. It comes from the National Archives.
WAVE Eileen Dempsey in in training as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate at Naval Air Technical Training Center in Norman, Oklahoma, 1943. The photograph comes from the National Archives.
In this photograph from the National Archives, WAVES work on hinge fitting plate check specifications. They’re in training at the Naval Air Technical Training Center in Norman, Oklahoma, 1943.
Hinges of History 