A Blog About Women Who Were Homefront Heroines: the WAVES of World War II
By February of 1943, the WAVES would move their enlisted training facility to Hunter College in the Bronx, New York. Here, WAVES in the last boot camp at Cedar Falls, Iowa, in early 1943 listen to a lecture.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
WAVES of the NAS in Pasco, Washington. January 19, 1943. The photo comes from the National Archives.
WAVES in their private ship service at NATTC, Norman, Oklahoma, c. 1943. The photo comes from the National Archives.
Waves wish Bluejackets Bon Voyage as they carry their seabags up the gang plank, c. January 1943. The photo comes from the National Archives.
In this January 1943 photo, WAVES stand on the deck as they watch Navy men they have replaced in shore billets take their place in the fighting crew of a warship.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
WAVES stand on the dock as they watch Navy men they have replaced in shore billets take their places on the fighting crew of a warship. Exchanging best wishes for a happy cruise: WAVES are Elizabeth M. Bruckman; W. Jean Fenn; and Joan Faris. Photo comes from the National Archives, c. January 1943.
At right, Mrs. Sadie Flay, a WWI Yeomanette, compares her uniform with that of a SPARs’ from 1943. The Coast Guard SPAR is Lons McLellan.
The photo comes from the National Archives.
The Navy caption for this 1943 photograph reads “My kitchen was never like this.”
In it, WAVE Ruth Potter gets a first look at the tools she’ll be using in her Machinist’s Mate training at Norman, Oklahoma. The photo comes from the National Archives.
In this photograph from the Coast Guard, SPARs leader Dorothy Stratton is interviewing with Vice Admiral Russel R. Waesche, Coast Guard Commandant.
Among the artists used by the Coast Guard to promote the SPARs was celebrated pin-up artist Alberto Varga. This poster from the National Museum of the U.S. Navy features a Varga design.
Hinges of History 