Tag Archives: WW2

Post-War WAVES?

The reality is that a group of women hoped to remain with the Navy after the war – while others were looking forward to returning home. So in the articles discussing the possibility for a post-war Women’s Reserve, the Navy had to strike a careful balance, as illustrated by this article. While the article discusses how women might be able to continue to serve, it also reassures them that “no one now in the Women’s Reserve could be assigned to active duty in peacetime without her consent.”

It comes from the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College.

November 1945

The WAVES’ newsletter covers did little to mention the release of women from service in the months after the war ended. This one, from November of 1945, shoes an aerographer’s mate (weather forecaster) at work.

It comes from the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College.

Post-War Planning

Even as the war was ending, the Navy was thinking ahead. The WAVES had been very successful in the various jobs in the Navy, and the Navy was hoping to be able to continue their service, as evidenced by this article from the WAVES’ newsletter in September 1942.

The clipping comes from Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College.

Leaving

The WAVES were always scheduled to serve “for the duration plus six months.” By September of 1942, the Navy had developed a plan for releasing the women who served. As this article illustrates, it wasn’t as simple as just letting the women go. The reality was then Navy had hundreds of thousands of people – men and women – who would need to return to civilian life. And so a plan needed to be put into place,.

This clipping from the WAVES’ newsletter outlines the initial release plan, which was based upon time served and a complicated system of “points.”  It comes from Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College.

Open Wide!

The open houses held in connection with the WAVES’ anniversary were designed to show people the extent of the work the women were doing. In this image, a WAVE shows her visitors the dental equipment. WAVES worked in Naval dental offices during the war. The photo of the second anniversary celebration at NAS New Orleans comes from the National Archives.

Packing a ‘Chute

In this photo from the National Archives, two enlisted WAVES at NAS NOLA pack a parachute during an open house held as part of the WAVES 2nd anniversary celebration in 1942. Everyone in the audience is paying close attention to the audience, except for the little girl in the lower right, who noticed the presence of a camera.

Hospital Ward

Imagine being WAVE Harriet Stewart! She’s the woman on the hospital bed (lower right) under covers , playing “sick” for a demonstration during the open house at the first anniversary of the WAVES in 1943. The open house for invited guests by the WAVES hospital corps school. Ensign Dorothy Smith is addressing the class  on the technique of giving proper care to a bed patient is delivered. The photo comes from the National Archives.

On Display

The WAVES anniversary celebrations offered more than just cake, marching and excursions for the women. WAVES also did informational displays for visitors during the anniversary, such as this in this National Archives photograph, where WAVE Anna Martinez shows visitors a photo mural made at NAS NOLA during open house on the WAVES second birthday in 1943.