Tag Archives: WW2

Past Lives

The WAVES base newspapers also reminded women of what they had left behind. In this comic, a WAVE (dressed in her summer grey seersucker uniform) wistfully remembers the fashions she was able to follow before joining the WAVES.

Before thinking that the comic was criticizing the uniform, remember that the WAVES’ uniform was couture-designed by the famous designer Mainbocher – and that while WAVES did wear a uniform on the outside, they could choose their own nightclothes and undergarments.

So even though they “gave it all up” they did so to become a part of what newspapers and magazines said at the time were “the best dressed women in America.”

This comes from the archives at the University of Northern Iowa.

That Tie

The base newspapers not only gave WAVES information about the uniform of the day: they also gave women guidance about how to assemble the uniform.

This comic shows newbie WAVES how to tie the “proper” knot for their uniform tie. It was published in the base newsletter for the Cedar Falls training center.

The image comes from the collection of the University of Northern Iowa archives.

Order of the Day

This image comes from the newsletter at the Cedar Falls training station for WAVES. It shows how the daily base newspaper was used to communicate information with WAVES about things like the uniform of the day – in this case women were assigned to wear their grey striped searsucker dresses (the summer uniform) with raincoats.

The image comes from the archives of the University of Northern Iowa.

Work Dutites

This odd snipped from a newsletter is another example of the comic-inspired images used by WAVES. The newsletters were generally run off on a mimeograph machine. For those who came of age after the 1970s, the mimeograph was a forerunner of the photocopy machine that used used a stencil for duplication. The stencil/printing ink combo had a very distinctive smell, and it wasn’t photo-friendly. Hence, the drawings.

It comes from the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies.

Snappy Uniforms

One reason Merrily Kurtz selected the Navy was because of the fashionable Mainbocher-designed uniform.

We had measurements and tried them on. They came up to us, oh gee!  You know, “What size are you?”  They’d look at you and give you a size approximately (laughs).  I didn’t have to have my altered. They gave me a buxom, and I’m glad.  I don’t think that I’m a buxom, but they through I was.  Evidently it gave me a little bit more room in the front.  I don’t remember having to be altered.  Then we got our shoes, and our hose and — it was so cold back in New York.  We went in February.  You marched everywhere, and the wind blowing off the reservoir was colder than blazes.  I don’t know what the temperature was, but it was awful cold.

This photograph shows Merrily Kurtz and another WAVE marching. It comes from the collection of Merrily Kurtz Hewett.

 

Following in Daddy’s Footsteps

For Merrily Kurtz, joining the Navy was a family affair.

My dad had been in the Navy and he kind of encouraged me to go in the Navy. When we’d talk about it, he’d say what a good time he had. Saw the world.  Well, he didn’t see much of the world, Chicago, mostly, and the Great Lakes.  But he encouraged me to go in, through it would be good for me to see some of the world.  I signed up to go in the WAVES.

This photo shows Merrily Kurtz on the job. It comes from the collection of Merrily Kurt Hewett.

Hawaii Quarters

WAVE Merrily Kurtz Hewett recalled the quarters for WAVES in Hawaii:

We would always have two bunks of two people each. And lockers. The Quonset huts, well you’ve seen quonset huts.  They were divided into cubicles only so far up. Then it was air.You have cubicles about so wide and you hung your uniform. And then, I guess there were drawers all the way down the side for the rest of your clothes.  I couldn’t do it now (laughs).  I have three closets full of stuff!

This photograph of WAVE bunks in Hawaii comes from the National Archives.

Unofficial Greeting

It wasn’t just the Navy officers who were happy to see the WAVES. The enlisted men were as well.

Just getting more familiar – some of those fellas had been over there three and four years and didn’t know what a woman looked like .. and of course we were pretty good lookin.’

– Merrily Kurtz Hewett, WAVE

This photograph shows the first enlisted WAVE to arrive in Hawaii, Mary Babine, being presented with the traditional lei and a welcoming kiss by sailor E.R. Baker.