Tis the season. WAVES carol at a candlelight service at Port Hueneme, California in December 1943.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
Tag Archives: WW2
Graduation Day
Graduation day for Lt. Harriet Ida Pickens (left) and Lt. Frances Wills (right), the only two African American women commissioned as officers in the WAVES during World War II.
Their graduation was 70 years ago, December 21, 1944. The photograph comes from the National Archives.
The Salute!
A salute between the only two African American WAVE officers during World War II: Lt. Harriet Ida Pickens (left) and Lt. Frances Wills (right).
The December 1944 photograph comes from the National Archives.
Officers Pickens and Wills
Among the WAVES graduating from the last officer class at the Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School at Smith College, Northampton, MA were Lt. Harriet Ida Pickens (left) and Lt. Frances Wills (right). The were the only two African American women commissioned as officers in the WAVES during World War II.
The December 1944 photograph comes from the National Archives.
The Last Class
The last officer class would graduate from the Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School at Smith College, Northampton, MA in December 1943. Here, the class sits in attention at their graduation.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
A Cold March
Brrr! Members of the final graduating class of WAVES at the Northampton Naval Reserve Midshipman’s School march to their graduation in December 1944.
The photograph comes from the National Archives.
The Engine
Aircraft Machinists Mates (WAVES and sailors) alongside an aircraft engine.
The photo comes from the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies, Harvard University.
Looking at the Plane
Aviation Machinist Mates inspect a plane part with a sailor. The photograph comes from the Schlesinger Library at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University.
The Crash
Aviation in World War II was a dangerous business – both in combat and (perhaps even more so) in training. These photographs from the National Archives show just how dangerous aviation training could be.
The wreckage is of a fatal crash of an SNV-1 (of Squadron 2B based at Saufley Field) 100′ north of north end of Lyons Field, FL. Pilot: D.H. Kaufman. Passenger: AVCR. Sample. Both died in the crash, which happened 70 years ago today, December 13, 1944.
Learning the Guns
A WAVE learns to handle a machine gun at NATC Pensacola, FL where she will later teach male gunners the sights. The photo comes from the National Archives.
Hinges of History 