Navy WAVES (Women Accepted For Volunteer Emergency Service)
In 1919, a small group of women served with the United States Navy as nurses, answering to male officers. 23 years later, On July 30, 1942, the WAVES became a division of the U.S. Navy, and was made up entirely of women. The name WAVES is an acronym for "Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service". The word "emergency" meant that the acceptance of women was because of the unusual circumstances of World War II, and at the end of the war the women would not be allowed to continue in Navy careers. Their official name for the WAVES was U.S. Naval Reserve (Women's Reserve), but the nickname WAVES stuck.
Mildred McAfee, President of Wellesley College, was sworn in as a Naval Reserve Lieutenant Commander in early August of 1942. She was the first female officer in U.S. Navy history, and the first director of the WAVES. This happened two months after the WAAC was established, and Eleanor Roosevelt had convinced the Congress to authorize the women's component of the Navy. The important difference between the WAAC and the WAVES was that the WAAC served with the Army, not in it. From the beginning, the WAVES was an official part of the Navy, and its members held the same rank and ratings as male personnel. They also received the same pay and were subject to military discipline.
The WAVES could not serve aboard combat ships or aircraft, and at first were restricted to duty in the continental United States. Later they were allowed to serve in certain U.S. possessions, and a number were sent to
Hawaii. The war ended before any WAVES could be sent anywhere else.
Within their first year, the WAVES were 27,000 strong. While their WWI counterparts served only as nurses and secretaries, these WWII era women took up far more responsibilities. Secretarial and clerical jobs still made up a large portion of WAVES positions, but thousands of WAVES personnel performed other jobs such as aviation mechanics, photographers, control tower operators, and intelligence personnel. In late 1944, the WAVES program began accepting African American women at the ratio of one black woman for every 36 white women enlisted in the WAVES program. By the end of the war, over 84,000 women served in WAVES with 8,000 female officers, which made up 2.5% of the US Navy's personnel strength.
Mildred McAfee, President of Wellesley College, was sworn in as a Naval Reserve Lieutenant Commander in early August of 1942. She was the first female officer in U.S. Navy history, and the first director of the WAVES. This happened two months after the WAAC was established, and Eleanor Roosevelt had convinced the Congress to authorize the women's component of the Navy. The important difference between the WAAC and the WAVES was that the WAAC served with the Army, not in it. From the beginning, the WAVES was an official part of the Navy, and its members held the same rank and ratings as male personnel. They also received the same pay and were subject to military discipline.
The WAVES could not serve aboard combat ships or aircraft, and at first were restricted to duty in the continental United States. Later they were allowed to serve in certain U.S. possessions, and a number were sent to
Hawaii. The war ended before any WAVES could be sent anywhere else.
Within their first year, the WAVES were 27,000 strong. While their WWI counterparts served only as nurses and secretaries, these WWII era women took up far more responsibilities. Secretarial and clerical jobs still made up a large portion of WAVES positions, but thousands of WAVES personnel performed other jobs such as aviation mechanics, photographers, control tower operators, and intelligence personnel. In late 1944, the WAVES program began accepting African American women at the ratio of one black woman for every 36 white women enlisted in the WAVES program. By the end of the war, over 84,000 women served in WAVES with 8,000 female officers, which made up 2.5% of the US Navy's personnel strength.
WAVES of the Navy
(official song of the Navy WAVES) There's a ship sailing down the bay. And she won't slip into port again Until that Victory Day. Carry on for that gallant ship And for every hero brave Who will find ashore, his man-sized chore Was done by a Navy WAVE. |
This is a story of a WAVES who worked in a factory sewing and packing parachutes to send over seas. Click HERE to read her story.
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