Women’s Roles During WWII

Women’s Roles During WWII

Women played an important role in the Allied Victory in World War II.  On the Homefront, women did their part by planting victory gardens, volunteering for charities, and filling the jobs of the men who went overseas to fight. Women even replaced men in baseball with the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. But how did World War II affect women’s roles in the military? The U.S. military granted more opportunities to women during World War II than ever before. Check out some of the ways they served in this Women’s Roles during WWII list.

Army Nurses Corps

The Army Nurses Corp formed in 1901. The first Army Nurses Corp recruits were also the first women to officially serve in the U.S. Army.  During WWII over 59,000 women served in the Army Nurses Corp, many dangerously close to the front lines. Two hundred one (201) of these brave women lost their lives in service to their country.

Navy Nurse Corps

Nurses of the Navy Nurse Corps were the first American women to see action during WWII as they treated the wounded at the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Over 11,000 women served for the Navy Nurse Corps during the war. Some worked on naval ships while others worked as flight nurses helping to retrieve wounded soldiers.

Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)

More than 150,000 women served in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. The army created the WAAC to free men up for combat. Women who served in WAAC worked in a variety of rolls including as secretaries, radio operators, and air traffic controllers.

U.S. Navy Women’s Reserves (WAVES)

The U.S. Navy Women’s Reserves is also known as WAVES, which stands for Women Accepted for Voluntary Service. Over 86,000 women volunteered for WAVES, freeing up men for sea duty.  Examples of jobs of the WAVES include store clerks, accountants, parachute riggers, and mechanics.

Marine Corps Women’s Reserves

The United States Marines recruited over 20,000 women to serve at shore establishments. Similar to the other military branches, the purpose of recruiting women marines was to free up men to serve in combat. They served in similar rolls as the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps and the U.S. Navy Women’s Reserves. A statue, “Molly Marine”,  honoring all women marines stands at the intersection of Canal Street and Elk Street in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Coast Guard Women’s Reserves (SPARS)

The 10,000 women recruited for the Coast Guard Women’s Reserves all served stateside. Most worked in office jobs but some worked as cooks or transporting vehicles.  The U.S. Coast Guard created SPARS as a temporary solution to free up men for combat duty.

Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS)

The Women’s Airforce Service Pilots may have been the most difficult branch of military for women to enroll.  Over 25,000 women applied to become WASPS but only about 1,100 were accepted. All WASPS had to have a commercial pilots license and were required to pass intense physical training. The reason for this?  They were tasked with testing aircrafts, transporting aircrafts from factory to airbase, and training new pilots.

Watch for a future post with a list of women’s roles in WWII on the Homefront. Be sure to sign up for my email list and follow me on Instagram so you don’t miss out!