By: gpcox: https://pacificparatrooper.wordpress.com
I want to apologize to gpcox because there are five pictures in this post and for some reason, they will not transfer when I post this article. I’ve tried it several ways and they just won’t come through.
As WWII unfolded around the globe, women were also affected. Some found themselves pressed into jobs and duties they would never have previously considered. Hitler derided Americans as degenerate for putting the women to work, but nearly 350,000 American females alone served in uniform voluntarily. A transformation of half the population, never seen before, that began evolving in the early ‘40’s and continues today.
For the WASPs, 1,830 female pilots volunteered for Avenger Field outside Sweetwater, Texas alone and it was the only co-ed air base in the U.S. These women would ferry aircraft coming off the assembly lines from the factories to the base. They acted as…
Pacific Paratrooper 
Women did so much! Both “on stage” and behind the scenes, taking care of things at home while the men were away. It really was a national effort on so many levels. We haven’t seen anything like it since.
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I don’t think we ever will. The generations that are around now all want their 15 minutes of fame – good or bad.
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Excellent post
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Thank you very much. I appreciate you taking the time to say so.
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I recently read a post from Bit of Britain about the British women who served in their Secret Service (MI5, I think but it might have been MI6). It was fascinating.
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I saw that post and he did a great job on it!
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Quite an amazing mass of figures there, in regards to just how many Woman served in uniform throughout the War gp.
After America I think the next highest amount would have been England, then again it might have been reversed considering England’s closeness to everyday effects of the War.
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The US had about 350,000 in uniform. It would be impossible to figure the volunteers (for any country) because I’m sure the number constantly changed. But in that war, they all need to be commended because it affected everybody around the world.
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During the London Blitz of WWII my mother drove the steam engine at the docks on the River Thames at the Ford Motors Plant, Taking stuff from the ships up to the factory.
During the raids she took shelter under the locomotives coal tender,
Can’t think of a better safer place to have taken shelter.
It wasn’t until a visit by the Admiral of the Nore who when told explained to her that it wasn’t exactly the right spot as Jerry thought steam loco’s were a nice target.
Later in the war the plant was converted to making aircraft and my mother went into the factory making the instrument panels for the Beaufighters
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You know first hand how everyone was affected by that war, not like today where it is basically distant, a column on page 10 of your newspaper – how does that affect our young, naive generations?
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They think we exaggerate to appear smarter and wiser than what they are. I always thought it was a bad idea to do away with what we call conscription and you call the draft. I think it gives young men more sense of what life is really about, the comradeship and respect for your brothers in arms and those you are there to “protect”.
It never did me any harm and I’d lived through a war
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I agree all the way around, Beari!! We now have a generation of constant whiners, so I can’t see the draft ever getting passed again. I wish it would – just how many tours can our troops go on? The hierarchy is using the same men over and over!!
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I don’t know GP but the time will come when they will have to start re thinking the draft. But you’ll need a POTUS of some great strength of character in office first.
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Look among our Congress and tell me where you find a possible candidate. We need to send out the Bat-signal! I’d like a Pres. who got us OUT of those conflicts – PERIOD!!
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An impossibility these days I think GP
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This was really good !
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Thank you.
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Welcome 🙂
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Great post! “We can do it!”
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Right you are!!
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Always good to hear more of their exploits!
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They were a valuable asset and deserve recognition.
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Met dank aan alle vrouwen en mannen die zich ingezet hebben om onze vrijheid te behouden
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I agree.
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Good to see more stories of women who also served in WWII coming to light. Their contributions were very important.
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Indeed. Priceless!
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Absolutely LOVED this!!! My Great Aunt was one of these. She was a journalist. My dad said she got a purple heart…for falling off a bar stool. I’ve not been able to trace the heart part, but the bar stool part I can believe.
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Sounds like a joke from that era, Kris! Was she military Signal Corps or civilian and where?
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Aunt Ginny was a war correspondent. I don’t know too much more than that. I know she was overseas and believe she was in service with the army.
I wish dad was still here so I could ask him! Mum’s memories are hazy and we didn’t marry dad til I was in late elm school. Aunt Ginny was dad’s Aunt. I’ll see what I can find and write on her–
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Good to hear! What was her last name?
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I’m sitting in front of the laptop blinking. Aunt Ginny…Virginia…OK> Now I need to look it up. Virginia Mae Hale Anderson. Now, I need to write that down! laughing!!!
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Thanks.
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Thank you. It is not cool when you hear things and yet, you don’t write them down anywhere.
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Oh, I know that feeling all too well!!!
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laughing
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Thank you for reblogging this, GP! During the WWII it was no easy life for them, and we have to honor their work till today. Michael
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Thank you for realizing that Michael. Always a pleasure to see you.
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My pleasure too GP! I thought i know the software, but know i know it a little bit better. 😉 Michael
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I enjoyed reading this post. I am fascinated by the women who were in the military during WWII. The role of women was evolving in interesting ways during this time period.
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We had so any troops in so many places, the women had to fill in. The circumstances forced others to see just what the women could do! Russia was ahead of us on that count.
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There was originally no conscription for the ATS, the government called for volunteers and mother was among the first 50,000 to come forward. She is still very proud of her ATS number. Not that, being the British government, it knew what to do with its volunteers at first. Mother remembers having to dye a couple of her blouses khaki as there was no issue of complete uniforms…
Things hotted up quickly though under threat of invasion. The women were taught to use rifles to the horror of the sergeant instructors and mother went on a course to learn how to disable tanks with molotov cocktails. She could probably still do it at 101!
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God love her!! Still feisty and ready to go for it at 101!! Thank you very much for her story, Helen, please shake her hand for me – aw heck – give her a hug!!
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Have to be a cyber hug…but I’ll certainly pass it on!
She is rather more frail than she was…but still ready for action.
She was admitted to hospital recently for a check up and some rash soul approached her with one of these ‘do not resuscitate in case of serious illness/accident’ forms. Even more rashly she decided to try to persuade mother that at her age her quality of life would make non resuscitation preferable.
The charge nurse told me that the rash soul was blown backwards bow legged by the negative response, delivered at parade ground decibels with a little barrack room language in the mix to the effect that if Hitler could not manage it then she was d…d sure no one else could!
Scratch a little old lady…and the ATS will out!
Luckily she did not have a molotov cocktail to hand…
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I LOVE it! Good to hear that. A check-up and they’re talking do not resuscitate? I’d get out of THAT hospital real quick!!
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It is a routine request to elderly patients, to be kept on record should anything befall them…but mother is certainly not falling for it!
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Sort of feels like a jinx, doesn’t it?
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Absolutely a fantastic document. Bravo.
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Thank you very much, Sheila, that means a lot to me.
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Perhaps I shared this already, but I enjoy repeating…
https://tomdarby.me/2013/11/11/she-wore-combat-boots/
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That was a wonderful tribute, Tom for including the link here.
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Excellent piece I just watched a thing on AHC about these women…hats off to them….chuq
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Yes, back then everybody assisted in some way shape or form instead of spending their days complaining about the situation. These women led the way for our female troops of today!
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Agreed and their story needs to be more important….chuq
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Great image, GP. These women were not only good at their jobs but had to ignore conventional wisdom.
I’m proud to have a daughter in uniform, too.
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I know you are! These WWII ladies led the way for her.
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Yes I’m convinced that the women did a lot during WW 2. I admire all of them
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Back in those days, everybody lent a hand in one way or another. Thanks for dropping by!
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It is so nice to see this post. Not just because I am a woman but because woman play such an important role as well!
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Right you are, Diane! They just always seem to get forgotten.
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Awesome post! Whenever I get around to my third novel, it is going to feature a WASP. 🙂
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Fantastic!! I look forward to it!
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Hooyah. All who serve and protect deserve our gratitude and respect.
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Indeed, DC, I agree 100%.
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Wars are not won without women, plain and simple. The roles they have played are crucial in victory. As they move into more combat action they will play a even greater role.
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Very true. But in WWII, the nurses, WACs and Air Corps pilots proved indispensable.
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I don’t think my comment appeared?
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Yes, it did disappear. I found them both in Spam. It seems since all this new “privacy” junk has been sending at least one follower a day to Spam – why after 5 1/2 years?!!
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Left a comment ‘over there’ as usual, GP.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks, Pete.
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wonderful
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Thank you very much!
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Thank you for sharing.
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