Whispers of the WAVES

Mrs. Horton was among the first chosen to institute the American version of Canada's WREN program, that became known as the WAVES. Mildred describes the process as being very subtle as she had no intention of gaining recognition, she just came to serve and preform a job - and then opportunities just presented themselves for her to use her gained influence in ways to advance the WAVES and ensure equality among service members. Opposing traditional and pushing for women to receive the same rights and chances as men, she demolished the division in rank and spearheaded a movement that changed the law, polices and entire processes in the Navy. Having minimal authority Horton deftly pushed boundaries and overcame obstacles to become an integral member of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services Program.

This program began in the education of women from the local area through partnerships with local colleges and universities through which they received advanced training to equip them for naval service. The idea of such a program faced resistance because it was unprecedented and there was no history of women being able to reach any rank of real decision-making power.

Horton appointed a committee and slowly developed a well-known presence in the Navy and among the women she trained with a quiet and powerful influence. She described the experience as one of great reward, tremendous courage, and surprising personal growth. Mildred certainly did not sign up for all the recognition she received but she and the other women on her committee certainly deserve credit for their heroism and bravery in beginning an organization that trained around 8,600 women simultaneously.

Born in Omaha, Jean Palmer was an honorary member of the Nebraskan Navy and jockeyed for political position and promotions in rank with many of her male counterparts. Coming from humble beginnings Palmer continued her education with business courses and graduated from both St. Timothy’s and Bryn Mawr. Outside of school she enjoyed her passion of horses and took a local job to finance her interests. Sometime later she moved on to a managerial job in New York but continued to maintain an extraordinarily strong friendship base close to home, which she states is a key influence in her life.

It was this friendship base that lead Jean to accept a position in the Navy and to join the ranks of the WAVES which had not yet been established by Mildred Horton - Jean became the first Senior Lieutenant in Company Three. A mysterious letter came saying that an opportunity of unknown detail was available for women who wished to serve as relief workers for the men. Taking a leap of faith Jean went to seek out further information and after some testing and a short vacation to her friend’s Wyoming Ranch, was drafted into the women’s reserve, Company Three out of New York.

Having minimal direction, Jean made her own path in the service and faced much opposition because of gender and ability. Men did not like the fact that they were relieved by women and thought their capabilities to be inferior. Shortly after arriving for service she found her place in the administrative workings of the personnel office and settled in nicely to the amazement of others around her. A fiercely independent soul, Palmer took initiative to find the answers to her questions as well as the inquiries of others, no matter what that meant, since there were no orders or systems to direct her, Jean forged ahead with determination. As she continued to serve with humility and innovation, Palmer rose in notoriety and gained knowledge as she was heavily involved in recruiting. Her quiet but firm influence led to changes in pay fairness and equality for WAVES. Change continued to follow her in many areas around the base, she saw a deficit in communication between the officers and administration and set apart to improve communication and many other areas of daily life for the officers.

Imposed changes quickly became popular with everyone on the bases and stations – even the men began to enjoy the healthier food and expanded enrichment options. Women’s roles in the military were quickly adapting and expanding to accommodate needs, from changing training classes to expanded rankings and more, the WAVES were beginning to make quite a splash. Palmer continued to be an instrumental force in policy making and administrative matters, paving a path of recognition and worth for military maidens across time.

Enlisted in 1918 as a Yeoman, Joy Hancock, became the beneficiary of the policy changes and became a member of a unified classification Naval Reserve Force Class Five. As one of the first women accepted in the navy, she continued to advocate for advancement of women and courier change despite opposition. Hancock served at Wildwood Air Station in plane inspection and upkeep of the hanger. Reminiscing she counts this experience as one of enjoyable solitude, one in which she felt she was truly contributing something. Continuing a family legacy of service Joy spent just under two years in the Navy and remained at her station as a civil servant after her tour, subsequently traveling to Europe and marrying Lieutenant Little who was later killed aboard a Zeppelin crash over Hull, England.

Accepting a civilian job in Aeronautics in 1921 she worked under Admiral Moffitt who befriended her and helped her learn the ways of an unfamiliar city – Washington D.C. A legend in the Navy, Moffitt became an ally for Handcock who describes him with friendly fondness. Creative problem solving served Joy well as she skillfully and secretly followed Moffitt’s orders to obtain personnel data from various places around the base. She focused on editorial and public relations work and spearheaded improvements to the press of the bases and information flow. Within her career Joy centered on aircraft, serving on several air stations, and meeting many elite greats of the industry at that time, reporting on progress and important updates to the airships. She married a second time and was widowed by war. Returning to Washington she prepared for a State department position, struggling through academics and language. Hancock later admits that as a pioneer the path is never easy, but it is always worth it.

Like her predecessors, Joy faced opposition with bravery – even conquering her fear of heights with aviation lessons, and immersion in direct work with planes. She remained in various roles related to publication and information throughout her service working to improve and streamline the communications of the base and to rise in seniority as well. Hancock states that she enjoyed the freedom of the jobs in information and felt powerful among the great administrators of the period. She quite enjoyed being in the middle of the information flow and despite problems with reception in some Naval departments still managed to remain an integral part of the inner station workings and a key player in shaping many of the information and publicity processes still in place today. Joy remembers her time with fondness and says that the reward of a great career makes her extremely fortunate.

Lieutenant Commander Mary Jo Shelly began with an accomplished career in education administration and was commissioned to WAVES service in 1942 directly preceding the success of key legislation relating to women’s military service. Shelly said that she was shocked by the urgency of her commissioning documents and atmosphere of the base, where she was subjected to the male standards for enlistment and later received her assignment papers. Prior to her commissioning she spent some time with Jean Palmer and several other current WAVES. Under the direction of Mildred Horton, Mary completed her training and adapted to her new position through observing her environment. During the first part of her service Mary Jo saw the official creation of three school programs for women, in storekeeping, radiomen and yeoman skills. The sheer number of WAVES reached an estimated 10,000 at the time of Shelly’s enlistment and totaled an astounding 100,000 in the programs storied history, reaching well over original predictions. After an initial adjustment period she went on to receive official orders for service in the Midwest in the fall of 1942. After being subjected to a very tumultuous bootcamp experience, the Lieutenant went on to be a driving force behind the creation of a bootcamp specifically for WAVES recruits which was eventually established onboard the USS HUNTER.

Once this was established the training process became faster and more efficient with improve classifications and education. Shelly admits to being very inexperienced and lacking control over her environment during her early career, she had no previous Navy background and so understood little about its subtle structure. In fact, she said that many processes were broken down into individual tasks each given to a separate person so that there was no single person who understood a complete picture. More service areas continued to expand the training available onboard the USS HUNTER . The professionalism and attention to detail are among the items mentioned by Shelly during her interview that set the WAVES program apart from its global counterparts. Mary was a champion of a unified training camp for both men and women with equal standards. During her service, most training classes were integrated and unified.

Doctor Dorothy Stratton had an accomplished educational background before her military service which included both the Army & WAVES. Dorothy’s patriotism and love of country drove her to enlist and later become a Senior Lieutenant in the Women’s Reserves. Commissioned during the same time as Mary Shelly – whom she knew as “Jo”, Stratton was faced with having very minimal supplies and unlike her counterparts was the only one to encounter rough training. As a result of her connections from the education she received, Dorothy got an assignment with the Coast Guard, and became the first WAVE inducted after the legislation allowing women’s service passed into law. Using the basis of the Navy’s women’s program, Stratton began to establish a similar training regimen in the Coast Guard – even using volunteer WAVES to kickstart recruitment and administration. The resulting organization got its title from the first letters of the Coast Guard’s motto – SPAR. SPAR became the women’s reserve unit for the Coast Guard and like its sister agencies in the Army (WAACS) & Navy (WAVES) went on to provide an integral support for success. Throughout her decorated service & career, Dorothy continued to serve in executive positions for several notable offices and organizations including the Girl Scouts and the United Nations

Stratton & her predecessor Horton had a huge responsibility of gaining respect for new organizations that had yet to be fully understood and accepted within their sector, they both knew that they would face opposition and negativity but did their best to maintain positivity and lead fearless lives indicative of their love of country and brave patriotism. Horton, Palmer, Hancock, Shelly, and Stratton all exemplify the legacy of this program on a large scale, but they are only a handful of the women who were pioneers in uncharted territory of women’s military service.

Coming from a diverse background in education and human services, Elisabeth Crandell, was interested in the military service of women from the very start of the war in 1942. She was recommended for commission and after a wait period of some months, she underwent testing for suitability. After being accepted she traveled for a while to several bases before reporting to Washington DC for continued assignment. Throughout her service Crandell found that life was not as simple as it had been before the Navy, relationships now were questioned amid conflict and even menial questions seemed impossible to answer. It was clear that the idea of women’s service was uncharted territory for everyone, and there were no answers to even the simplest of questions regarding clothing, discipline, or conduct.

Elisabeth joined with Mary Jo Shelly & Jean Palmer in forming a fortified staff for the women’s training schools from a selection of individuals who attended the program. Dealing with insufficient equipment supply was a large problem at that point, as well as general medical health, some people could not be commissioned because of medical issues. Using every challenge as a learning experience was a necessity – using one’s own judgement as a guide. Crandell rose in status and became the first District Director for Women, but it did not make her path much easier, she learned to navigate with grace and patience around a role that was brand new and misunderstood by many. Coordination of chaos soon became routine in her role and she rose to meet the challenge well – managing to multitask in many different areas. People hesitated to give proper credit to women, but the Commander did not let lack of recognition stop her from doing her best at anything she was given and learned to adapt to the chaos.

Etta Bell Kitchen enlisted shortly after Pearl Harbor was bombed, and like many others, chose the service because of a sense of duty and patriotism. She had no previous naval background and found the comprehensive exams for enlistment challenging, but she left her life behind to become a Junior Grade Lieutenant. Kitchen trained at Smith College under Mildred Horton and other elite women officers specifically selected as instructors. She was among the first graduates of Smith’s training program and enjoyed some spotlight as the WAVES became better known and gained positivity among the public. When asked to describe her career Etta recounts that it was a series of coincidental experiences that placed her on the path of success. As a WAVE she served stateside in Washington DC, Bremerton, and Bainbridge Maryland, even having a short period of service in JAG and on the Naval Exam Board as a recorder.

Throughout her career Etta says that she learned a lot about human nature and about the Navy itself. As a legal staff, she was involved with policy and public relations, which gave her an intimate perspective into the Navy’s flaws and advantages, but also gave her the opportunity to participate in many service projects and areas that she might not have otherwise accessed. On her final assignment, she was appointed as Commanding Officer of the Bainbridge WAVE recruits, and used her expertise and life experience to mentor and support young recruits like herself – she considered it of great reward to watch the success of others and was able to maintain relationships with many post Navy. Serving with humility, kindness and true grit, Etta joins the ranks of the wonderful women who founded the largest naval training program for women in the US.

Am I doing the best I can for my country? This provocative statement became the catalyst for Rita Lenihan to join the Navy. She was a well-educated lighting engineer who joined the WAVES and found it extremely enjoyable, her writing about benefits of proper lighting was published and distributed throughout the entire station in the V-12. She credits her classical education for making her a top-notch writer – which served her well in her career. Rita served alongside her sister who was commissioned shortly after Lenihan. Reporting to Northampton she found her introduction to Navy life to be difficult, filled with pressure to preform and retain new knowledge Lenihan found it unsettling. Although Rita did not have a positive experience – she could not help but acknowledge the superior staff of women who conducted the training. Diversity was celebrated at the point of her commissioning, and Lenihan was given a position in facilities planning which involved inventory & tracking of the nearly 500 bases of that day and reporting of statistics to administration. She oversaw all aspects of housing the WAVES recruits throughout their assignments, including purchase and rental of property. Throughout her career, she rose in stature and reputation effectively managing real estate and personnel, while navigating the oversite committees and policies of the organization.

Rita was excellent at her position and was responsible for most of the facility planning and decision making. As a woman, she understood what was required in facilities accommodating them, and Lenihan used the perspective to manage property and decisions. She found that WAVES recruits would only be effective if they saw the bigger picture rather than the small details. The service may look menial but doing it with a sense of loyalty and patriotism was essential. It was not important to gain rank or recognition but serving well was key. Planning and executing from behind the scenes can be just as rewarding if not more so than being the center of activities. Lenihan credits the female administration for creating an environment of acceptance and enrichment. Acknowledging the presence of prejudice Rita reasoned that bias comes from a fear of the unknown or unfamiliar. When things have always been a certain way it can be difficult to embrace change. Embracing change and living with boldness, Rita Lenihan had a worthwhile career and gained place among the WAVES administration.

Frances Rich was a blueprint draftswoman for Lock Head Aircraft in Burbank, CA before her service, and became intrigued by women’s military service organizations during her commute. She had been a graduate of Smith College which had become a hub of women’s training and education for the WAVES organization. Taking a leap of faith Rich sent word of her interest to Mildred Horton and was later sworn in as a Junior Grade Lieutenant. She, Elisabeth Crandell and Etta Belle Kitchen were in the same training class. Frances had a rocky start to her Navy career and found the absence of policies, regulations, and processes for conduct to be challenging. During her introductory period, Rich also noticed a distinct difference in the expected image of a WAVE versus that of a woman in sister organizations. She observed that WAVES were expected to hold themselves to a higher standard of conduct and etiquette and not be ladies in the Navy but ladies of the Navy.

In 1943 Frances left Northampton for Washington DC where she became an ambassador for the WAVES organization, traveling to speak about the history and function of the program. Through her travels, she was able to see the true quality and caliber of the recruits selected for this elite group and considers it a marvelous credit to Mildred Horton’s leadership. Rich joined Horton and others in the fight for equality of standards for women. Everyone in her training class had a drive for excellence, that was quite impressive. The environment was often profoundly serious but recruits certainly got a dose of reality. There was a sisterhood of honesty, and simplicity among the officers & recruits. After a trip to San Antonio, Texas, Frances found that there was quite a bit she could learn from the class of 1,000 recruits who were approaching graduation. Francis reported her findings directly to upper administration who then used the knowledge to improve training and daily life. She continued to act as an ambassador and liaison for upper management throughout her career.

Frances was an assistant to top administrators and as such was privy to many important events and happenings. She often had to use her no-nonsense candor when she encountered a problem or needed to inform administration about base happenings, as she was sometimes the subject of base gossip. As WAVE administration grew further discussions about rank and recognition ensued as more women rose to prominent positions. Rising in rank herself, Rich soon became a Lieutenant Commander and continued her administrative assignment for Horton. In 1943 there were approximately 3,000 WAVES of various backgrounds and talents in Washington DC alone, not to mention the ones from other training hubs. That number grew to 10,00 WAVES in just one year. Francis had the essential responsibility of coordinating logistics, supplies and housing for all these women. Rich proved that knowledge and strength of will serve well to accomplish goals whether in the Navy or not.

Commander Eleanor Rigby came from a diverse background which included quite a lot of travel. Her father was involved with the Red Cross, so she was familiar with human services and felt a strong passion for humanitarianism. In 1942 she joined the Navy after working with the Connecticut Civilian Defense Council. Through a coincidental meeting with WAVES administrators during a business trip to New York, Eleanor became a member of the select group of elites. Reporting to Lieutenant Crandell she remained in New York and became a Junior Grade Lieutenant serving as a regimental commander for the recruits. Rigby encountered several logistical issues working with large groups of individuals from several area bases. She served in the New York Area under Elisabeth Crandell having minimal experience beyond common sense she struggled to adapt to the process at first but soon caught on. Enrollment in the WAVES held steady at 1,680 every two weeks but during its peak reached as much as 5,040. Eleanor was put in charge of coordinating uniforms and scheduling. Logistically the coordination of daily life for both Officers and WAVES was a gigantic task, so much so that meals on the base used enormous portions of ingredients, including 10,000 eggs, ½ ton of beans, and 1.5 tons of salt in one month. Nearly 25,000 pieces of laundry per week, 60,000 letters, 100 bags of packages, 2,000 sundaes or milk shakes and $5,000 of ship services daily. Despite the variety of issues that occurred within the ranks Rigby said that her overall experience was positive. Various recreational activities included music, & dancing, but between the regiment schedule and daily living necessities there was little spare time. Eleanor was well respected among her colleagues and her reputation followed her even post service. She describes many travels with her various roles in administration and logistics planning, with joyful remembrance as highlights in her distinguished career. Admittedly she laments that there was little time for frivolity and fun, but she did bend the rules occasionally and enjoy her island travels. Following her travels, she returned to Hunter as executive during its decommissioning to supervise the process then continuing her service in information and public relations. She had a short marriage which ended in amicable divorce. Throughout her storied career, Eleanor Grant Rigby understood the important balance between work and recreation and attended several parties and recreational functions in between her service assignments.

Senator Margret Smith was a member of the House during the 1941 -1942 period of legislation regarding women’s military service and the subsequent creation of the WAVES organization. Although the original idea was the brainchild of Mel Maas, a member of Congress, and Major General, Smith was instrumental in getting recognition for women within the service on a permanent basis. Though it took several years of trial to get properly recognized, in 1948 the WAVES seemed to gain the proper level of respect. The Senator admitted to some level of traditional reluctance to change but remains glad to have been able to see the success of supporting legislation. Continuing to sit on various legislative committees she continued to have a profound influence and prominent voice for women within the Senate and House. Margret worked closely with WAVES administration in her role Naval Affairs and recalled traveling to the various training campuses to see the functioning programs. Although she herself was never a member of the advisory board, she credits the organization’s success to Horton, Hancock, and Palmer, who expertly handled even the largest of problems with wisdom and grace. The subject of the WAVES organization still remains a significant part of history and is seldom mentioned unless it is referenced as part of the entire subject of women in the armed forces.

In 1942, San Fransisco native fashion merchandiser, Tova Wiley, received a chance phone call from a Naval Citizen's Advisor to come in for an interview. Already employed she considered the proposition odd but intriguing. She took a chance and went in for the interview, where the administration explained that they were hiring for procurement positions. James having no experience in this field expressed her concern but consented to continue in the process despite her reservations. It was later revealed through this process that Tova was selected due to her ability to remain calm and collected under pressure, lack of social connections and good health. After being advised to take the opportunity without considering her loyalties on the home front, she finalized her enlistment interest. Having 16 years of experience in various areas, Tova fit right in with the industrious nature of the early WAVES. Her initial introduction to the Navy saw a subtle rise in hometown popularity and it was during this period she met one of her dearest friends - Herbert Underwood who was in charge of the training school at Smith College. Adapting easily to the routine of her new role she soon became extremely busy with mail room duties. The issue of marriage was a sticking point during this time, because there were conflicting regulations although they were eventually rescinded and marriage was allowed. Soon after she married James Wiley and returned to service in Washington. Keeping the extremely elite selection criteria in mind, Tova continued to excel in procurement despite not having much training. A modest and humble women she admits struggling to get used to the publicity. Throughout her career, Wiley always insisted on maintaining an attitude of service rather than selfishness, and found that this was a very uncommon perception . Following several duty stations she returned to Washington DC in 1943 to assist Mildred Horton as the Assistant Director of the Women's Reserve. During this role Tova became very involved with re writing Naval Regulations to be more friendly and accessible for women, often having to problem solve and adapt to situations as they arose. Wiley was Assistant Director for two and a half years, and substituted for Horton when she had to go away on business. During her career she saw Women's service transition from strictly stateside to overseas. In her interview she recounts fond memories of working with several women on creative and entertaining projects especially around the holidays. Tova's rich and distinguished career saw many changes & challenges, but also great reward and friendship.

Louise Wilde is the final member of the original WAVES administration mentioned in the interviews - although she is far from the least. Wilde had a background like several others in public relations and newspaper work. Hailing from New England she attended several colleges before working in the newspaper office at the Springfield Union on the night shift before accepting a position at Mt. Holyoke as Publicity Director. She attended many functions in a professional capacity, assisting with fundraising and relations. She expanded her role and went to Rockford College in Illinois to assist Mary Ashbe Cheek. Louise was at Rockford when Women's Military Services was in its infancy and only the WAAC existed for those who wished to enter the Army. She always had a strong sense of pride and patriotism, so she became interested in joining the military herself. Later after getting a letter from Admiral Jacobs, Chief of Naval Personnel, Louise felt the spark she needed to enlist, and promptly applied for the Naval Reserve. After processing and testing she was put on as the Public Relations Advisor at the Midshipman's School and was given the rank of Junior Grade Lieutenant. Rank was immaterial to Wilde as her passion for the position was driven by patriotism and love of country. Louise credits her success to her academic connections, and having known Ms. Horton before the Navy. Mildred Horton held everyone to the highest of standards and thus was extremely well respected as a member of society and of the Navy. In 1944, Louise describes her initial overseas travel to Hawaii where she was met with mixed reception. She describes a period of adjustment, where male officers had to adjust to having female coworkers. Females were beginning to make up as much as 80% of the communication sector employees at that time and arguably before this point the military majority had employed men.

Before transferring into a role in Northampton, Louise describes that recruits were still wearing civilian clothes and did not receive regulation uniforms until much later - the uniform styles for women are still almost identical to those worn in present day, quite a timeless look. She describes how very new and exciting the experiences of receiving official Navy uniforms and assignments had been, as was the feeling she held about many things throughout her career. Wilde describes with good natured humor the importance of several seemingly insignificant objects throughout her experiences not the least of which was a weekly debrief around the coffee pots - thoughtfully considered some of the most genuine and authentic conversations among office staff. Public relations saw a pretty drastic change as well - the image of the military women went from a cute girl in a flouncy skirt to the sophisticated and resourceful women who could hold her own in a man's world. Each recruit was driven by a desire for excellence and for patriotism. Recruits were trained in a variety of areas including physical fitness and swimming, to specialized and advanced techniques. Women learned how to translate civilian education and experience into military knowledge and grit. Wilde recalls working with a great many talented and exemplary women during her career, as she herself grew to understand & appreciate the many details that went into proper reputation management. Much of the prestige and reputation of the WAVES in the early days was attributed to the caliber and excellence of the women who oversaw its operation. Wilde said that the most challenging yet rewarding part of her job was trying to find the right balance of emphasis for advertising - she finally admits that she found that placing emphasis on the reality that every job no matter how small was important worked the best, and portraying women as they actually were rather than how they were perceived to be. Louise conducted several publicity tours throughout her career and says that she always enjoyed them because they showed a unique perspective that no other marketing could.