Women Working during WWII
American women were vital to the war effort in the United States at home, in the workforce, and through active military service. After the attack on Pearl Harbor and entrance of the United States into WWII, the United States realized that it would have to access all of its resources to defeat the Axis. Men were called upon for service, and women were asked to take up the duties that the men had left behind to ensure that the home front ran smoothly and that production was not interrupted. Additionally, the formation of women's organizations in the military meant that women were able to serve in uniform.
Home Front Duties
On the home front, women were vital in making sure that there were as few disruptions to daily life as possible. Women planted Victory Gardens, carefully rationed food for their families, helped collect scrap, bought war bonds, donated their money and time to the Red Cross, and wrote upbeat letters to servicemen to keep morale high.
Story City Herald November 5, 1942
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Story City Herald November 19, 1942
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Story City Herald February 22, 1945
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Story City Herald April 12, 1945
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In the Workforce
Image courtesy of the National Archives and Records Administration.
In WWII, women flocked to the workforce in large numbers for the first time in history. With a large number of the male working population being called away for active military service, women stepped in to jobs that had been traditionally held by men. For the first time in their lives, 5 million women were earning wages, joining 14 million other women who had been working before the war. A large number of these women were wives and mothers, and their entrance into the workforce was seen as a patriotic sacrifice for their country. Women worked clerical jobs and in production plants producing for the war effort. The idea of the working woman was captured by the iconic "Rosie the Riveter" image, used heavily for recruiting women into the production workforce.
Story City Herald July 3, 1941
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Story City Herald November 5, 1942
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Story City Herald November 5, 1942 (continued)
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Women in the Workforce in Story City
In Story City, many women took jobs to take the places of men that had left and to boost wartime production. Below is a gallery of an article published by the Story City Herald of all the women in Story City that joined the workforce.
Active Military Service
Almost 350,000 American women served in uniform during WWII. They served in organizations such as the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAACs, later renamed Women's Army Corps), Navy Women's Reserve (WAVES), the Coast Guard Women's Reserve (SPARS), the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS), the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Navy and Army Nurse Corps. Women took office jobs in the military, and many also worked in the field repairing airplanes, operating radios, analyzing photographs, and even serving as test pilots. Army and Navy nurses served both at home and abroad, providing comfort and taking care of wounded servicemen.
Story City Herald July 10, 1941
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Story City Herald November 5, 1942
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Story City Herald November 5, 1942 (continued)
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Story City Herald November 5, 1942
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Story City Herald March 18, 1943
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Military Women from Story City
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Story City boasts many women who served in uniform in WWII. Below is a list of their names and organizations. Click on any name to go to their Veteran's page.
Margaret H. Anderson- Army Nurse Corps Frances A. Bartlett- Army Hostess Violet Hanson- Army Nurse Corps Marie H. Heggen- Army Nurse Corps Gladys F. Horness- Navy Women's Reserve Ruth K. Howland- Army Nurse Corps Alvina Johnson- United Service Organization Kathryn B. Knutson- Army Nurse Corps Marcella B. Larson- Army Nurse Corps Mary K. Millang- Navy Women's Reserve Lillian E. Nelson- Women's Army Corps Anna E. Overland- Army Nurse Corps Pearl Reinertson- Women's Naval Reserve Pearl M. Satre- Army Nurse Corps June G. Teig- Army Nurse Corps |
Frances Bartlett's Army Hostess cap.
WAVES Jacket in the Story City collection.
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Sources
National World War II Museum. Gender on the Home Front, https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/gender-home-front.
National World War II Museum. History At a Glance: Women in World War II, https://www.nationalww2museum.org/students
Story City Herald Newspaper, available through the Digital Archives of the Bertha Bartlett Public Library. Retrieved from http://berthabartlett.advantage-preservation.com/
National World War II Museum. Gender on the Home Front, https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/gender-home-front.
National World War II Museum. History At a Glance: Women in World War II, https://www.nationalww2museum.org/students
Story City Herald Newspaper, available through the Digital Archives of the Bertha Bartlett Public Library. Retrieved from http://berthabartlett.advantage-preservation.com/
