8 November 1917 • Cable No. 276, Paragraph 15(B)
Facing a shortage of qualified male operators, Gen. John J. Pershing asks the War Department to dispatch 100 bilingual women to France, detailing grades, pay, allowances, and uniforms—an early step toward the Signal Corps "Hello Girls."
GHQ cable of relaying the Judge Advocate General's decision: Signal Corps women telephone operators had no military status and were ineligible for War Risk Insurance. Includes transcript, legal ramifications (POW status, benefits), and later recognition.
Documents & Reference Materials · GHQ A.E.F. Cablegram No. 1252
Pershing orders the Chief Signal Officer to prioritize seasoned long-distance operators with clear articulation; French no longer essential. One supervisor per group; do not delay the 60-operator draft already called.
21 November 1918 • Cable No. 1917-S (Part 1 of 3)
GHQ A.E.F. resets shipment priorities and calls for 85 German-speaking telephone operators and 84 radio operators as the minimum to finish the A.E.F.'s work after the Armistice.
Dated 20 November 1918, this concise commendation credits “the officers and men and the young women of the Signal Corps” for wartime communications—an A.E.F.-level nod that explicitly includes the Hello Girls.
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