👩‍✈️ Women at Sea – A Century of U.S. Navy Integration (1917–Present)

Welcome to the Navy - Collage of Women in Many Roles for the US Navy, 1978. | GGA Image ID # 234ed14f74

• 1917–1919 (WWI): Navy enlists Yeoman (F), nicknamed "Yeomanettes." First uniformed women in U.S. military history.
• 1942–1946 (WWII): WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) established by Congress.
• 1950s–1960s: Navy nurses serve in Korea and Vietnam. Limited shore assignments for women.
• 1972–1978: Navy opens up ratings and non-combat ships to women; first female line officers at sea.
• 1976: U.S. Naval Academy admits first female midshipmen.
• 1993: Combat aviation and sea duty opened to women by Congressional action.
• 1994: Women assigned to combat ships.
• 2011: First women serve as officers aboard submarines.
• 2016+: Submarine enlisted integration begins; women serve across nearly all operational roles.

⚖️ Legal & Policy Milestones

• 1942: Public Law 689 authorizes WAVES.
• 1975: President Ford signs bill allowing women to attend U.S. military academies.
• 1991–1993: Combat exclusion gradually repealed.

👩‍💻 Modern-Day Roles for Women in the Navy

• Surface Warfare Officers
• Naval Aviators & Flight Officers
• Submarine Warfare Officers & Crew
• Intelligence, Cryptology, Cyber, and Communications
• SEABEEs (Naval Construction Force)
• JAG Corps (Legal), Medical, Dental, and Nurse Corps

⛔️ Challenges & Controversies

• Combat exclusion policies and delayed integration
• Cultural resistance and command friction
• Sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination concerns

Admiral Ernest J. King and Waves Captain Mildred Mcafee. Commander in Chief Greets Waves’ Captain. on the Second Anniversary of the Waves, July 30, 1944, Admiral Ernest J. King, Commander in Chief, U. S. Fleet, and Chief of Naval Operations, Greets Captain Mildred H. Mcafee, Director of the Women’s Reserve, With Hearty Congratulations to the Women of the Navy for a Job Well Done. The Story of You in Navy Blue, 1944. | GGA Image ID # 1a09f7c5e5

🎓 Notable Women in Navy History

• Grace Hopper: Computer programming pioneer and Rear Admiral
• Michelle Howard: First woman to become a four-star admiral (2014)
• Lt. Britta Christianson: One of the first female submarine officers (2011)

World War 1 Yeomanette (Yeoman (f)) Miss Beema Mahone Began Her Extensive Career with the Navy in the US Naval Cable Censors Service, San Francisco, and Later Became a Naqvy Employee Working for the Sea Service for More than 40 Years. (All Hands, July 1972) | GGA Image ID # 234c7c5054

🔗 Related GG Archives Resources

• GG Archives WAVES Collection
• Officer Ranks & Career Paths
• Enlisted Ratings & Duties
• Navy Magazines with WAVES & Female Sailor Content
• 📰 WAVES Final Newsletter (May 1946)
• ⚓ All Hands 1966: Navy Nurses on USS Repose

Wave Duty Station - Great Lakes Station — on the Shores of Lake Michigan Outside of Chicago. at This, the Biggest of the Midwest Naval Training Stations, Hundreds of Waves Relieve Bluejackets and Officers for Fighting Jobs With the Fleet. The Story of You in Navy Blue, 1944. | GGA Image ID # 1a0f1f1e3c

📄 For Students, Educators, Veterans & Researchers

This page is ideal for:

• Students & Teachers: Research topics in gender and military history
• Genealogists: Understanding service records of women relatives
• Veterans: Preserving stories and milestones of Navy women

📚 Explore Women in U.S. Navy Training Materials

Our archives include several primary-source yearbooks and brochures that highlight women's growing role in the Navy throughout the 20th century.

• 👩‍✈️ 1951 WAVE Company 023 – U.S. Naval Training Center, Bainbridge
• 👩‍✈️ 1953 WAVE Company 214 – U.S. Naval Training Center, Bainbridge
• 🧵 1943 "Women in the Navy" Brochure – Recruitment & Training
• 🪖 WWII WAVES Brochure – It’s Your War Too
• 🌊 WAVES Collection Index – Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service

High-resolution page scans of all women’s training booklets and yearbooks are available upon request for veterans and their families at no charge.

Front Cover, May 1946 WAVES News Letter - Final Issue (NAVPERS 15,002). | GGA Image ID # 233092c952

📖 Featured Books from GG Archives & Notable Publications

• Pictorial History of Navy Women, Volume One (1990) — Compiled by WAVES National. A richly illustrated volume spanning 1908–1988, covering Yeoman (F), Nurses, regular Navy women, training schools, and photos with individual short biographies. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
• The Navy’s First Enlisted Women: Patriotic Pioneers (2019) — Regina T. Akers; published by Naval History & Heritage Command. Examines the first enlisted women (WWI-era Yeoman (F)), their motivations, tasks, and the recognition of their contributions in Navy history. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
• Making WAVES: Navy Women of World War II — By Evan Bachner. A photo-rich depiction of the diverse roles women played during WWII, including previously under-represented functions (communications, aviation support, medical, etc.). Great for visual learners. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

At Sea—Navy Nurses Stand In Formation as USS Repose Enters Subic Bay. | GGA Image ID # 233197f5e9

📂 Educational Use & Downloads

All images and yearbook pages on this site are available in high resolution for educational, genealogical, and veteran use. No cost to families of veterans.

Teachers: You may freely print excerpts and use visuals in classroom presentations. Please credit: Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives (www.ggarchives.com).

📚 Suggested Citation

You may cite this page in your research using the following formats:

Chicago (17th edition):
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. Women at Sea – A Century of U.S. Navy Integration (1917–Present). Milwaukee, WI: GG Archives, 2000–2025. Accessed 13 September 2025. https://www.ggarchives.com/Military/NavyArchives/Reference/WomenAtSea.html.

APA (7th edition):
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. (2000–2025). Women at sea – A century of U.S. Navy integration (1917–present). GG Archives. Retrieved September 13, 2025, from https://www.ggarchives.com/Military/NavyArchives/Reference/WomenAtSea.html

MLA (9th edition):
Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. Women at Sea – A Century of U.S. Navy Integration (1917–Present). GG Archives, 2000–2025. Web. Accessed 13 Sept. 2025. https://www.ggarchives.com/Military/NavyArchives/Reference/WomenAtSea.html.