D AJ III For the first time women were allowed to join the US Navy during World
TO GAAPLES IN THE NAVY The United States was on the verge of entering World War I and the US Navy was in trouble An urgent shortage of staff meant every shore station needed clerical workers people to help run the offices such as stenographers and draftsmen As more men were called up to military positions at sea clerical positions sat vacant and work incomplete In the spring of 1917 US Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels mused to his advisers Is there any regulation yeoman must be a man 1 There was no rule specifically restricting women from enlisting in the navy as yeomen or officers who serve as clerks Enroll women in the naval service as yeomen and we will have the best clerical assistance the country can provide Daniels
FIRST ENLISTEES Loretta Perfectus Walsh was the first woman to answer the call At age 18 Walsh enlisted in the navy on March 17 1917 in Philadelphia Pennsylvania On April 6 1917 the United States declared war on Germany Walsh became the first woman to enlist in the US Navy and also the first woman to serve in the armed forces in a non nurse position Walsh was later promoted to chief petty REQUIREMENTS officer a rank responsible for training The requirements to enlist in the navy were not and supervising subordinates during a strict Yeomen had to be between the ages four year enlistment of 18 and 35 in good health and have a neat appearance The navy preferred high school Another woman to enlist early on was graduates but yeomen did not need a college Daisy Pratt Erd from Chicago Illinois degree After arriving at the recruitment station a woman simply filled out the forms and had Erd enlisted in Boston Massachusetts a quick physical exam to make sure she was in April 1917 By May she was promoted in good health Yeomanette Estelle Kemper described her physical Male recruits may not to chief yeoman and put in charge of all mind being herded together in the altogether female employees at the Boston Navy but those poor stripped feminine patriots were a sorry sight as they cringed in that open hallway Yard Erd became responsible for accepting waiting to be scrutinized by a strange doctor in new recruits but not all women who a navy uniform Recruits then took an oath and were sworn into the service for four years tried to join were approved Erd said Most applicants can't spell I give that
DAISY PRATT ERD YEOMAN F AND SONGWRITER Daisy Pratt Erd was not only one of the first women in the navy she was also an accomplished songwriter Erd wrote the music and lyrics to several patriotic songs such as We'll carry the Star Spangled Banner Thru The Trenches Uncle Sam's Ships and Rear Admiral Wood One Step She donated the proceeds to the Naval Reserve Fund and the Navy Relief Society charitable organizations that assisted navy veterans After two years in the navy Erd organized 200 women into the first women's post of the American Legion in Boston She also dedicated her time to instating a 100 Massachusetts state bonus for all women who had served in the navy and forming a union to secure jobs for women after the war ended The girls did a man's job and why shouldn't we be treated like the men are treated in the matter of bonuses We represent as fine a lot of young women as ever lived Erd said 4
