Military Women In Combat

For years, we have been accustomed to women being part of our military, being deployed in dangerous zones, just as our young men are. During the 60's when young girls were considering to go into the various branches, it was believed that they would be clerks and nurses in safe, non-war zones. Throughout the years, women going to war has been and continues to be a hot topic. The main subject of the debate has been should women go to combat. However, our history shows a different story about women and war.

From 1775-1783, women traveled with soldiers during the American Revolution working as nurses, cooks, and laundresses.

Mary Marshall and Mary Allen, during the War of 1812, were nurses on the ship "United States" under Commodore Stephen Decatur.

First Female Soldiers

The first female soldier, although under false pretenses, served in the Mexican War (1846-1848). Elizabeth Newcom enlisted in Company D of the Missouri Volunteer Infantry. After marching for over 600 miles, in Pueblo, Colorado, infantryman Bill Newcomb, was discovered to be, in reality, Elizabeth Newcomb, and was discharged upon the discovery that Bill Newcomb was a female.

During the Civil War (1861-1865), not only did women work taking care of the wounded, women from the south and the north, disguised themselves as men, and enlisted in the army on both sides. Dr. Mary Walker was the first woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor.

20 nurses died during the Spanish American War in 1898. They died taking care of those who had contracted the highly contagious diseases of malaria, yellow fever, and typhoid. Dr. Anita Newcomb McGee was the first woman to be appointed as Assistant Surgeon General. Dr. Newcomb also wrote the legislation for a Permanent Corps of Nurses. In 1901, the first corp of nurses, which was the Army Nurse Corps was established. In 1908, the Navy Nurse Corps was born.

Women P.O.W.'s

During World War I (1917-1918), over 400 nurses died from the Spanish Flu epidemic.

Over 21,480 female, army nurses were deployed overseas, as well as in the U.S.A. 18 African American Army nurses were deployed stateside to care for the German P.O.W's and the injured African American male soldiers.

233 females were trained by the Army to work on the front, in France, as bilingual telephone operators.

11,880 female Yeomen were stationed stateside.

1476 Navy nurses worked caring for soldiers in various military hospitals.

The U.S. Marines trained 305 female reservists as telephone operators, and clerks on the homefront which relieved the men who were going off to the battlefield.

Although women did not receive the same treatment as male officers, the Army Reorganization Act of 1920 allowed female military personnel to receive office status.

During the years of 1941-1945, World War II, 60, 000 nurses served at home and overseas. We often hear stories of the POW's. One fact that is not well-known, is that in 1942, 67 females nurses were captured by the Japanese and held as P.O.W.'s for over 2 years. For 5 months, 5 Navy nurses were captured at Guam, and held as P.O.W.'s. 11 other Navy nurses were held for 37 months, as P.O.W.'s when captured by the Japanese on the Philippine islands.

Branches of Women In The Military

The first group of women in the military was known as the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps or The WAAC. In 1943, the WAAC was changed to what is known today as the Women's Army Corp or WAC'S. More than 1500,000 women served their country in World War II.

Military women were more than nurses, or cooks, or telephone operators. Women also served as ferriers, test pilots, civil service pilots, and as anti-aircraft artillery trainers in the Air Force, known as WASP's or Women's Air Force Service Pilots.

Over 400, 000 military women, during World War II, served their country, at home and overseas, on noncombat missions.

The Navy Women's Reserve also known as the WAVES, had over 80,000 women who worked as nurses, clerks, in administration and who also gathered intelligence.

The Marine Corp Women's Reserve also did their part, working along their peers, taking care of things at home, filling important positions, while our young men went off to war.

During the Korean War from 1950-1953, more than 500 military nurses were in the combat zone alone. Others performed their duties in various Japanese hospitals.

Deaths

Army: In 1950, an Army nurse died in a place crash, while heading for Korea.

Navy: 11 Navy nurses died at the Marshall Islands in a plane crash

Air Force: 3 nurses died, while on duty, in a plane crash.

Between 1955-1965 males were accepted to the Nurse Corps.

The Marine Corp appointed the first female as an attache', who was the first to serve under hostile fire.

Vietnam War: 1965-1975

Over 7000 women served as nurses. Army nurses served well under enemy fire at military style MASH units.

Deaths

While serving in the Air Force, a flight nurse on the C-5A Galaxy transport died on take-off, while transporting Vietnamese orphans. There were at least six more military women who died in the line of duty.

As the story continues, so does the debate as to whether women should enter into combat or not, which according to history, appears to be a mute point.

Linda Smith
A freelance writer as well as an advocate for the disabled and the rights of the disabled.
http:www.michaelmyhero.com