Women Fulfill Key Non-Combat Roles in Military

During World War II, women joined every branch of the United States armed forces, serving in large numbers in a wide range of non-combat roles. The Army established the Women's Army Corps, the Navy enlisted women through the WAVES, and the Coast Guard and Marine Corps created their own women's units. These servicewomen worked as clerks, mechanics, radio operators, nurses, and in countless support positions that freed men for combat duty.

Among the most notable were the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, civilian aviators who ferried newly built aircraft from factories to bases and towed targets for gunnery practice. Although women were barred from combat, their service was essential to the war effort and demonstrated their capability in technical and demanding military roles. Their wartime contribution helped lay the groundwork for the permanent integration of women into the armed forces in the years that followed.