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WOMEN SERVING THE MILITARY

 


War Department employee registers at the War Housing
desk at the United States Informational Service, Washington, D.C.
Credit:  Library of Congress

 


Credit: Courtesy of Ruth Hunter

Mary Ruth Hunter was working at the Alcoa Plant in Pennsylvania when Army Recruiters came to town looking for civilian workers. Ruth worked in Army Intelligence (also known as G2) at the Pentagon collecting historical information about WWII missions. She served with male professors of history from prestigious East Coast Universities. Ruth remained with the Defense Department until her retirement in 1979.

 


Boarders at Dissin’s boardinghouse in Washington, D.C., scheduled use of the bathroom, allotting eight minutes for each in the morning.
Credit:  Library of Congress

 

"You were needed and you served. You didn't think about individual contributions."

Washington D.C. was a small city that lacked adequate housing for the flood of new government workers. Women shared rooms in hotel and boarding houses.

 


Traffic analysts, Arlington Hall
Credit: Nationall Cryptologic Museum

Analysts, B2b Section, Arlington Hall Station
Credit: National Cryptologic Museum

Prior to the war, government offices were for the most part staffed only with men. Women were crammed together in the available office space. Dress codes and rules for personal conduct were adopted to transition to the new work environment.

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