Top Photo: President Harry S. Truman Gets First Stamp Honoring Women in the Services. During a ceremony at the White House, Postmaster General Jesse M. Donaldson presented President Harry S. Truman booklets containing first issues of the new three-cent stamp honoring the women of the services. September 11, 1952. National Museum of the U.S. Navy

In 1942, the US Congress passed legislation establishing women’s military corps for each branch of the Armed Forces. The various groups—the Women’s Army Corps (WAC), Naval Women’s Reserve (WAVES), Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARS), and Marine Corps Women’s Reserve—were all created to solve manpower shortages during the war. The idea was that if women could take on necessary military support roles, more men could serve in combat roles and strengthen the military’s fighting force. 

Initially, there was resistance from some members of the military and civilians to women serving in the Armed Forces. Some people believed women were too feminine to be successful in a traditionally masculine military and that they would be unable or unwilling to wear uniforms, obey commands, live in barracks, or perform the necessary jobs. Others believed that military service would harm women’s inherent femininity, causing them to become “too masculine,” and they would behave promiscuously and reject traditional family life and gender roles. Throughout the war, however, the servicewomen proved their value and often reassured a nervous American public of the benefit of women’s military service. Government officials and military leaders frequently praised servicewomen’s work and often requested additional units. Although members of the women’s corps were initially limited in the types of jobs available, by the end of the war almost every noncombat job was offered to them. Government reports analyzed the work performed by servicewomen and offered suggestions on how to more effectively utilize women in the military in future conflicts.

As the War Department planned for the postwar period, there was a question of what to do with the women’s military corps. When the initial legislation was approved, the plan was for the women to serve “for the duration” of the war, plus six months. The temporary nature of women’s service was emphasized in the early debates over their enlistment to reassure critics. However, as the servicewomen proved their abilities and took on more jobs throughout the war, many government and military officials pushed for the establishment of permanent women’s military corps. 

"Women's Place in War Weather Observer. Women's Army Corps" Office for Emergency Management. Office of War Information. Domestic Operations Branch. Bureau of Special Services. (03/09/1943 - 09/15/1945) National Archives

The process of demobilization and occupation duties in Germany and Japan also contributed to the push toward extending women’s military service. Women served in many of the administrative and clerical positions that were necessary for the demobilization process, which prevented their corps from being completely disbanded at the end of the war. As the full demobilization dates approached for each of the women’s corps, the question over the future of women in the military gained more attention in Congress.

With the goals of increasing manpower and improving the peacetime military, many members of Congress pushed for legislation that would allow women to continue serving in the military. Initially, the Army and Navy/Marine Corps each drafted their own legislation for postwar servicewomen; however, the Armed Forces subcommittee soon combined all the women’s corps into one bill, S. 1641. The bill also introduced the Women’s Air Force, or WAF, program, which would be part of the newly independent US Air Force. The Coast Guard was not included in the bill, as they operated under the Treasury Department in the postwar period.
Despite the considerable praise from government and military officials about establishing a permanent women’s corps, the congressional hearings revealed continuing disputes over women’s roles and capabilities. The bill underwent lengthy debates and changes throughout the process, and the various committees analyzed the bill line by line with numerous edits.  

One of the primary points of contention in the hearings was the question of whether women should be restricted to reserve units or if they could serve in the regular military. Many of the congressmen pushed for a “reserve-only” bill, while military leaders like General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Admiral Chester W. Nimitz wanted the women’s corps to be part of the regular military. Throughout the various committee meetings and hearings, the bill switched back and forth on the inclusion of regular military status. However, as debates continued in early 1948, the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia, backed by the Soviet Union, carried out a successful coup d’etat, and the Soviet Union began restricting traffic into West Berlin. With men’s military enlistment down, President Harry S. Truman asked for a peacetime draft. The combination of events caused several congressmembers to change to supporting women in the regular military, fearful of constituent pushback if they turned down a large group of volunteers amid the threat of the draft.1  The issue was finally decided in May 1948, when the Senate and House of Representatives approved the bill with provisions for women’s enlistment in both the Regular and Reserve Armed Forces. 

Concerns over the possibility of women commanding men or competing with men for promotions led to regulations establishing separate promotion lists for men and women and limits on the highest ranks women could earn. The highest permanent rank for women was lieutenant colonel, or lieutenant commander for the Navy, and no more than 10 percent of each women’s corps could hold that rank. One woman from each branch would serve in a directorial role and could hold a temporary rank of colonel, or captain for the Navy, during her tenure.  

Another important question was the number of enlistments. Critics argued that if they tried to enlist too many women, there would be complaints that Congress was creating “an army of women.”2  Each of the women’s corps had a cap of no more than two percent of each branch of service. This translated to a limit of 500 commissioned officers, 75 warrant officers, and 7,500 enlisted women for the Army. The Navy’s limit for women was 500 commissioned officers, 20 warrant officers, and 6,000 enlisted women. The Air Force was limited to 300 commissioned officers, 40 warrant officers, and 4,000 enlisted, while the Marine Corps’ cap was the smallest, set at 100 commissioned officers, 10 warrant officers, and 1,000 enlisted women. Even though some people, including General Eisenhower, wanted a larger percentage, possibly up to five percent, pushback from several congressmembers kept the limit at two. 

Under the act, women needed to be at least 18 years old to enlist, and parental consent was required for women under the age of 21. This was a change from the wartime regulations, where women needed to be 20 years old to enlist. Although some congressmembers questioned lowering the age to 18, Colonel Mary E. Hallaren, director of the WAC, explained that a peacetime enlistment age of 18 years old allowed for recent high-school graduates to enlist, while at 20 years old many women would already be in college or a civilian job.3  Significantly, this implied that women could choose the military as a career option, as opposed to the “for the duration” aspect of the wartime women’s corps. The act also set up the conditions for long-term service and retirement, further emphasizing that women could choose to remain in the military for a longer period of time.

One aspect of military service was never up for debate during the congressional hearings—combat. Women were still restricted from combat roles, with the Navy specifically forbidding women from assignments on any ships that were not hospital ships or Navy transports, and the Air Force and Navy banning women from aircraft on combat missions. While the bill provided for an expansion of opportunities for women to serve in the Armed Forces, the question of combat was saved for future legislation.

After the congressional discussions and edits, President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act on July 12, 1948, allowing women to be permanent members of the American military. Despite the restrictions on ranks, force strength, and combat, the act still represented a major step in women’s military participation. Most significantly, it allowed women to pursue military service as a career. The act also created a wider variety of job opportunities inside the military for women, as the fields and training available increased. An interview of new WAC recruits in the New York Times in December 1948 included quotes from several women who enlisted for the education, training, and career opportunities. One unnamed recruit explained, “I need more of an education and my family couldn’t afford to give it to me,” while another added: “I just couldn’t see another way to get job security or plan for the future. The Air Force offers me both.”4   

The Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 would not have been possible without the hard work and service of the around 350,000 women who served in uniform during World War II. In serving their country and demonstrating their abilities, servicewomen were able to show military and government officials that there was a logical place for women in the Armed Forces. There were military jobs that women could do, and they wanted to do those jobs. As the postwar servicewomen continued the legacy of their predecessors, legislation involving military women would expand, leading to women’s continued service in the modern American military. 

• 1

  Bettie J. Morden, The Women’s Army Corps, 1945-1978, (Center of Military History, 1990), 55.

• 2

  Subcommittee Hearings on S. 1641, To Establish the Women’s Army Corps in the Regular Army, To Authorize the Enlistment and Appointment of Women in the Regular Navy and Marine Corps and the Naval and Marine Corps Reserve, And for Other Purposes, 80th Cong., 2nd sess., February 23, 1948, 5624.

• 3

  Subcommittee Hearings on S. 1641, To Establish the Women’s Army Corps in the Regular Army, To Authorize the Enlistment and Appointment of Women in the Regular Navy and Marine Corps and the Naval and Marine Corps Reserve, And for Other Purposes, 80th Cong., 2nd sess., February 23, 1948, 5662.

• 4

  Nona Brown, “The Armed Forces Find Woman Has a Place,” New York Times, 26 December 1948.