Historical treasure: Terre Haute women made WAVES during World War II

When World War II commenced, women patriotically stepped up to volunteer their services. 

In 1942, Naval Reserve Lieutenant Commander Mildred McAfee was commissioned to head the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). The word “Emergency” didn’t really apply for long. Although the women held primarily secretarial and clerical positions in the beginning, they soon proved their worth in areas such as photography, aviation mechanics and intelligence work. 

By 1943, 27,000 volunteers were serving in the WAVES. By 1944, African-American women were accepted, and by the end of the war, more than 84,000 females were serving as WAVES, 8,000 of them as officers.

The WAVES organization ended in 1948, when women became incorporated into the armed services as regular members.

Vigo County saw its share of young women enlisting in the WAVES. In their book On the Home Front in Vigo County, Indiana, Dorothy Jerse and Judy Calvert wrote that Terre Haute twice led the state in its WAVES recruitment campaign in 1944. A photograph from that year shows seven young lady recruits who were part of the first unit of Hoosier Patriettes. They were seated in front of a sign in the recruiting station that read: “Thru these doors pass the finest girls in America.”

One of Terre Haute’s first WAVES, Yeoman Third Class Maxine West, was interviewed after she completed basic training at A&M College in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She stated that she studied naval organization, personnel regulations, and Navy A to N typing and shorthand. She described her uniform as consisting of a rayon work blouse worn with a black silk tie, navy blue four-gored skirt, and navy blue serge coat. On the left sleeve was the insignia of the United States Navy. Lisle hose and oxfords went with the work attire, and silk hose and low-heeled pumps were worn for dress. WAVES wore their dress uniform, complete with hat and gloves, when they appeared in public.

In the Military Room on the first floor of the Vigo County Historical Museum, visitors will find a WAVES uniform that was worn by Terre Hautean Anne Harriott Hubbard (1921-1995), who volunteered for service after graduating from Indiana University. She served from 1942-1946, primarily in San Diego, California, attaining the rank of lieutenant. The carefully preserved navy blue uniform is a reminder of the service that Anne Hubbard and other WAVES performed during World War II.

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