Photos Women In World War II
- Thread starter BravoZulu
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With the flame from her torch ignited, a female welder adjusts her goggles at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, Connecticut, October 1943. Later known as General Dynamics Electric Boat, the company produced more than 70 submarines and almost 400 PT boats during World War II. (Photo by Bernard Hoffman/The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty Images)
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Yeoman 1st Class Marjorie Daw Adams, USNR(W), obtains a receipt from Mailman 2nd Class Wilbur L. Harrison, who is picking up classified mail for his attack transport at Fleet Post Office, San Francisco, California, on 13 June 1945. He is armed with a handgun for security reasons. Much of the official Navy mail going to the Pacific Fleet passes through the Fleet Post Office’s Registry Office. Note WAVES recruiting poster in the background.
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Gertrude Tompkins of the Women Airforce Service Pilots went missing on October 26, 1944 while delivering a P-51D Mustang fighter from Los Angeles to Newark, NJ.
Gertrude Tompkins departed from Mines Field, known today as the Los Angeles International Airport, for Palm Springs, on October 26, 1944. She never arrived at Palm Springs and due to reporting errors a search was not started until three days later. Despite an extensive ground and water search no trace of Tompkins or the aircraft were found."
According to the Army Times website, Gertrude and 37 other women died in service to their country, but Tompkins is the only one who remains missing.
"Gertrude married Army Technical Sergeant Henry Mann Silver in September 1944. Henry's sister died after giving birth and the couple was preparing to adopt her child in 1944. Gertrude returned to WASP duty two days after the wedding; she and Henry never saw each other again. She was not wearing her engagement or wedding rings when she departed for Texas, nor did she use her married name. Marriage by WASPs was frowned upon and she may have been afraid she would lose her job."
"The military initiated an extensive search for Gertrude and her plane, but no evidence of a suspected crash was ever discovered. She was classified as "missing and presumed dead" in November 1944. Henry mourned his wife's assumed death until his own passing in 1965. There has never been any evidence uncovered to suggest that Gertrude survived after 1944." (Source: The Charley Project and armytimes.com)
Gertrude Tompkins Silver was just 32 years old at the time she went missing.
NB: The conclusion was that she crashed into the Pacific shortly after leaving LA
Gertrude Tompkins departed from Mines Field, known today as the Los Angeles International Airport, for Palm Springs, on October 26, 1944. She never arrived at Palm Springs and due to reporting errors a search was not started until three days later. Despite an extensive ground and water search no trace of Tompkins or the aircraft were found."
According to the Army Times website, Gertrude and 37 other women died in service to their country, but Tompkins is the only one who remains missing.
"Gertrude married Army Technical Sergeant Henry Mann Silver in September 1944. Henry's sister died after giving birth and the couple was preparing to adopt her child in 1944. Gertrude returned to WASP duty two days after the wedding; she and Henry never saw each other again. She was not wearing her engagement or wedding rings when she departed for Texas, nor did she use her married name. Marriage by WASPs was frowned upon and she may have been afraid she would lose her job."
"The military initiated an extensive search for Gertrude and her plane, but no evidence of a suspected crash was ever discovered. She was classified as "missing and presumed dead" in November 1944. Henry mourned his wife's assumed death until his own passing in 1965. There has never been any evidence uncovered to suggest that Gertrude survived after 1944." (Source: The Charley Project and armytimes.com)
Gertrude Tompkins Silver was just 32 years old at the time she went missing.
NB: The conclusion was that she crashed into the Pacific shortly after leaving LA
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A noontime rest for a full-fledged assembly worker at the Long Beach, California, plant of Douglas Aircraft Company. Nacelle parts for a heavy bomber form the background, October 1942. Photograph by Alfred T. Palmer.
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European-born Jewish volunteers to the British army, in Israel (then Mandatory Palestine) training as parachutists to jump into Nazi-occupied Europe to coordinate actions with partisans.
The woman at center is Haviva Reik, who later jumped into Czechoslovakia, was caught and executed.
Hana Szenes, a Hungarian-born Jewish volunteer to the British army, was sent to jump into Europe.
In June 1944, Hannah crossed the border into Hungary, but was caught later in possession of a transmitter.
She was subjected to torture and threats on her mother's life, but she did not reveal the radio codes.
She was executed on 1944-11-07.
Before crossing the border into Hungary, she left a poem, with a request: If I don't come back, give this to my friends in Sedot Yam: "Blessed is the Match, 2 May 1944"
Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame.
Blessed is the flame that burns in the secret fastness of the heart.
Blessed is the heart with strength to stop its beating for honor’s sake.
Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame.
With credit to Yad VaShem archives.
The woman at center is Haviva Reik, who later jumped into Czechoslovakia, was caught and executed.
Hana Szenes, a Hungarian-born Jewish volunteer to the British army, was sent to jump into Europe.
In June 1944, Hannah crossed the border into Hungary, but was caught later in possession of a transmitter.
She was subjected to torture and threats on her mother's life, but she did not reveal the radio codes.
She was executed on 1944-11-07.
Before crossing the border into Hungary, she left a poem, with a request: If I don't come back, give this to my friends in Sedot Yam: "Blessed is the Match, 2 May 1944"
Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame.
Blessed is the flame that burns in the secret fastness of the heart.
Blessed is the heart with strength to stop its beating for honor’s sake.
Blessed is the match consumed in kindling flame.
With credit to Yad VaShem archives.
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A young female welder in Connecticut, c. 1943
Florence “Woo Woo” DiTullio Joyce picked up her nickname pretty quickly. “I was a curvaceous 119 pounds. Every time I walked by, the guys would go, ‘Woo Woo!’” she recalled with a laugh.
Florence “Woo Woo” DiTullio Joyce picked up her nickname pretty quickly. “I was a curvaceous 119 pounds. Every time I walked by, the guys would go, ‘Woo Woo!’” she recalled with a laugh.
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Colt Vickers M1915 Machine Guns are inspected at an Ordnance Depot in the UK by Female Personnel after their arrival from the USA - 1941
In 1940/41 a total of 7,071 Colt Vickers M1915s were purchased by the UK to help re-equip their forces due to equipment losses during the Dunkirk evacuation.
In British Service; some Colt Vickers M1915s were issued to the Home Guard in their original US 30.06 calibre, while others were converted to British .303 for general issue, it is unknown exactly how many were converted.
In 1940/41 a total of 7,071 Colt Vickers M1915s were purchased by the UK to help re-equip their forces due to equipment losses during the Dunkirk evacuation.
In British Service; some Colt Vickers M1915s were issued to the Home Guard in their original US 30.06 calibre, while others were converted to British .303 for general issue, it is unknown exactly how many were converted.
