World War I: Women Formally Join the War Effort

It’s often called the first high-tech war; it sounds quaint compared to today’s technology, but the tech in question—the telephone—helped transform warfare during WWI. For the first time, telephone communications allowed the military to reliably coordinate troop movements against the enemy and receive orders from behind the frontline. 

Known as “Hello Girls,” women switchboard operators from the U.S. Army Signal Corps accounted for nearly 80% of all telephone operators during the war. Most were bilingual in English and French and could generally connect five calls in the time it took a man to do one - they were the  IT specialists of their era.

Additionally, roughly 22,000 female nurses joined the ranks serving in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and even Siberia, as well as on the home front. 

Though the Army prohibited females to enlist, a loophole didn’t ban them from joining the Navy. More than 11,000 women joined the Naval ranks and served as radio operators, messengers, stenographers, clerks, truck drivers, mechanics and cryptographers - jobs typically performed by men.

“She served with exceptional ability as chief operator in the Signal Corps exchange at General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, and later in a similar capacity at 1st Army Headquarters. By untiring devotion to her exacting duties under trying conditions she did much to assure the success of the telephone service during the operations of the 1st Army against the St. Mihiel salient and to the north of Verdun [Meuse Argonne].”

— Chief Operator of the US Signal Corps, Grace Banker’s citation for the Distinguished Service Medal

Women in the Military: A Timeline

From the Revolutionary War to present-day conflicts, women have served in the military, officially and unofficially, in both peacetime and war and served as an inspiration to generations of men and women alike.

Women have been contributing service to their country since the Revolutionary War - even when they were denied the ability to fight for their country. Deborah Sampson disguised herself as a man in order to help fight the British. She was a scout and spy, and led raids that involved hand-to-hand skirmishes and cannon fire. While she wasn’t enlisted in the Army, she was the only woman to earn a full military pension from the Revolutionary Army.

Nearly a century later during the Civil War, more than 400 women disguised themselves as men and fought for both the Union and Confederate Armies. During this time, Harriet Tubman gathered essential information working with the Union Army to help lead a raid that freed dozens of slaves. 

It wasn’t until 1948, when President Truman signed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, that women were recognized as full members of the armed forces. While their service was recognized, these early positions were typically in traditional gender roles like nurses, cooks and laundry women. As generations of women continued to serve, they trailblazed their way to more leadership and non-gender specific roles.

Today, women represent 16 percent of Americans in uniform and have reached the top ranks of the military. In 2008, General Ann Dunwoody was the first woman to be appointed a four-star General in the U.S. Army and since then, five other women have achieved this rank. Earlier this month, President Biden appointed two female Generals for 4-star combatant commanders - Air Force Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost and Army Lt. Gen. Laura Richardson.

Over the next week, we celebrate the hard-earned and kick-assery of women’s service - whether officially recognized or not. 

Learn their Stories: Walter W. Hatcher

Forgotten Hero: Exclusive Interview with Vietnam War Veteran Walter W. Hatcher

Byline: Bridgette Bartlett Royall

Walter Wallace Hatcher has a story to tell. A native of a rural town in Chatham County, North Carolina, Hatcher served in the United States Army from 1967 through 1978. Growing up with humble beginnings in the Jim Crow South, Hatcher long aspired to be a soldier. He fulfilled this desire and ultimately completed two tours in Germany and two tours in Vietnam. He was last stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado where his rank was Staff Sergeant.

Joining the army as a Black American man in the 1960s, during the height of the civil rights movement, was not an easy feat physically, emotionally or mentally. Yet, Hatcher made the most of his situation and did so with pride, dignity and a huge amount of courage. During his military career, Hatcher received many accolades including his advanced marksmanship with the M-16 rifle to most notably receiving the distinguished Bronze Star Medal and the coveted Purple Heart Medal. Like most veterans who put their lives on the line for others, Hatcher is humble about his accomplishments. Here's his story.

wear blue: run to remember: When did you join the Army?
WALTER HATCHER: I joined the army in the spring of 1967. It was my senior year of high school. I received what they called a 120 day deferment, so that I could finish high school.

wear blue: What made you want to join? Were you drafted?
HATCHER: No, no no. I volunteered. I always did want to be in the Army. My uncle, Sylvester, he was a veteran. He was in the Army. My older cousin Ed who lived in Philadelphia. He was in the Army too. I looked up to them. I always wanted to be a soldier.

wear blue: What was the transition like going from a small town high school student to being a soldier on the other side of the world?
HATCHER: Here I am, fresh out of high school, hadn't ever been away from home. For basic training, I was right at Fort Bragg [near Fayetteville, North Carolina] but it seemed like I was a thousand miles from home. We were treated like trainees. When you went through basic training, you went through basic training. That was one of the worst experiences.

wear blue: Did you go to Vietnam immediately following basic training?
HATCHER: I took basic training in Fort Bragg, NC. From Fort Bragg, they sent me to Fort Jackson, SC for my advanced training (AIT). Then from Fort Jackson, they sent me straight to Vietnam. See, that was the thing that got me because when I joined the Army, when I was still in high school, I asked the recruiter, I said, "Sarge, if I join the Army now, will I have to go to Vietnam?" He said, "No. I guarantee you, you won't have to go to Vietnam for at least a year."

wear blue: Wow!
HATCHER: So that's why I really jumped on it too because I thought by this time next year the war will be over. From basic training to AIT, the day we graduated AIT, the Colonel came out and said, "All you all going to Vietnam, the whole battalion." He said, "You're all going to Vietnam except five people." So I crossed my fingers. I said, "I know I ain't going because I don't want it." Nobody wants to go to Vietnam. The first name he called was, "Hatcher".

wear blue: Yikes.
HATCHER: I said, "But sir, the recruiter told me ..." He said, "I don't care what that recruiter told you, you going to Vietnam." That was a hard experience. But I later learned I wasn't the only one who experienced that.

wear blue: Now take me back to the first time you experienced a fellow soldier getting killed or even severely wounded in Vietnam. What was that like?
HATCHER: The first time I remember [was with] one of the guys who I had actually become real close to during my first tour of duty. I used to be in the platoon with him. That morning after the enemy had attacked us so hard, I was going around getting a count of all my friends and he was the one who I hadn't seen. When I got around to where his platoon was, in his position, he was dead.

wear blue: It must have been difficult to function after that.
HATCHER: I'll be honest with you, I was crying like a baby. That was the hardest thing for me to get over. I had a good captain, my commander, he had been in Vietnam before. He was a combat veteran and I was young then, I was only 19 years old. He told me, "Get it together. We're in a war zone." He said, "That could have been you. Pull it together now, we're going to have to keep right on going." After he talked to me, I got okay. My second tour I didn't think about it like that. But it was hard. When you're in combat, you see guys getting shot and wounded all around you. It's hard. Especially when you're still coming back in one piece.

wear blue: Tell me how you earned your Purple Heart.
HATCHER: During my second tour of duty in Vietnam, I was wounded severely. If I recall the date, I think it was March 29, 1971. They medevaced me out from my unit where I got wounded. They took me to the nearest hospital in Vietnam. They couldn't do anything for me there. They put me on the same medevac helicopter and took me down to Da Nang in Vietnam. When I woke up, that's where I was, the Evacuation hospital in Da Nang, Vietnam. Once they released me from the hospital in Da Nang, Vietnam, they flew me to Yokohama, Japan to the hospital there. That's when I had the first surgery for the metal plate in my head. I stayed there for about two weeks and then they flew me to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, D.C. I stayed there from April of 1971 to October of 1971 before I was released. I had multiple wounds...multiple wounds. I didn't have to go back to Vietnam after that. They put me back on active duty, but I didn't have to go back to Vietnam.

wear blue: That is truly incredible. And during your first tour in Vietnam you received a Bronze Star Medal for heroism. You exemplified such courage. Tell me about that.
HATCHER: Yes. That was from action. I was wounded severely. I don't recall that much, but that was where I received the bronze star for heroism. The only thing I can remember, it was one morning we had gotten up and it was to be a normal day. We were playing cards. We had just got the word from division headquarters that there was no enemy in the area so we were going to pack up and go to another area. I was walking around to my platoon to let all my soldiers know. That was when I heard that sound I had never heard before. I found out it was a RPG, a rocket propelled grenade, coming in on us. I heard that sound and when I came to my senses, it was three days later.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Some of what Mr. Hatcher cannot remember is summarized below in this article excerpt from his hometown newspaper which ran shortly after the incident.

““When an enemy rocket struck a bunker a few meters from his position wounding several comrades, Specialist Hatcher exposed himself to the intense enemy fire to move to the aid of his injured comrades. Reaching the bunker despite enemy mortar and small arms fire striking around him, he managed to help two of the wounded men back to position.

Administering first aid to his comrades, he took control of an M-79 grenade launcher and began firing into the advancing enemy ranks, eliminating many soldiers. As the platoon withdrew to a secondary defensive position, Specialist Hatcher remained behind, providing effective covering fire enabling his platoon to withdraw safely.””

wear blue: You have made such enormous sacrifices and we thank you. Let's shift gears a bit. Do you have any pleasant memories of your time in Vietnam?
HATCHER: Yes, I have some good memories of my time there. Believe it or not, some of my best memories were actually over in Vietnam. It wasn't all bad. I used to get letters from my parents telling me that they were praying for me and that the entire church was praying, all the way to the Pastor. That meant a lot. It was a booster to get those letters knowing that people back home hadn't forgotten you. They were praying for you. They love you. I will never forget that.

And my oldest nephew was born when I was over in Vietnam the first time. I got the letter from my sister saying she and my brother-in-law named the baby Benjamin Jr. I was telling all the guys in my unit, "I'm an Uncle! I'm an Uncle!" [laughs] I was so happy.

wear blue: Is there anything you want to add?
HATCHER: The worst experience I've had the whole time I was in the military, those awards that I received, the bronze star award and the purple heart, they're not even on my record. That really hurts my feelings. I contacted the headquarters in Washington, D.C. and they said they didn't have any record of me receiving them there. I have the [physical] awards here at home because my Momma used to keep all this stuff for me so I have the medals. But they don't have any record in D.C. and it's not on my DD-214, that's the discharge paperwork. It's not on there. I checked through different veterans’ organizations and stuff. I just don't understand it. I hope and pray one day before I leave this world that something can be done.

Learn their Stories: Monica Lawson

Being a first or an only in one's chosen field can be a daunting role; especially for those who seek the attention of becoming a history maker. Thankfully, Monica Lawson is not one of those people. In 2020, Lawson became the first active-duty Black female chaplain to pin on colonel rank in the Army. And yet, she views this impressive accomplishment simply as the byproduct of her fulfilling her life's purpose.

The Army chaplain is a qualified religious leader dedicated to serving Soldiers and families. Chaplains provide ministry worldwide, accompanying Soldiers and families as they carry out missions in both peace and war. Chaplains are charged to nurture the living, care for the wounded and honor the fallen. While soldiers are at the heart of the chaplain’s ministry, chaplains are also responsible for the soldier’s family. Family members often need spiritual encouragement, counseling and prayer. Lawson’s current duties include spearheading the recruiting process for accession chaplains and chaplain candidates. Women comprise just 5 percent of the active-duty Army Chaplain Corps and thus Lawson is motivated to increase the number of female chaplains in the military.

Lawson’s entrance into the military wasn’t even a planned one. After losing her scholarship to Spelman College during her sophomore year, she needed a way to continue paying for school. A classmate suggested she consider the military and the rest is history. Lawson enlisted in 1988 as a reservist, and joined ROTC as a cadet before becoming a signal officer in the reserves. Fast forward more than 30 years later, the Alabama native has a degree in Child Development from Spelman and has earned many awards during her military career including the Bronze Star Award, Meritorious Service Medal with Silver Oak Leaf, Iraqi Campaign Medal with Bronze Star, the Meritorious Unit Citation and the Army Staff Identification Badge. Lawson also has two master’s degrees and is an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Lawson explains, "I didn't answer the call to make history but rather I answered the call to bring about change." She continues, "I was also the first Black woman on active duty to complete the Army's Family Life Training Program at Fort Bragg [in North Carolina]. This opportunity led me to encourage and recruit more women to pursue Family Life Chaplaincy training. I know there are other significant assignment firsts that I may have accomplished as an Black woman in the Army Chaplaincy but I haven't kept track of them. "If I am doing what God has called me to do and setting the example He wants me to set, my being the first will open the door up for others to ensure I will not be the last or the only. We have some very gifted and talented women in our corps. The sisterhood we have is one of the things that helps us to stay encouraged as we continue to fulfill our calling."

We are grateful for the contributions of Bridgette Royall, who created this month’s content.

Learn their Stories: The "Black Rosies"

Rosie the Riveter—the now infamous World War II heroine with her iconic red bandanna, blue coveralls and flexed bicep—is one of America’s most recognizable military images. Positioned under the mantra “We Can Do It,” this “Rosie” image has come to broadly represent any tenacious American working woman, and more specifically, the millions of female laborers who kept factories and offices of the U.S. defense industries moving during World War II. What the image doesn’t convey is the diversity of that work force—specifically the more than half-million “Black Rosies” who worked alongside their White peers during the war. 

These Black Rosies gave tirelessly to their country in a myriad of ways. The roles Black Rosies played in the war ran the gamut. They worked in factories as sheet metal workers and munitions and explosive assemblers; in navy yards as shipbuilders and along assembly lines as electricians. For Black women, becoming a Rosie was not only a chance to aid in the war effort, but also a rare opportunity to obtain employment beyond the dead-end and too often demeaning work as domestic hires and sharecroppers. However their newfound opportunity did not come without extreme adversity.

Forced to endure what most would deem insurmountable amounts of both racism and sexism, many of these Black Rosies found ways to not merely survive but to thrive. One of those women is Oleta Crain. As a Black woman serving in the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) and the Air Force, Crane displayed bravery not only in service, but also in challenging the status quo as a Black woman in uniform. Of the 300 women who entered officer training during World War II, Crain was one of only three Black women in the program. She was admitted to the WAC as an Air Force Second Lieutenant in September 1943, and was later promoted to Major, a remarkable achievement. After the war, she was the only female Black officer to be retained by the military. 

Throughout her career, Crain would go on to complete tours in Alaska, England and Germany. Yet her biggest fight seemed to be for civil rights in military training. During her service, Crain raised concerns about racial segregation and discrimination in the armed forces, and successfully gained the respect of her superiors. When she eventually retired from active duty in 1963, Crain continued to fight for civil rights, specifically for Black women, after careers in military intelligence and at the Department of Labor.

Learn their stories: The Tuskegee Airmen

The Tuskegee Airmen epitomize courage and heroism. Their story, however, is more than just the legendary success they're most known for: escorting American bombers over Nazi Germany. Their remarkable journey actually begins more than 23 years earlier. In fact, from the early days of World War I, Black Americans wanted to serve as pilots in the Army Air Force. They were repeatedly rejected because of their race. In 1941, Congress finally mandated the Army Air Force to train Black Americans.

The 926 members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen (comprised initially of the 99th Pursuit Squadron and later the 332nd Fighter Group) were trained for combat at the acclaimed historically Black college, Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in Tuskegee, Alabama. Nearly all of the trainees were college graduates or undergraduates and came from all over the country. In addition to some 1,000 pilots, the Tuskegee program trained nearly 14,000 navigators, bombardiers, instructors, aircraft and engine mechanics, control tower operators and other maintenance and support staff. Known for their red- tailed P-51 Mustang fighters, the Tuskegee Airmen never lost an escorted plane to the enemy during the course of World War II, during which they carried out hundreds of escort missions.

By the time the 332nd flew its last combat mission on April 26, 1945, two weeks before the German surrender, the Tuskegee Airmen had flown more than 15,000 individual sorties over two years in combat. They had destroyed or damaged 36 German planes in the air and 237 on the ground, as well as nearly 1,000 rail cars and transport vehicles and a German destroyer. A reported total of 66 Tuskegee-trained aviators were killed in action during World War II, while another 32 were captured as POWs. After their brave service, the Tuskegee Airmen returned to a country where they continued to face systematic racism. However, they did represent an important step forward in preparing the nation for the racial integration of the military, which began with President Harry Truman who issued the groundbreaking Executive Order 9981 on July 26, 1948 desegregating the United States Armed Forces.

Post World War II, several of the original Tuskegee Airmen would further their military careers and make history yet again. A few examples include Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., who would become the first Black general in the new U.S. Air Force; George S. “Spanky” Roberts, who became the first Black commander of a racially integrated Air Force unit before retiring as a colonel and Daniel “Chappie” James Jr., who would become the nation’s first Black four-star general in 1975.

We are grateful for the contributions of Bridgette Royall, who created this month’s content.

Learn their Stories: The Harlem Hellfighters

Approximately 200,000 Black Americans served in Europe during World War I, including roughly 42,000 of whom saw combat. One of the most renowned units of Black American combat troops was the highly decorated 369th Infantry Regiment. On December 27, 1917, the 369th Infantry Regiment (originally the 15th New York Colored Infantry Regiment) became the first all-Black U.S. combat unit to be shipped overseas during World War I.
 
Before setting out for Europe, the unit was refused permission to participate in the farewell parade of New York’s National Guard, known as the “Rainbow Division,” because “black is not a color in the rainbow.” However, after being assigned to fight under the 16th Division of the French army, because many White American soldiers refused to serve with Black soldiers, they quickly proved their bravery and combat skills.

The regiment was initially nicknamed the “Black Rattlers” for the rattlesnake insignia that adorned their uniforms, and they were called “Men of Bronze” by the French.  Yet, the moniker which ultimately stuck came from their German foes who dubbed the unit “Hellfighters.” During their 191 days of duty at the front, no men were captured nor ground taken. During the war, the Harlem Hellfighters spent more time in continuous combat than any other American unit of its size. They also suffered more losses than any other American regiment, with more than 1,400 total casualties. 

One example of the extraordinary courage of the Harlem Hellfighters involves Henry Johnson and Needham Roberts. These two young soldiers fought off an entire German patrol despite being severely wounded and out of ammunition. After Roberts became incapacitated, Johnson ultimately resorted to using his bolo knife. The French government awarded the entire regiment the prestigious Croix de Guerre avec Palme, France's highest award for valor. Sergeant Henry Johnson was the first Black soldier to win this coveted award. 

The Harlem Hellfighters were the first New York combat unit to return home, and the regiment, which had been denied a place in the farewell parade the prior year, was rewarded with a victory parade. On February 17, 1919, New Yorkers of every race turned out in huge numbers to support 3,000 Harlem Hellfighters as they proudly marched up Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue to the music of their renowned regimental jazz bandleader, James Reese Europe. In fact, the Hellfighters’ regimental band is credited with bringing jazz to Europe. Unfortunately, their fame quickly faded, and for decades the remarkable story of these outstanding African American patriots was largely erased from our country's history. Thankfully, the Harlem Hellfighters are now being recognized and celebrated. In 2015, Johnson was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest military decoration.

We are grateful for the contributions of Bridgette Royall, who created this month’s content.

Connecting and Running Safely During COVID-19

All wear blue communities have paused in-person events and many continue to virtually meet across the country. wear blue will resume in-person Saturday Runs in physically distanced, masked ways, when allowed by local guidelines.

Our community understands the value of physical activity: we use it every day as a tool to navigate the challenges of military life, to strengthen our ties with our community, and to lead inspired lives. The power and benefit of physical activity is more salient than ever before as we continue to manage the challenges of this ongoing pandemic.

Research reminds us why exercise is so important to thrive during this unique time:

• Physical activity improves mental health, reducing depression and anxiety, and is associated with improved immune function.

• Physical inactivity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, diabetes, depression, and premature death.

• For health benefits, adults should engage in 150-300 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week.

We are taking the new year to reaffirm our commitment to a healthy and active lifestyle, AND to reaffirm our commitment to doing so safely. Per the CDC’s guidelines, wear blue encourages the following practices to exercise safely:

• Exercise outside, wear a mask, and wash your hands.

• Stay six feet apart from others and limit those gatherings to less than 5 people outside of your household.

• Stay home if you are not feeling well. Exercise is important. Stopping the spread is even more important.

I’m ready to run with you again. In the meantime, I’m grateful for and connected to you through our shared steps and purpose to honor the service and sacrifice of the American military.

Run strong. Run healthy.

Lisa A. Hallett
Executive Director
wear blue: run to remember
lisa.hallett@wearblueruntoremember.org
www.wearblueruntoremember.org