# Miss America 1944

Miss America 1944, the 18th Miss America pageant, was held at the Warner Theater in Atlantic City, New Jersey on September 9, 1944. Venus Ramey, Miss District of Columbia won the title and also received swimsuit and talent preliminary awards.
One of the five finalists, Betty Jane Rase, who would become known as B. J. Baker, was a backup singer for many top recording artists, and also was one of the wives of actor Mickey Rooney.

## Results
### Placements

| Placement | Contestant |
| Miss America 1944 | District of Columbia – Venus Ramey |
| 1st Runner-Up | Boston – Paulina McKevitt |
| 2nd Runner-Up | Florida – Virginia Warlen |
| 3rd Runner-Up | Chicago – Elaine Steinbach |
| 4th Runner-Up | Birmingham – Betty Jane Rase |
| Top 12 | California – Shirley Ballard  Illinois – Betty June King  Miami – Vernell Bush  Michigan – Beverly Bennett  Minnesota – Patricia Ann Cummings  New York City – Betty Jo Dazey  Pennsylvania – Margie Donie |

### Awards
#### Preliminary awards

| Awards | Contestant |
| Lifestyle and Fitness | Birmingham - Betty Jane Rase District of Columbia - Venus Ramey Florida - Virginia Warlen |
| Talent | Birmingham - Betty Jane Rase District of Columbia - Venus Ramey Florida - Virginia Warlen |

### Other awards

| Awards | Contestant |
| Miss Congeniality | Texas - Joyce Courrege |

## Contestants

| Title | Name | Hometown | Age | Talent | Placement | Award | Notes |
| Arkansas | Mineola Graham | Brinkley | | | | | |
| Atlanta | Mary Ann Linane | | | | | | |
| Birmingham | Betty Jane Rase | Birmingham | | Vocal Medley, "My Hero" from The Chocolate Soldier & "Lover, Come Back to Me" | 4th Runner-up | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Preliminary Talent Award | Later known as B.J. Baker, a back-up singer for many recording artists. |
| Boston | Paulina McKevitt | Boston | | Vocal, "Goodnight, Wherever You Are" | 1st Runner-up | | |
| California | Shirley Ballard | Los Angeles | | | Top 12 | | |
| Chicago | Elaine Steinbach | Chicago | | Vocal, "You'll Never Know" | 3rd Runner-up | | |
| Columbia | Gloria Mae Grisso | Columbia | | | | | |
| Connecticut | Barbara Fisher | East Hartford | | | | | |
| Delaware | Jacquelyn Vasseur | Wilmington | | | | | |
| Detroit | Iora June Victor | Detroit | | Vocal, "Goodnight, Wherever You Are" | | | Grandmother of Miss Michigan 2007 & Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund |
| District of Columbia | Venus Ramey | | 19 | Vocal in English and Spanish & Dance, "Take It Easy" | Winner | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Preliminary Talent Award | |
| Florida | Virginia Warlen | | | Violin, "Intermezzo" | 2nd Runner-up | Preliminary Lifestyle & Fitness Award Preliminary Talent Award | |
| Georgia | Trudie Hayward | Atlanta | | | | | |
| Illinois | Betty June King | Bloomington | | Acrobatic Dance, "Stardust" | Top 12 | | |
| Kansas | Grace Louise Pittman | Wichita | | | | | |
| Maryland | Audrey Klingenberg | Baltimore | | | | | |
| Massachusetts | Lucille Descoteau | Lowell | | | | | |
| Miami | Vernell Bush | Miami | | Vocal, "It Had to be You" | Top 12 | | |
| Michigan | Beverly Bennett | Detroit | | Vocal, "Stormy Weather" | Top 12 | | |
| Minnesota | Patricia Cummings | Minneapolis | | Hula | Top 12 | | |
| Mississippi | Sarah Topp | Tupelo | | | | | |
| New Hampshire | Jackie Edson | Plaistow | | | | | |
| New Jersey | Janice Hansen | Union City | | | | | |
| New Orleans | Wilhelmina Hoffman | New Orleans | | | | | |
| New York | Bobby MacAdam | Brooklyn | | | | | |
| New York City | Betty Jo Dazey | New York City | | Vocal Medley, "Goodnight, Wherever You Are" & "Swinging on a Star" | Top 12 | | |
| North Carolina | Betsy Marie Dalton | Winston-Salem | | | | | |
| Ohio | Madeline Bohanon | Cincinnati | | | | | |
| Pennsylvania | Margie Dorie | Pittsburgh | | Vocal, "Big Boy Blue" | Top 12 | | |
| Philadelphia | Itha Duerrhammer | Philadelphia | | Vocal & Dance | | | |
| South Carolina | Virginia Owens | Columbia | | | | | |
| Tennessee | Marian Weller | Chattanooga | | Vocal, "Someday I'll Find You" | | | |
| Texas | Joyce Courrege | Orange | | Comedic Monologue | | Miss Congeniality | |
| West Virginia | Sharon Allyson Scott | | | | | | |