Lt. van Straten, who had no previous military experience, spent the war at Weather Central in Washington, initially analyzing the use of weather in combat operations in the Pacific. She also wrote the report on the Marshalls–Gilberts raids, tactical airstrikes over islands in Micronesia. The purpose of the reports was to “form a basis for a better understanding of the applications of weather information to future operations.” Later, van Straten transferred to the R &amp; D section, where she worked for the rest of the war on radar and other new technologies.