The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-24
Women In The World War
BY PATRICIA DUBER, STAFF WRITER
Waterbury Democrats Washington Service Bureau.

lean Expeditionary Force in France
consisted Of duty In base hospitals
established along the principal lines
Of communication. Connecting the
zone Of the base with that Of the
advance were the hospital trains Of
the u. s. Army Medical Corps, and
nurses also served on these sanitary
trains. Sick and wounded soldiers
were cared for In military hospitals
established by the American Red
Cross, both In the zones Of the base
and the zone Of advance.
From the nucleus OF 4o3 nurses
In the Army Nurse Corps In April,
1917, was developed a corps which
reached It's peak In November, 1918,
when 1t numbered 2i,480. Two hum
dred and sixty-six nurses died from
all causes while serving In the U. 8.
Army Corps during the World War:
1874 IN the u. s., and 102 overseas.
No nurses were killed by enemy ac-
ton.
The Medal Of Honor was con.
ferred ON 81 members OF the Nurse
Corps by the French Government,
the Silver Cross Of ST. Anne con-
ferred upon 8 nurses by the Russian
Government, the British Royal Red
Cross was conferred upon "a nurses
by the British Government, and the
Order Of the CroiX Renie Marine
was conferred on 3 nurses by the
King OF Rumania. Over 200 others
received citations for bravery.
Navy Nursing Corps
Nurses Of the Hospital Corps Of
the u. 8. Navy" were assigned to
permanent base hospitals and dis
pensaries attached TO the principal
naval bases along the Atlantic and
Pacific seaboard, and In insular and
foreign waters. When war was de-
clarcd, the strength Of the Navy
Nurse Corps was 100 nurses, but this
was quickly brought UP to 1900,
These nurses were assigned 10 naval
hospitals In this country and In Eu-
rope, TO hospital ships and trans
ports, and 10 small hospitals and
dispensaries established In Great
Britain and France by the Amer
lean Red Gross. and later taken over
by the U. 8. Navy. At the signing
Of the Armistice, 200 members OF
the Navy Corps were In service In
Great Britain and France. On Nov.
II, 1918, the total strength OF the
Navy Nurse Corps was 1903 nurses.
Epidemics OF influenza OH crowd
ed transports and at shore stations
made the service OF the Navy nurse
especially trying, and 20 nurses paid
the supreme sacrifice during the
participation Of the U. 8. In the
World War.
Yeomen
In March. 1917, there was q great
need OF clerical assistants In WASH
ington, and at all shore stations.
The Civil Service Commission could
not supply anywhere near the mum.
Der Of assistants needed, and there
was no appropriation available from
which to pay them. On March IL,
1917, q decision was rendered by the
Secretary Of the Navy that women
may be enrolled In the Naval Coast
Defense Reserve" and en- March
81, 1917, the first woman was en-.
rolled at Philadelphia, Pa, as Chief
Xeoman. No November II, 1918. a
total OF l0,073 women had been en-
rolled IN the U. 8. Naval Reserve
Force. These women served In the
capacity Of stenographers, clerks,
typists, telephone. telegraph and ra-
do operators; printers and drafts
men at Naval Stations. They also
took part IN the Liberty Loan cam.
paign, and In recruiting. Thirty.
seven yeomen died while on active
duty.
Marine Corps
For the primary purpose Of re-
iieving the enlisted personnel at Ma.
rine Corps Headquarters In WASH
ington and In some Of the larger
recruiting stations, enrolment of
women into the y. 8. Marine Corps
Reserve was begun in August, 1918.
They were required to pass an ex-
animation, both physically and for
their qualifications to perform the
duties to which they were assigned.
Only one death is recorded while on
active duty, among the 3i3 women
enlisted In the U. 8. Marine Corps.
The European combatanrs, of
course. made even wider use Of wo-
men IN actual ambulance service
and similar work behind the battle
lines.