A forgotten Great War tale

With today being International Women’s Day, there is no better time to point out a forgotten story in the U.S. Navy’s Great War experience, one that would echo across future conflicts.

While the role of female Navy nurses and the wartime Yeomen (F) program of WWI often get a lot of play— and for good reason– there were other women suiting up to do hard work for Uncle during 1917-19 that weren’t changing bandages or pushing paper.

Nearly 600 Yeomen (Female) were on duty by the end of April 1917, a number that had grown to over 11,000 in December 1918, shortly after the Armistice.

U.S. Naval Gun Factory, Washington Navy Yard, District of Columbia: Panoramic photograph of the Gun Factory’s Clerical Force employees, posed in front of the north face of the Commandant’s Office (Building 1), with the east addition of Building 76 behind them, circa 1918-1919. Note…