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August 1942. "Formerly a sociology major at the University of Southern California, Mrs. Eloise J. Ellis (left) now "keeps 'em flyin'" at the Naval Air Base, Corpus Christi, Texas. She is a supervisor under civil service in the Assembly and Repair Department. It is her job to maintain morale among the women by helping them solve housing and other personal problems. With her is Jo Ann Whittington, an NYA trainee at the plant." Large format Kodachrome transparency by Howard Hollem for the Office of War Information. View full size.
According to my mother, who was a nurse attached to an Australian General Hospital unit in WW2, most women of her age (late 20s onwards) saw this period as a time of great opportunity to do more than be a housewife or a female drudge.
She completed her nursing training in 1939 in New Zealand and leaped at the opportunity to join the (Australian) army nursing corps just after war was declared in September that year and always said that it was the most exciting time of her life.
One has to admire the women of WWII. In addition to the worry of having their husbands, brothers and fathers in harm's way, they had to suddenly take on the responsibility of keeping home together, caring for any children, trying to afford and cook meals (no Mc Donald's to run to then), and work some physically demanding jobs previously held by men to help the war effort. They were mostly young women too. All this while just coming out of a long Depression as well. Both male and female had to mature fast in that generation. Tested by fire, no wonder they are called the "Greatest Generation."
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