Fluent Essays

Born Died April 22, 1896 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States August 6, 1925 (aged 29) Olyphant, Pennsylvania, United States Employer United States Navy WIKIPEDIA Loretta Perfectus Walsh Loretta Perfectus Walsh (April 22, 1896 - August 6, 1925) became the first American active-duty Navy woman, the first woman to enlist in the U.S. Navy, and the first woman allowed to serve as a woman in any of the United States armed forces, as anything other than as a nurse, when she enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve on March 17, 1917. Walsh subsequently became the first woman U.S. Navy petty officer when she was sworn in as Chief Yeoman on March 21, 1917. Contents Biography Early life Career Walshs contribution Legacy See also References Further reading Biography Loretta Perfectus Walsh Early life Loretta Walsh was born in 1896 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Career War events quickly led up to Walshs decision to enlist in the United States Navy. World War I was in its fourth year when, on January 31, 1917 the Germans announced they would resume unrestricted submarine warfare on all ships, including those sailing under the United States flag. On February 23, 1917, American opinion further was angered when America learned of Berlins proposal to Mexico to join the war as Germanys ally against the U.S.[h] Over the next few weeks, four American ships fell victim to German U-boats, causing the death of fifteen Americans. On March 12, 1917, all American merchant ships were ordered to be armed in war zones.[21 On March 13, 1917, these armed merchant ships were authorized to take action against German U- boats J2} It was in the face of this adversity challenging the United States that Walsh made her decision to enlist in the United States military. At age 20, on March 17, 1917, Walsh engaged in a four-year enlistment in the U.S. Navy, becoming the first active-duty Navy woman, the first woman to enlist in the Navy, and the first woman to serve in any of the armed forces in a non-nurse occupation. 1t 1 On March 19, 1917, the Navy Department authorized enrollment of women in Naval Reserve with ratings of yeoman, radio electrician, or other essential ratings, becoming the first branch of the United States armed forces to allow enlistment by women in a non-nursing capacity. 2] Walsh subsequently became the first woman Navy petty officer when she was sworn in as Chief Yeoman on March 21, 1917J21151 12 days after Walsh was sworn in as Chief Yeoman, President Woodrow Wilson went before the U.S. Congress late on April 2 to ask for a declaration of war, which Congress did on April 6, 1917.[6] The war ended on November 11, 1918. Walsh and other female yeomen, all of whom held enlisted ranks, continued in service during the first months after the November 1918 Armistice was signedi171 However, as a result of the post-World War I Naval reductions, the number of Yeomen (F) declined steadily, reaching just under four thousand by the end of July 1919, when Walsh and the remaining Yeomen (F) were all released from active duty. 87 Walsh continued on inactive reserve status, receiving modest retainer pay, until the end of her four-year enlistment on March 17, 1921J7] Walshs contribution In 1917, women had served in the United States military as nurses since 1901. However, despite their uniforms, Army and Navy nurses were civilian employees with few benefits. For example, women lacked relative ranks and insignia, retirement pension, disability pension if injured in the line of duty. On enlisting in the Navy in early 1917, Walsh became a Yeoman (F), commonly called Yeomanettes. Yeomanettes primarily served in clerical positions. As a non-nurse, Walsh was the first of 13,000 World War I yeoman females entitled to receive the same benefits and responsibilities as men, including identical pay. 1 Legacy Walsh fell victim to influenza in the fall of 1918, later contracting tuberculosis. 1 She died on August 6, 1925 at the age of 29 in Olyphant, Pennsylvania. [81 After her death she was buried in Olyphants St. Patricks Cemetery, under a monument that reads: [8] Loretta Perfectus Walsh April 22, 1896—August 6, 1925 Woman and Patriot First of those enrolled in the United States Naval Service World War 1917-1919 Her comrades dedicate this monument to keep alive forever memories of the sacrifice and devotion of womanhood In memory of Walsh and her bold actions on March 21, 1917, the official history program of the Department of the Navy, the Naval Historical Center, identifies March 21, 1917 as a date in American naval history. [21 There have been some efforts to document Walshs story. For example, in 1982, former U.S. Navy lieutenant, Jean Ebbert and Mary-Beth Hall set out to document the story of Walsh as the first Navy woman to serve outside the nursing professjon.[10] The resulting book, Crossed Currents: Navy Women from WWI to Tailhook,[hhl was published in December 1994. It was followed by a second book by the same authors devoted to Navy and Marine Corps women in World -c - War I, The first, the few, the forgotten: Navy and Marine I Corps Women in World War I, containing additional . s information about Walshj91 Ja.al servicewomen holding a wreath-laying ceremony at Walshs restinq-place In 2021, one of the USS Constitutions 24-pound long guns was named Perfectus in honor of Walshs service. 112} See also • History of the United States Navy • History of women in the military • Women in the United States Navy • Yeoman (F) References 1 Zimmermann lelegrani nJ i o 2. Dates in American Naval History: March (https://web.arch ive.org/web/20121007001202/https://Www.historynavy.mil/ warsldatesmar.htm). Naval History & Heritage Command. A Thivod fr, - )1-11 the original (http:f/www.history.navymil/wars, datesmar.htm) c Otobor /, 221 2. 3. Bovond T1,, 1 n. N1 (/\.uc 204 The Navy Then and Now (http:l/wwvviinking.to/Navy). Cihtanec oornboi 10. 2006, 4. Jennifer Poinpi ItIlY 1 • Michelle J. Howard becomes Navys first female 4-star admiral (https:llmwas hingtontimes.com/news/2014/jul/l /michelle-j-howard-beco mes-navys-first-female_4._sta/) •7 l7tno,. Retrieveci October - p 5. the Goat Locker. Chief Petty Officer Indoctrination. http://w ww.goatlockor. org/resources/cpo/a ho ut/cpo Ic pdf) U in ed November 10, 2006. 6. See. Woodrow Wilson declares war on Germany or Wikisource Ohtaned November 10, 2.006 7. Nav Hsterce Center. (May 6, 2000Y Women & the U.S. Navy -- World War I era Yeomen (F). (http://www.history.na vy. mil/photos/prs-tpic/females/yeoman-f. htm) Archived (htt psi/web, archive. org/web/200803242346 10/h ttp ://www. hist ory. navy. mil/photos/prs-tpic/females/yeoman-f. htm) 1QO8 -24 at The VIayback Machine Ci.w ad Novernher 10, 2006. 8. Poriton, TeaL o 1svab.com, St. Patricks Cemetery, Olyphant. (http.,Ilwww.rootsweb.com/ ~ pa/ackawlforestlstpa ts.html,) flH+n..cJ . •bf 0, 2006. 9. Ebbea. . ean: Han. Mary-Beth (2002). The first, the few the i\%HJettei7: Nay and Marine? Corps Women in World (A/ar I, Naval Institute Press: ISBN 1-55750-203-X 10. Kdt, Chrs. (December 13, 1293) Virginia Pilot and Ledger-Star. The Evolution of Women in the Na y: Shi [tine Poicv la ann/er than Changing Attitudes, Crossed Currents Finds, P. 9 11 Ebbert, Jean; Hall, Mary-Beth (1994), Cronecl Currents: Navy Women Man Th//hcoA, Brasseys Inc, Revised edticn. ISBN 0-02-881112-7 12. USS Constitution names gun in honor of Navys trailblazing first female chief (https://www.wcvb.com/amp/a rticle/uss-constitution-names-gun-in-honor-of-navys-trailbla zing-first-female-chief/35900772). 22 Ma rob 2021. Further reading • Ebbert, Jean and Marie-Beth Hall (2002). The First, the Few, the Forgotten: Navy and Marine Corps Women in World War!. Annapolis, MD: The Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-203-X. • Godson, Susan H. (2001). Serving Proudly: A history of Women in the U.S. Navy. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-317-6. • Ebbert, Jean and Marie-Beth Hall (1999). Crossed Currents: Navy Women from WWI to Tailhook [Revised]. Washington, D.C.: Brasseys. ISBN 978-1-57488-193-6. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=LorettaPerfectus_walsh&oldidl 035543987 Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4