172:. In WAF, Shelly worked to expand women's assignments within the USAF, as most women were still being placed in traditional "women's jobs" such as stenographer or nurse. A push to employ women in more technical fields was undertaken. Some male USAF commanders were interested in the good results obtained by using women in air defense control centers, passenger air transport operations and in data processing and analysis. Others wanted to see women restricted to a few tightly defined roles. Against the ingrained male-dominated military habits, Shelly achieved only limited success; her outgoing report in 1954 stated that the WAF was fated to remain small and exclusive as long as
470:
year Howard issued a directive forbidding the WAF Band to appear at any civilian functions such as county fairs and schools where they had become popular. Nissly continued to accept these civilian invitations in contravention of the directive, allowing anti-women elements in the USAF an excuse to charge the WAF Band with insubordination. The band was dissolved. Band members were given the option of transferring to a different WAF unit but some left the service entirely. Colonel Howard retired on
September 1, 1963. Nissly retired at the rank of Major in 1968.
507:(ROTC) program. Miss Janet Marshall of George Washington University was the first woman to enroll in the WAF Cadet ROTC Program.<USAFROTC History 1956> The program was ordered to be phased out by 1960 by order of the Secretary of the Air Force. By 1959 only 3 WAF ROTC units remained. <USAF ROTC History 1959>The downturn was not permanent and by 1970, the Air Force ROTC women cadet program had expanded to a more national scope.
180:
341:
486:
135:
297:(OTS). She retired at the rank of Major, and earned a master's degree in an Air Force Program at Southern Illinois University. She produced and hosted a TV program about antiques and wrote as a syndicated newspaper columnist in the '80s. Wilson, writing as "Captain Barb", maintains a website with information about women in all branches of the military:
27:
71:
125:
and had demonstrated solid leadership in greatly expanding the WASP program, was similarly directed to join the
Reserves in 1948 within which she rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1969. Female pilots in the Reserves were classified as federal civilian employees, not active military personnel.
336:
The first WAFs wore men's uniforms with neckties. Geraldine Pratt May quickly ordered women's uniforms, selecting herself the particular shade of blue. The cut of the winter uniform was modeled after those of airline flight attendants, using the same material as the men's winter uniforms. Instead of
469:
The WAF Band was inactivated in 1961, most likely victims of their success. Colonel Howard, as leader of the all-male band, had apparently grown less eager to share the spotlight. In 1960, he had diverted a special request for the WAFs to perform in Europe, substituting his band instead. That same
373:
In its ten-year lifespan, the WAF Band was served by some 235 women musicians with approximately 50 members at any one time. Attrition from the organization was often caused by marriage, as band members were required to be single. They also had to be white; the Air Force knew the WAF Band would be
365:
was recruited by Howard to return to military life at the rank of captain to be given the tasks of conductor and commander of the WAF Band. Nissly had left Army service in 1946 as a warrant officer and had previously gained attention as a sergeant by starting the first Women's Army Band at
429:
status as USAF representatives rather than their former status as a simple base band. Their official mission became to "assist, within their capabilities, in promoting Air Force objectives and enhancing the prestige of the Air Force and the United States." This meant there were now
292:
Barbara A. Wilson started as a
Private at Lackland then steadily moved up the ranks. She was the first WAF to complete her Bachelor of Arts degree through a military program at Long Island University. She was the first enlisted WAF NCO (Technical Sergeant) to become an officer via
154:. May's wartime command at "Air WAC" included 6,000 enlisted women and officers. On becoming director of WAF, May was promoted to full colonel, the first woman in the Air Force to attain that rank. May served until 1951 at which time she accepted a non-military government post.
218:
had been given active duty status but Army and Air Force women had not. The bill passed in 1959 and approximately 1,400 women gained additional active duty credit. WAACs who had chosen not to continue service would wait until 1980 to be granted this status.
453:. The move took place in January 1958. The band retained its training and chain-of-command connection with the USAF band school at Bolling. At Norton, the band found it easier to schedule C-124 planes and pilots to keep up their touring schedule.
247:
541:(the "draft"), meaning military recruiting practices were beginning to experience radical changes. In 1976, women were accepted into the military on much the same basis as men; the separate status of WAF was abolished. That same year, the
457:
460:
The first five enlisted WAFs in
Vietnam arrive along with the fourth WAF officer. From bottom: Lt Col June H. Hilton, A1C Carol J. Hornick, A1C Rita M. Pitcock, SSgt Barbara J. Snavely, A1C Shirley J. Brown, and A1C Eva M. Nordstrom.
93:
had graduated their first class of female pilots in April 1943 under wartime conditions. The WAF directorship was to be filled by a non-pilot. All WAFs were assigned ground duties, most ending up in clerical and medical positions.
360:
The 543rd Air Force Band (WAF) was organized in
January 1951 by Colonel George S. Howard, Chief of Bands and Music for the Air Force. Eighteen women musicians were directed by Private First Class Mary Divens. In December 1951,
193:
Colonel
Phyllis D. S. Gray, another ex-WAVE, was director of WAF starting in 1954. She passed the baton to Colonel Emma J. Riley in 1957. Riley linked forces with Army Colonel Mary Louise Milligan (WAC) to work with the
337:
a necktie, tabs were worn on the collar. The effect was considered "smart and contemporary", The two-piece summer uniform, however, made of cotton-cord seersucker, fit poorly and required frequent ironing.
57:
WAF was distinct from the Women's
Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS), a small group of female civilian transport pilots that was formed in 1942 with Nancy H. Love as commander. WAFS was folded into the
195:
86:
members (WACs) continued serving in the Army but performed Air Force duties, as the Air Force did not admit women in its first year. Some WACs chose to transfer to the WAFs when it became possible.
275:, was where the first cadre of WAFs reported. Recruits were expected to appear attractive and were schooled in posture and cosmetics along with their physical training and military indoctrination.
706:"Air University ([[Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base|Maxwell-Gunter AFB]]; [[Montgomery, Alabama]]) > Air Force Enlisted Heritage Research Institute > Milestones"
89:
At its inception in 1948, WAF was limited to 4,000 enlisted women and 300 female officers. Women were encouraged to fill many different roles but were not to be trained as pilots, even though the
278:
African-American recruits joined the WAFs in greater numbers in 1949 when basic training for women was desegregated in the USAF. Integration of quarters and mess was slower in coming.
477:
holds the Martha
Awkerman WAF and Long Beach Band Papers, 1940–2002 which consists of scrapbooks, photographs, and recordings of cornet soloist Martha Awkerman and the WAF Band.
308:
who attained the rank in 1990. Harris took OTS at
Lackland in 1966, after traveling with a USO tour to military bases in Germany and France. Harris said in a 1992 interview with
959:
954:
445:, the WAF Band was invited by General James L. Jackson, Deputy Commander of the San Bernardino Air Materiel Area, Air Materiel Command, to move to his headquarters at
949:
680:
576:
474:
263:
who enlisted July 8, 1948, in the first minute that regular Air Force duty was authorized for women; Blake transferred from the WACs where she had a post in
51:
54:, allowing women to serve directly in the military. The WAF program ended in 1976 when women were accepted into the USAF on an equal basis with men.
425:, where, by Air Force Regulation 190-21, published June 13, 1955, they were officially designated "United States WAF Band", acknowledging their
402:
870:
588:
250:
New WAF Privates Moore, Kinniebrue, Jackson and Gogue-Cook are issued their service uniforms for basic and extended training, February 1949
417:
inauguration and appeared occasionally on live television broadcasts. Home base for the WAF Band was first
Lackland, moving in 1953 to
670:
644:
282:
841:
915:
294:
435:
798:
542:
321:
705:
504:
198:(DACOWITS) in a successful attempt to retroactively grant active military service status (and its benefits) to former WAACs (
151:
324:
in Colorado. She even picked up a degree in Business Management along the way. Circa 1992 Harris held a command at HQ USAF,
206:
and had also been in WAC, WAF or one of the other women's services. Riley pointed out to a Congressional subcommittee that
593:
559:
110:
59:
20:
147:
90:
826:
316:
with a BA in speech and drama she joined the WAFs. Specializing in aircraft maintenance, she served as a supervisor at
784:
97:
Women who were already pilots and who would have been good candidates for WAF leadership were instead diverted to the
31:
871:"Martha Awkerman WAF and Long Beach Band Papers, 1940–2002 | The Sousa Archives and Center for American Music"
450:
215:
98:
30:
A/2C Frances E. Courtney furnished the bugle calls of taps and reveille for the 3452nd Student Squadron (WAF) at
146:, who received her first commission in August 1942. She had been among the first women officers assigned to the
598:
286:
268:
75:
43:
418:
362:
328:, where she was responsible for 125,000 airmen and an annual budget of $ 20 billion. She retired in 1997.
554:
515:
496:
462:
446:
186:
157:
565:
199:
83:
442:
410:
745:
Ebony magazine interview: Brig. Gen. Marcelite J. Harris: the Air Force's first black female general
743:
305:
168:
training in 1942; after the war she had returned to civilian life as assistant to the president of
143:
102:
379:
272:
169:
161:
118:
114:
636:
320:
in Thailand, servicing Vietnam war aircraft. Harris later became Air Officer Commanding at the
911:
640:
538:
527:
511:
492:
227:
173:
729:
628:
422:
367:
325:
309:
674:
849:
414:
313:
122:
47:
160:
picked up the WAF directorship in 1951. Shelly was among the first women officers in the
401:
518:, is an example of high-ranking woman officer who was commissioned via Air Force ROTC.
349:
317:
264:
233:
943:
806:
684:
629:
508:
489:
929:
Women Military Veterans: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow
709:
299:
Women Military Veterans: Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow
260:
203:
281:
904:
534:, lifting grade restrictions and strength limitations on women in the military.
391:
345:
246:
179:
375:
340:
485:
134:
42:(WAF) was a program which served to bring women into limited roles in the
906:
A Defense Weapon Known to Be of Value: Servicewomen of the Korean War Era
456:
183:
26:
927:
395:
387:
383:
304:
The first African-American female brigadier general of the USAF was
370:
in 1942 while she was with the Women's Auxiliary Air Corps (WAAC).
70:
581:
571:
484:
455:
400:
339:
280:
245:
211:
207:
178:
165:
138:
A 1952 WAF officer candidate salutes in front of the American flag
133:
69:
25:
730:
Dr. Judith Bellafaire, (2006). Women's Memorial History Archive:
312:: "Originally, I wanted to be an actress." After graduating from
82:
When the USAF was officially formed in 1947, a number of former
196:
Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services
117:
in the Reserves in 1948 after it was directed to admit women.
934:
635:. Denton, Texas: University of North Texas Press. p.
285:
Captain Barbara A. Wilson, first enlisted WAF to complete
732:
Volunteering For Vietnam: African-American Servicewomen
434:
bands serving as ambassadors of the USAF: the all-male
405:
Colonel George S. Howard, USAF Chief of Bands and Music
382:. Concerts were played all over the nation, including
62:(WASPs) in 1943; WASP was disbanded in December 1944.
631:
Nancy Love and the WASP Ferry Pilots of World War II
236:(first female two-star general in the United States)
413:two inaugurations, played in the freezing cold for
150:, where she served as WAC staff director within
503:In 1956, a WAF section was introduced into the
681:United States Army Center of Military History
8:
475:Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
577:United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve
344:The WAF Band poses at USAF Band School at
770:
768:
189:is the highest-ranking woman in the USAF.
960:1948 establishments in the United States
955:All-female military units and formations
758:
756:
754:
164:and had been instrumental in setting up
610:
142:The first director of WAF was Colonel
52:Women's Armed Services Integration Act
676:The Women's Army Air Corps, 1945–1978
7:
950:Women in the United States Air Force
589:Women in the United States Air Force
495:obtained her commission via ROTC at
394:. At least one concert took them to
671:"Chapter VII: Management and Image"
378:and they did not want to cross the
259:The first WAF recruit was Sergeant
107:Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron
829:Brigadier General James L. Jackson
14:
844:Tribute to MaryBelle Johns Nissly
113:(WASPs), was awarded the rank of
32:Francis E. Warren Air Force Base
683:. CMH Pub 30-14. Archived from
543:United States Air Force Academy
441:In 1957, while flying aboard a
322:United States Air Force Academy
105:, founder and commander of the
505:Reserve Officer Training Corps
242:1975–1976: Bianca D. Trimeloni
46:. WAF was formed in 1948 when
1:
785:"WAF Band still making music"
594:United States Army Air Forces
560:Women Airforce Service Pilots
121:, who had volunteered in the
111:Women Airforce Service Pilots
60:Women Airforce Service Pilots
21:Women Airforce Service Pilots
627:Rickman, Sarah Byrn (2008).
239:1973–1975: Billie M. Bobbitt
200:Women's Army Auxiliary Corps
109:(WAFS) and executive of the
91:United States Army Air Corps
976:
669:Morden, Betty J. (2000) .
451:San Bernardino, California
74:The first WAF squadron at
18:
16:Aspect of the US Air Force
545:began accepting females.
19:Not to be confused with
599:United States Air Force
374:touring the segregated
295:Officer Training School
287:Officer Training School
269:Lackland Air Force Base
44:United States Air Force
873:. Library.illinois.edu
500:
466:
406:
363:MaryBelle Johns Nissly
352:
289:
251:
190:
139:
79:
35:
827:Air Force biography:
555:Women in the military
516:Texas Tech University
514:, a 1980 graduate of
497:Texas Tech University
488:
463:Tan Son Nhut Air Base
459:
404:
343:
284:
249:
187:Janet C. Wolfenbarger
182:
176:applied only to men.
152:Air Transport Command
137:
73:
29:
617:Witt, 2005, pp. 5–6.
537:1973 saw the end of
443:C-124 Globemaster II
409:The band marched in
202:) who had served in
890:Witt, 2005, p. 199.
842:"Dixie L. Johnson.
799:"Dixie L. Johnson.
774:Witt, 2005, p. 167.
306:Marcelite J. Harris
222:Further directors:
144:Geraldine Pratt May
103:Nancy Harkness Love
762:Witt, 2005, p. 53.
659:Witt, 2005, p. 67.
566:Women's Army Corps
501:
467:
438:and the WAF Band.
407:
353:
290:
273:San Antonio, Texas
252:
191:
170:Bennington College
140:
119:Jacqueline Cochran
115:lieutenant colonel
99:Air Force Reserves
84:Women's Army Corps
80:
36:
539:Selective Service
532:Public Law 90-130
528:President Johnson
512:Wendy M. Masiello
493:Wendy M. Masiello
228:Elizabeth Ann Ray
174:Selective Service
40:Women's Air Force
967:
935:WAF Band website
891:
888:
882:
881:
879:
878:
867:
861:
860:
858:
857:
848:. Archived from
838:
832:
824:
818:
817:
815:
814:
805:. Archived from
801:WAF Band History
795:
789:
788:
781:
775:
772:
763:
760:
749:
741:
735:
727:
721:
720:
718:
717:
708:. Archived from
702:
696:
695:
693:
692:
666:
660:
657:
651:
650:
634:
624:
618:
615:
423:Washington, D.C.
326:Washington, D.C.
48:President Truman
975:
974:
970:
969:
968:
966:
965:
964:
940:
939:
924:
900:
895:
894:
889:
885:
876:
874:
869:
868:
864:
855:
853:
840:
839:
835:
825:
821:
812:
810:
797:
796:
792:
783:
782:
778:
773:
766:
761:
752:
747:. December 1992
742:
738:
728:
724:
715:
713:
704:
703:
699:
690:
688:
668:
667:
663:
658:
654:
647:
626:
625:
621:
616:
612:
607:
551:
524:
522:Closing chapter
483:
368:Fort Des Moines
358:
334:
314:Spelman College
257:
148:Army Air Forces
132:
101:. For example,
68:
66:Life in the WAF
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
973:
971:
963:
962:
957:
952:
942:
941:
938:
937:
932:
923:
922:External links
920:
919:
918:
899:
896:
893:
892:
883:
862:
833:
819:
790:
776:
764:
750:
736:
722:
697:
661:
652:
646:978-1574412413
645:
619:
609:
608:
606:
603:
602:
601:
596:
591:
586:
585:
584:
579:
574:
569:
563:
550:
547:
523:
520:
482:
479:
436:Air Force Band
357:
354:
350:Washington, DC
333:
330:
318:Korat Air Base
265:Fort McPherson
256:
253:
244:
243:
240:
237:
234:Jeanne M. Holm
230:
158:Mary Jo Shelly
131:
128:
67:
64:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
972:
961:
958:
956:
953:
951:
948:
947:
945:
936:
933:
931:
930:
926:
925:
921:
917:
916:1-58465-472-4
913:
909:
907:
903:Witt, Linda.
902:
901:
897:
887:
884:
872:
866:
863:
852:on 2007-08-01
851:
847:
845:
837:
834:
831:
830:
823:
820:
809:on 2008-05-09
808:
804:
802:
794:
791:
786:
780:
777:
771:
769:
765:
759:
757:
755:
751:
748:
746:
740:
737:
734:
733:
726:
723:
712:on 2011-07-23
711:
707:
701:
698:
687:on 2010-07-29
686:
682:
678:
677:
672:
665:
662:
656:
653:
648:
642:
638:
633:
632:
623:
620:
614:
611:
604:
600:
597:
595:
592:
590:
587:
583:
580:
578:
575:
573:
570:
567:
564:
561:
558:
557:
556:
553:
552:
548:
546:
544:
540:
535:
533:
529:
521:
519:
517:
513:
510:
509:Major General
506:
498:
494:
491:
487:
480:
478:
476:
471:
464:
458:
454:
452:
448:
444:
439:
437:
433:
428:
424:
420:
416:
412:
403:
399:
397:
393:
389:
385:
381:
377:
371:
369:
364:
355:
351:
347:
342:
338:
331:
329:
327:
323:
319:
315:
311:
307:
302:
300:
296:
288:
283:
279:
276:
274:
270:
266:
262:
254:
248:
241:
238:
235:
231:
229:
225:
224:
223:
220:
217:
213:
209:
205:
201:
197:
188:
185:
181:
177:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
155:
153:
149:
145:
136:
129:
127:
124:
120:
116:
112:
108:
104:
100:
95:
92:
87:
85:
77:
72:
65:
63:
61:
55:
53:
49:
45:
41:
33:
28:
22:
928:
910:UPNE, 2005.
905:
898:Book sources
886:
875:. Retrieved
865:
854:. Retrieved
850:the original
846:(GIF image)"
843:
836:
828:
822:
811:. Retrieved
807:the original
803:(GIF image)"
800:
793:
779:
744:
739:
731:
725:
714:. Retrieved
710:the original
700:
689:. Retrieved
685:the original
675:
664:
655:
630:
622:
613:
536:
531:
525:
502:
481:ROTC program
472:
468:
440:
431:
426:
411:Eisenhower's
408:
380:race barrier
372:
359:
335:
303:
298:
291:
277:
261:Esther Blake
258:
221:
204:World War II
192:
156:
141:
106:
96:
88:
81:
76:Lackland AFB
56:
39:
37:
465:, June 1967
419:Bolling AFB
392:Puerto Rico
346:Bolling AFB
267:, Georgia.
232:1965–1973:
226:1961–1965:
214:and female
50:signed the
944:Categories
877:2016-10-18
856:2007-10-09
813:2008-04-21
716:2013-04-17
691:2010-07-19
605:References
447:Norton AFB
376:Deep South
526:In 1967,
490:Maj. Gen.
130:Directors
549:See also
427:de facto
356:WAF Band
332:Uniforms
255:Recruits
530:signed
271:, near
216:Marines
184:General
78:in 1948
34:in 1953
914:
643:
562:(WASP)
396:Mexico
388:Alaska
384:Hawaii
582:SPARS
572:WAVES
568:(WAC)
415:JFK's
310:Ebony
212:WAVES
208:SPARS
166:WAVES
912:ISBN
641:ISBN
473:The
390:and
162:Navy
38:The
637:238
449:in
432:two
421:in
348:in
123:RAF
946::
767:^
753:^
679:.
673:.
639:.
398:.
386:,
301:.
210:,
908:.
880:.
859:.
816:.
787:.
719:.
694:.
649:.
499:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
