Women have unofficially served in the United States Military since the American Revolution, disguising themselves as men on the battlefield and risking their lives as spies. World War I was the first time women were allowed to openly serve to fill stateside roles, when both the Navy and Army Signal Corps enlisted thousands of women to perform clerical duties and to serve as telephone and radio operators, known as "Hello Girls."
World War II was the first time women served as pilots, in the newly formed Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program. Over 1,000 women were selected for this opportunity and flew every type of
aircraft to various locations across the U.S. TWU's Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) department has been the official WASP Archive since 1992. With over 1 million items, it includes everything from uniforms and insignia to personal letters and diaries. To learn more, see the WASP Archive link in the section below.
Women's progress in the US Armed Forces slowed after WWII, and it took many years to receive the recognition they deserved. Women Veterans Day, also known as Women Veterans Recognition Day, was first established by the New York State Assembly in 2008, with the date of June 12th chosen to mark the anniversary of the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948. Although not yet recognized nationally, in 2017 Texas Governor Greg Abbot signed Women Veterans Day into law, and many states have since followed.
The history of women in the U.S. military is full of inspiring stories, some of which can be found through the "Books on Women Veterans" link in the left margin. For those who have served or are currently serving, TWU and the local community offer a variety of services for women veterans, including those listed below.
