1919 – Yeomen (f) and Marinettes Final Pass in Review
1919 – Final Pass in Review of the US Navy’s Yeomen (f) and female Marinettes – the film is of Secretary of the Navy Daniels inspecting the female volunteers, the Yeomen (f) and Marinettes.
That video is brief, is available at Critical Past, where a lot of archival footage is being held and restored. If you look closely, you may see some young versions of people like Franklin Roosevelt included in this footage.
The history of the US Navy’s recruiting women for positions as Yeomen (f) and as Marinettes came about under the Naval Act of 1916.
https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/fall/yeoman-f.html
“The Act’s vague language relating to the reserve forces did not prohibit women from enlisting. The act declared that the reserve force within the U.S. Navy would consist of those who had prior naval service, prior service in merchant marines, were part of a crew of a civilian ship commissioned in naval service, or “all persons who may be capable of performing special useful service for coastal defense.” This last element contained the loophole that allowed women to enlist.” – Archives.gov.
Although recruited ostensibly for clerical work, these women filled many other positions, to relieve men in stateside slots for duty at sea and in Europe.
Their service officially ended in 1919. A few remained in service in the Reserves until 1922, but the last Yeoman (f) was discharged in March 1921. This led into the creation of WAVES in World War II, recruiting women for almost all positions normally filled by men to release men on shore duty to overseas and shipboard positions.
And we have never stopped serving since….
Nice footage Ex, and have a great Thanksgiving. Going to Poppies Deli tonight.
Thanks, Ex. Without the home front supporting the troops, there would have been a vastly different outcome to WWI. These Yeomen and Marinettes were able to free up Sailors and Marines by becoming yeomen, electricians (radio operators), or any other rating necessary to the Naval Districts operations, allowing the men to fight the war.
BZ, ladies!
Sadly, the vast majority of celluloid film from the early era of “moving pictures” is already lost, too decayed and crumbled to view or digitize. There are efforts to salvage what remains and digitize it, but a priceless chunk of archival footage is already gone.
My Aunt Christine was one of the last generation of WAVES, serving as an Aviation Storekeeper at NAS North Island in the 60s. She was one of the sweetest gals who ever walked this mortal coil, and she was damn proud to be a WAVE, too.
I miss her.
Worth noting that the record keeping for the yeomanettes was terrible. No list of all those who served exists. Most lists were put together by polling those women who reported their service.
Have spent hours of family tree time looking for one Nina Ferris, who has a lovely picture in the records but who seems to not exist outside of that portrait.