Loretta Perfectus Walsh
Loretta Perfectus Walsh | |
---|---|
Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | April 22, 1896
Died | August 6, 1925 Olyphant, Pennsylvania, United States | (aged 29)
Employer | United States Navy |
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
Biography
Early life
Loretta Walsh was born in 1896 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Career
War events quickly led up to Walsh's decision to
On March 12, 1917, all American merchant ships were ordered to be armed in war zones.[2] On March 13, 1917, these armed merchant ships were authorized to take action against German U-boats.[2] 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
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
Walsh's 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
Legacy
Walsh fell victim to influenza in the fall of 1918, later contracting tuberculosis.[9] She died on August 6, 1925, at the age of 29 in Olyphant, Pennsylvania.[8] After her death she was buried in Olyphant's St. Patrick's 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
There have been some efforts to document Walsh's 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 profession.[10] The resulting book, Crossed Currents: Navy Women from WWI to Tailhook,[11] 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 War I, The first, the few, the forgotten: Navy and Marine Corps Women in World War I, containing additional information about Walsh.[9]
In 2021, one of the USS Constitution’s 24-pound long guns was named "Perfectus" in honor of Walsh's service.[12]
See also
- History of the United States Navy
- History of women in the military
- Women in the United States Navy
- Yeoman (F)
References
- ^ Zimmermann Telegram. Obtained November 10, 2006.
- ^ Naval History & Heritage Command. Archived from the originalon October 7, 2012.
- ^ a b Beyond The InterNet (August 2004). The Navy Then and Now. Obtained November 10, 2006.
- ^ Jennifer Pompi (July 1, 2014). "Michelle J. Howard becomes Navy's first female 4-star admiral". The Washington Times. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- ^ the Goat Locker. Chief Petty Officer Indoctrination. Obtained November 10, 2006.
- ^ See, Woodrow Wilson declares war on Germany on Wikisource. Obtained November 10, 2006
- ^ a b c Naval Historical Center. (May 6, 2000). Women & the U.S. Navy -- World War I era Yeomen (F). Archived 2008-03-24 at the Wayback Machine Obtained November 10, 2006.
- ^ a b c Pointon, Terri. Rootsweb.com. St. Patrick's Cemetery, Olyphant. Obtained November 10, 2006.
- ^ ISBN 1-55750-203-X
- ^ Kidder, Chris. (December 13, 1993). Virginia Pilot and Ledger-Star. The Evolution of Women in the Navy: Shifting Policy is easier than Changing Attitudes, "Crossed Currents" Finds, p. 9
- ISBN 0-02-881112-7
- ^ "USS Constitution names gun in honor of Navy's trailblazing first female chief". 22 March 2021.
Further reading
- Ebbert, Jean and Marie-Beth Hall (2002). The First, the Few, the Forgotten: Navy and Marine Corps Women in World War I. ISBN 1-55750-203-X.
- Godson, Susan H. (2001). Serving Proudly: A history of Women in the U.S. Navy. ISBN 1-55750-317-6.
- Ebbert, Jean and Marie-Beth Hall (1999). Crossed Currents: Navy Women from WWI to Tailhook [Revised]. ISBN 978-1-57488-193-6.