Women’s History Month

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March is Women’s History Month, saluting the many contributions American and International women pioneers who have changed the world.

Come share your stories about military and civilian women.

Oveta Culp Hobby
First commander of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps, and director of the Women’s Army Corps was Oveta Culp Hobby was born in 1905 Killeen, Texas, she had a severe stroke on April 17, 1995, died August16, 1995 at home in Houston, at age 90, buried at Glenwood Cemetery, married February 23, 1931 to former Governor of Texas, William P. Hobby. Mr. Hobby was the publisher of the Houston Post.
Shortly before the U.S. became involved in World War II, General David Searles asked Hobby to organize the WAAC. World War II, Hobby organized and directed the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps acronym WAAC, Hobby was appointed the rank of major. Later, she became colonel.

During her time spent establishing the WAAC, Hobby encountered the barriers women had to prevail over. Since Congress did not or was reluctant to create the women’s corps an inherent component of the Army the women in the War Department discovered they were in a state in oblivion. One of the hindrances Hobby encountered was when she sent a request to Army engineers for blueprints for WAAC housing. She was informed by the engineers they only worked for the Army and not the WAAC. Consequently Hobby and her staff were driven to come up with a draft for the WAAC barracks.

Hobby knew she had to find a way to make the WAAC uniform more appealing to large numbers of women, so she summoned long-familiar fashion designers. However, the Quartermaster Corps disallowed pleated skirts because they felt it was a waste of cloth. As a result, the WAAC uniform was a basic design of the Quartermaster Corps.

Nearly all the sergeants had their own source of transportation, but Hobby had to ask for a car from the motor pool. No only that, commanding officers were appalled at the idea of female soldiers. So much so, a commander called for a fence to be erected around the WAAC barracks on post, and permitted WAACs to attend the post movie just two nights a week, and the men went to the cinema on the other nights.

Furthermore, the comptroller general’s office ruled women doctors could not receive pay for treating the WAACs because they were only allowed to pay military personnel. Secretary of War Stimson was forced to request a special act of Congress to permit Hobby to pay the doctors.

As an officer, Hobby was invited to the Army-Navy Club, but she was asked by a club official to enter through the back door.

In spite of the barriers, the WAACs proved they were quite capable of performing duties from secretarial work to PBX operation to kitchen police to parachute rigging. Once the WAAC as established, Congress was hesitant to admit women can do the fifty-four jobs that were available. Under Hobby’s guidance, the WAAC held 234 kinds of jobs.

By 1944 the Auxiliary was dropped and the WAAC became WAC word form for Women’s Army Corps. The WAC disbanded in 1978.

In 1945, World War II ended, Hobby was worn out, and she asked to resign her position as WAC Director. January of that year, Hobby was the first woman recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal for exemplary service.

Harriet Quimby
She was born May 11, 1865 Kinderhook Township, Michigan died 1912, buried July 4, 1912 Woodlawn Cemetery, New York, later her remains were relocated to her final burial place at Kenisco Cemetery, Vallhalla, New York.
She attended private schools in American and Europe. After her family moved to California, Harriet got a job working as a writer for the Dramatic Review of San Francisco.

She received her pilot instruction at the Mosiant School of Aviation in Hampstead, Long Island. Fourth months and 33 flying lessons later, Harriet flew getting her Fédération Aéronautique Internationale License on July 31, 1911. On August 1, 1911, she became America’s first woman aviator in to receive a pilot’s license.

Harriet purchased a Bleroit monoplane and shipped the aircraft to Dover, England with the purpose of becoming the first woman to fly the English Channel. On April 16, 1912, Harriet took off from Dover flying across the Channel and her destination was Calais, France, but she landed 25 miles north of Hardclat.

July 1, 1912 during a public stunt flight at an aviation exhibition near Quincy Massachusetts, flying at 1,500 feet the plane abruptly pitched forward. Harriet and her passenger William Willard fell from the aircraft, falling to their deaths.

Jacqueline Cochran
Jacqueline Cochran broke the sound barrier in 1953, set speed and altitude records and lobbied for the use of women pilots in the military - to no avail. Civilian women were flying over the North Pole, around the world, and through the sound barrier but until the '70s the military resisted having women pilots.
Her most distinguished aviation career began in 1932 when she obtained her pilot's license with only three weeks of instruction. From this time onward, her life was one of total dedication to aviation. After her first air race in 1934, she was respected by all for her competitive spirit and high skill. Her performance in the aviation events of the 1930's is legendary. Among her last flight activities was the establishment in 1964 of a record of 1,429 MPH in the F-104 Starfighter.

At the beginning of World War II, she became a Wing Commander in the British Auxiliary Transport Service ferrying U.S. built Hudson bombers to England. With the U.S. entry into the War, she offered her services to the Army Air Corps and formed the famed Women's Air Force Service Pilots. This group, more than 1000 strong played a major role in the delivery of aircraft to the combat areas throughout the world. For this service, she was awarded the U.S. Distinguished Service Medal.

Some of the honors she has been accorded include the Harmon Trophy, the General William E. Mitchell Award, Gold Medal of the Federation Aeronautique, and decorations from numerous countries.

Margaret Cochran Corbin
Born 1751 November 12, 1751 near Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, died 1800 near West Point, New York, age 49 before her fiftieth birthday, buried military cemetery at West Point, New York.
In 1756 Margaret was orphaned at age five when the Indians killed her father and took her mother prisoner. Her uncle raised Margaret.

Around 1772, Margaret was age 21 when she married John Corbin. In 1775 he enlisted in the Continental Army, as a gunner. Margaret was like many of the soldier’s wives during the war. She joined her husband where he was bivouacking at the time. While she was there, Margaret cooked, did the laundry, and did other duties for the troops.

During the Revolutionary War, John and Margaret were stationed in Fort Washington, New York. Then on November 16, 1776, was the beginning of the Battle of Fort Washington when the fort was attacked by British and Hessian troops. John was assisting a gunner until the gunner was killed. Then John took charge of the cannon and Margaret assisted him. Later John Corbin was killed. It was then Margaret became a heroine when she took her husband’s place at his cannon continuing to load and fire the cannon without any help until she was seriously wounded by grapeshot tearing her shoulder, mangled her chest and lacerated her jaw. Other soldiers moved her to the rear where she received first aid. The fort was captured by the British, but the wounded American soldiers were paroled. They were ferried across the river to Fort Lee. Margaret was then transported further in a jolting wagon all the way to Philadelphia. Margaret’s injuries left disabled, and she lost the use of her left arm.

In 1779, the Continental Congress granted her a pension because of her distinguished gallantry, making Margaret one of the firs women in America to receive assistance. She continued to be included on regimental muster lists until the end of the war in 1783.

History Channel Exhibits Womens History
Discover the women who were trailblazers in American history
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/womenhist/main.html

History Channel More Profiles
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/womenhist/program.html

TV Schedule
http://www.historychannel.com/exhibits/womenhist/tv_sched.html

Distinguished Women Past and Present
http://www.distinguishedwomen.com/subject/military.html