American Women's Voluntary Services
The American Women's Voluntary Services, or AWVS , was a voluntary military service that used American women.
It was founded in 1940 in Ohio by Alice Throckmorton (born March 8, 1886 New York City , † October 25, 1968 in Baltimore ). When setting up, Throckmorton was based on the Women's Voluntary Services in Great Britain . Women were also trained in professions that were closed to them in times of peace by the patriarchy . Women were trained as mechanics, nurses, first responders and civil defense workers.
They were used together with the United States Red Cross Association . They organized babysitters for armaments workers, worked on field cookers and drove ambulances out of the military vehicle park .
- Membership development:
- December 6, 1941 ~ 18,000
- 1942 ~ 0.35 million
- 1945 ~ 0.325 million
In February 1945, the management of the AWVS was taken over by the historian Elizabeth Bancroft Schlesinger (1886–1977). From 1947 the organization was certified by the Committee for Un-American Activities and existed until 1968.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Time , Jan. 26, 1942 The Ladies!