Navy WAVES ( Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services. Began in July 30, 1942, it was, as it name implies, a temporary way to have women serve in the Navy / Marine Corps during World War 2 in the Medical and Supply corps. Unlike the past in American history, the military was not completely demobilized after WW2 and female sailors were called WAVES until the early 1980's when Congress removed many restrictions on their service and allowed them aboard ship
. When I joined the Navy in 1975, the joke was that you joined the Navy and rode the WAVES. Yup, Political Correctness was not our forte.
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