Loretta Perfectus Walsh

Infobox Military Person
name= Loretta Perfectus Walsh
born=birth date|1896|4|22
died=Death date and age|1925|8|6|1896|4|22
placeofbirth=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
placeofdeath= Olyphant, Pennsylvania


caption= World War I Navy recruiting poster, featuring a "Christy Girl"
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Navy
serviceyears=1917-1919
rank= Chief Yeoman
commands=
unit=
battles=
awards=
laterwork=
portrayedby=

Loretta Perfectus Walsh (April 22, 1896–August 6, 1925) became the American first active-duty Navy woman, and the first woman to serve in any of the United States armed forces other than as a nurse, when she enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve on March 17, 1917. Walsh subsequently became the first woman Navy petty officer when she was sworn in as Chief Yeoman on March 21, 1917.

Biography

Early life

Loretta Perfectus Walsh was born on April 22, 1896 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Pointon, Terri. Rootsweb.com. " [http://www.rootsweb.com/~palackaw/forest/stpats.html St. Patrick's Cemetery, Olyphant.] " Obtained Nov. 10, 2006.]

Career

War events quickly led up to Walsh's decision to enlist in the United States Navy.

World War I was in its fourth year when, on January 31, 1917 the Germans announced they would resume unrestricted submarine warfare on all ships, including those sailing under the United States flag. On February 23, 1917, American opinion further was angered when America learned of Berlin's proposal to Mexico to join the war as Germany's ally against the U.S. [Zimmermann Telegram. Obtained Nov. 10, 2006.] Over the next few weeks, four American ships fell victim to German U-boats causing the death of fifteen Americans.

On March 12, 1917, all American merchant ships were ordered to be armed in war zones.Naval Historical Center. (Sept. 23, 2005). " [http://www.history.navy.mil/wars/datesmar.htm Dates in Naval History: March.] " Obtained Nov. 10, 2006.] On March 13, 1917, these armed merchant ships were authorized to take action against German U-boats. 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 U.S. Naval Reserve, becoming the first active-duty Navy woman, and the first woman to serve in any of the armed forces in a non-nurse occupation.Beyond The InterNet (August 2004). " [http://www.linking.to/Navy/ The Navy Then and Now.] " Obtained Nov. 10, 2006.] On March 19, 1917, the Navy Department authorized enrollment of women in Naval Reserve with ratings of yeoman, radio electrician, or other essential ratings, becoming the first branch of the United States armed forces to allow enlistment by women in a non-nursing capacity. Walsh subsequently became the first woman Navy petty officer when she was sworn in as Chief Yeoman on March 21, 1917. [ the Goat Locker. " [http://www.goatlocker.org/resources/cpo/about/cpoic.pdf Chief Petty Officer Indoctrination.] " Obtained Nov. 10, 2006.] Twelve 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. [See, "" on Wikisource. Obtained Nov. 10, 2006]

The war ended in November 1918. Walsh and other Yeomen (F), all of whom held enlisted ranks, continued in service during the first months after the November 1918 Armistice was signed.Naval Historical Center. (May 6, 2000). " [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/prs-tpic/females/yeoman-f.htm Women & the U.S. Navy -- World War I era Yeomen (F).] " Obtained Nov. 10, 2006.] However, as a result of the post-WWI Naval reductions, the number of Yeomen (F) declined steadily, reaching just under four thousand by the end of July 1919, when Walsh and the remaining Yeomen (F) were all released from active duty. Walsh continued on inactive reserve status, receiving modest retainer pay, until the end of her four-year enlistment on March 17, 1921.

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 ranks" and insignia, retirement pension, disability pension if injured in the line of duty.

On enlisting in the Navy in early 1917, Walsh became a Yeoman (F), commonly called Yeomanettes. Yeomanettes primarily served in clerical positions. As a non-nurse, Walsh was the first of 13,000 World War I yeoman females entitled to receive the same benefits and responsibilities as men, including identical pay.

Legacy

Walsh died on August 6, 1925 at the age of 29 in Olyphant, Pennsylvania. After her death she was buried in Olyphant's St. Patrick's Cemetery, under a monument that reads:

Loretta Perfectus Walsh
April 22, 1896–Aug. 6, 1925
Woman and Patriot
First of those enrolled in the United Sates Naval Service
World War 1917–1919
Her comrades dedicate this monument
to keep alive forever
memories of the sacrifice and devotion of womanhood

To the credit of Walsh's memory and her bold action on March 21, 1917, the official history program of the Department of the Navy, the Naval Historical Center, identifies March 21, 1917 as a date in American naval history.

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. [Kidder, Chris. (Dec. 13, 1993). Virginia Pilot and Ledger-Star. "The Evolution of Women in the Navy: Shifting Policy is easier than Changing Attitudes, "Crossed Currents" Finds." Pg. 9] The resulting book, "Crossed Currents: Navy Women from WWI to Tailhook", [Ebbert, Jean; Hall, Mary-Beth (1994). "Crossed Currents: Navy Women from WWI to Tailhook." Brassey's Inc, Revised edition. ISBN 0-02-881112-7] was published in December 1994.

References

ee also

*History of the United States Navy
*History of women in the military
*Women in the United States Navy
*Yeoman (F)

Further reading

*cite book |last=Ebbert |first=Jean and Marie-Beth Hall|title=The First, the Few, the Forgotten: Navy and Marine Corps Women in World War I |year=2002 |publisher=The Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=155750203X
*cite book |last=Godson |first=Susan H. |title=Serving Proudly: A history of Women in the U.S. Navy |year=2001 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, MD |isbn=1-55750-317-6
*cite book |last=Ebbert |first=Jean and Marie-Beth Hall|title=Crossed Currents: Navy Women from WWI to Tailhook [Revised] |year=1999 |publisher=Brassey's |location=Washington, D.C. |isbn=978-1574881936

Persondata
NAME= Walsh, Loretta Perfectus Walsh
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Loretta Walsh
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Chief Yeoman, United States Navy
DATE OF BIRTH=April 22, 1896
PLACE OF BIRTH= Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
DATE OF DEATH= August 6, 1925
PLACE OF DEATH= Olyphant, Pennsylvania, United States