Women in the U.S. Coast Guard — Moments in History

1830's: First women officially assigned as keepers in the Lighthouse Service. (Many wives and daughters of keepers had previously served.) Women continued as lighthouse keepers until the 1940's.)

1918: Twin sisters Genevieve and Lucille Baker of the Naval Coastal Defense Reserve became the first uniformed women to serve in the Coast Guard.

1940's: First civilian women hired to serve in secretarial and clerical positions.

1942: SPARs established. LCDR Dorothy Stratton transferred from the Navy to serve as the director of the SPARs. More than 11,000 SPARs served during World War II. The program was largely demobilized after the war.

1945: First five African-American females entered the SPARs: Olivia Hooker, D. Winifred Byrd, Julia Mosley, Yvonne Cumberbatch, and Aileen Cooke.

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On Nov. 23, 1942, legislation was approved creating yet another arm of the U.S. Coast Guard, one that would pave the way for Coast Guard women of today - The U.S. Coast Guard Women's Reserve, also known as the SPARs. Click on image for bigger view.

Portsmouth, VA (May 5)--The Coast Guard Color Guard march down the aisle for the retiring of colors during the wreath laying ceremony for the Coast Guard Cutter Hamilton held onboard the CGC Bear. USCG photo by PA3 Kimberly Wilder Click on the photograph for a higher resolution picture.

A History of Women in the Coast Guard

Women have been performing Coast Guard duties longer than there has been a Coast Guard. At least one professional ancestor of the modern female Coast Guardsman predated the federal government itself. In 1776, John Thomas joined the Army to fight in the Revolutionary War. His wife, Hannah, took over his job as keeper of Gurnet Point Light, near Plymouth, Mass.

The oldest root of the modern Coast Guard's institutional family tree can be traced back to Aug. 7, 1789, when the new Congress appropriated funds for "the necessary support, maintenance and repairs of all lighthouses, beacons, buoys and public piers ...

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The Coast Guard & the Women's Reserve in World War II

The 1940s bring memories of tearful train station good-byes, war bond drives, ration cards and much-feared telegrams. To the soldiers, sailors and airmen of that era, World War II was not just a far-off conflict, it was a reality. These young men were in the forefront in war-torn Europe and the battle grounds of the Pacific.

But for the women left behind, the reality of war was also close to home. These mothers, daughters, sisters, wives and fiancées of the brave young men wanted to do their part too and became soldiers, sailors and airmen - and even Coast Guardsmen in the global war.

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