Page 6 - Bravo Zulu - 2017 2nd QT F-17 Newsletter
P. 6
June, 1942 she had entered the armed forces of the United States as a senior
lieutenant in the Women's Reserve of the U.S. Naval Reserve (WAVES), where
she attended the first class of the U.S. Naval Training Station at Smith College in
Northampton, Massachusetts. After completing her training she was assigned as
Assistant to the Commanding Officer of the radio school for enlisted WAVES at
Madison, Wisconsin. (USCG Public Affairs Archieves-Capt. Dorthy Stratton
Biography).
Commandant Dorthy Stratton – poster Admiral Dorthy Stratton, Memorial Wall
“ She became the first women to be accepted for service in the Women's Reserve
of the Coast Guard soon after President Franklin Roosevelt signed an amendment
to Public Law 773 that created a women's reserve program for the nation's oldest
continuous-going sea service.
Her transfer to the Coast Guard as the Director of that service's Women's Reserve
occurred on November 24, 1942 and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant
commander. She made commander in December, 1943 and captain in February,
1944
An intial contribution to the USCG Coast Guard was creating the name SPARs for
the Women's Reserve, based on the first letters of the Coast Guard's motto "Semper
Paratus" and its English translation "Always Ready". (History: USCG Public
Affairs Archieves)
