Ken Beaton: ‘Number please’

What the heck is a “Hello Girl?” She was an educated woman, fluent in English and French who served her country as a telephone operator in war-torn France during World War I.

The commanding officer of the WWI U.S. European Expeditionary Force in France was Gen. John J. “Black Jack” Pershing. He was confronted with a serious communications problem. Accurate and dependable communications are vital to all military operations and preventing “friendly fire” casualties. Since American soldiers under Pershing’s command were fighting in France, there was a language problem.

At first American men and French women were employed in telephone exchanges. That was a total failure. Pershing decided to request American females who were bilingual in French and English apply to become “Hello Girls.”

Two hundred thirty-three bilingual American females were hired from the 10,000 who applied. They agreed to serve for the duration of the war and were issued dark “Hello Girls” uniforms. After being transported 3,000 miles across the German U-boat infested waters of the stormy and frigid North Atlantic, they were transported to various communities in France.

By the way, the “Hello Girls” worked long hours and were often under combat conditions. They worked for the first, second, and third Army headquarters and were paid at least half to one fourth the wage a male was paid for doing the same job!

A reasonably prudent person would think that after being trained in daily military drill, taught about the Army and its military terms and traditions, wearing a military uniform, assigned ranks, subject to inspections and being much more effective than the male operators, the “Hello Girls” would have received the same benefits as the dough boys who served our country. WRONG!

The problem was while the U.S. Navy had opened enlistment to women during WWI, the U.S. Army didn’t. In their wisdom, the Army’s lawyers had determined that the “Hello Girls” were not eligible for war risk insurance because they were civilian employees.

The House passed a bill for the “Hello Girls” to be included with the Army in the American overseas forces. But the U.S. Senate deleted the provision. Remember, lawyers and the U.S. senators have the gift to cause a traffic jam for a one-car funeral!

The Army recruited the “Hello Girls” as “enlisted for the duration of the war.” They were referred to as “young women soldiers.” The “Hello Girls” had to purchase their uniforms costing between $250 to $350 like officers when the “Hello Girls’ monthly pay was $60! There are two Army expressions for what the girls experienced: FUBAR and SNAFU!

Finally on Nov. 23, 1977, President Jimmy Carter signed the 1977 G.I. Improvement Bill which allowed the “Hello Girls” and the Women Airforce Service Pilots, WASPs, from WWII the recognition from their government for their service. Of the 233 “Hello Girls” in 1918, only 18 were still vertical in 1977. The “Hello Girls” had to wait 60 years for their recognition and VA benefits.

One of the surviving “Hello Girls” was Olive Shaw. After WWI she returned to her native Massachusetts. She became the personal secretary for Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers. She was one of “Hello Girls” who led the six-decade fight for veteran status.

When she passed in 1980, her final request was to be buried in the soon-to-be-opened Massachusetts National Cemetery. She was the first to be buried in the newly-opened cemetery. After six decades of not being recognized Olive Shaw made her mark in the Massachusetts National Cemetery.

Now she has a ground level military grave marker, “M. Olive Shaw, Pvt. U.S. Army World War I, June 27, 1890, July 10, 1980.” Remember, you’ll never achieve your objective if you quit. Shaw was a fighter, not a quitter. Being a native Bay Stater, I would have liked to have shaken her hand and if she was OK with it, give her a hug.

Marguerite Lovera was a “Hello Girl” who passed away in 1959, 20 years before receiving her veteran’s benefits. I have no way of knowing that Marguerite had a plan or didn’t have a plan of getting buried in a national cemetery.

This is how she was buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Francisco. She was eligible because her spouse, Felix Lovera, was an Army veteran who served in WWI. Her grave marker reads, “Wife of SGT F A Lovera.” There is no recognition of her service during WWI.

Never take NO for an answer! In 2018 one of Marguerite’s relatives contacted the National Cemetery Administration. Her relative informed them that Marguerite had served as a “Hello Girl.” As soon as her information was confirmed, she was considered a veteran!

Marguerite has a new grave marker which gives her proper recognition for her military service thanks to her relatives who fought for her. A hundred years after WWI she now has the recognition, she and every one of the “Hello Girls” earned!

Marie Edmee Le Roux was a “Hello Girl” who remained in France after WWI. She gave birth to a daughter and returned to the states. When she passed away in 1945, she was buried in an unmarked grave in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Her granddaughter, Catherine Bourgin, fought to have a proper grave marker for her grandmother. Seventy-nine years after Marie’s passing a proper grave marker was placed at her grave. Catherine succeeded because she never quit!

As an added note, of the 1,074 WASPs, 38 of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, lost their lives serving their country. Two female cadets lost their lives during training and their flight instructor died, too. Thirty-six of the WASP pilots lost their lives in the line of duty.