"Women 20 to 36, Earn a Navy Rating - Join the Waves", World War II poster for recruiting women into the U.S. Naval Reserve, issued by the U.S. Navy, United States, 1943

US World War II poster produced to encourage women to join the women's section of the United States Naval Reserve (the WAVES). In the upper right corner of the poster is the head and shoulders of a US Naval servicewoman; her jacket and tie are visible, and she has reddish-brown hair, and wears a hat with the words, 'U.S. NAVY', on the hat-band. She smiles and looks out towards the viewer. To the left of this image are the words, 'Women 20 to 30', in black italics, and below this, in red sans-serif lettering, 'Earn a Navy Rating', and in black type, below the text and the image, 'Based on Navy /training and your Own Ability and /experience Same Grades - Same Pay - As For Men'.

Below this is a chart depicting different insignia and badges, headed, 'Steps in advancement'. The chart shows the insignia of a Petty Officer, third class, second class, first class, and Chief Petty Officer. 'The Speciality marks - Worn by the WAVES', are pictured below, and include those for an 'Aerographers Mate', an 'Aviation Machinist's Mate', an 'Aviation Metalsmith', a 'Baker-Cook', a 'Parachute Rigger', a 'Pharmacist's Mate', a 'Radioman Telegrapher', a 'Specialist I-Punched Card Tabulating Machine Operator', a 'Specialist M Mail Clerk', a 'Specialist P Photographer', a 'Specialist R Recruiter', a 'Specialist S Supervisor', 'Specialist T-Instructors' and 'Control Tower Operators', a 'Specialist U Housekeeper-Stewardess', 'Storekeeper', and a 'Yeoman'.

Below the chart is the slogan, 'Join the WAVES', in red letters, and below this, printed in black, 'Apply to your nearest Navy Recruiting Station or Office of Naval Officer Procurement'.

Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko

This poster is an appeal to American women for Navy recruitment during World War II. Posters such as this sought to reassure society that women would not lose their femininity by putting on a uniform. They maintained some stylistic continuity with familiar commerical images of women. This reinforced the government's stance that wartime occupations were temporary and would not fundamentally change women's traditional roles. In this poster, the female Waves recruit is seen actively benefitting the war effort in her role as an air traffic controller. This image would have helped to send the message that women had valuable skills to contribute and would be given important responsibilities.

E.33-2004