Hidden Heroes of WWII: an honor roll for DeKalb County women (Part I)

“Women who stepped up were measured as citizens of the nation, not as women… This was a people’s war and everyone was in it.” – Oveta Culp Hobby (as quoted on the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C.)

World War II was the first time in American history that women were allowed to enlist in the military. Even today, these groundbreaking women remain on the sidelines of WWII history and many of their stories have been forgotten. Few of these women faced enemy fire or had the opportunity to serve overseas, but they were heroic nevertheless. When it was not expected of them, they left their homes and their families to serve their country. They served as essential behind-the-scenes members of the military, serving as officers, recruiters, clerks, storekeepers, control tower operators, nurses, pharmacists, and more. Women could enlist in special reserve units of the military starting in 1942, including the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC, dropping the “Auxiliary” in 1943 to become WAC), United States Naval Reserve WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service), Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, Coast Guard SPARS, and Air Force WASPS (Women Airforce Service Pilots). The Army Nurse Corps (ANC) was established in 1901 and the Navy Nurse Corps in 1908, but these women were not considered part of the Army or Navy until later, when they were given retroactive veteran status. The approximately 350,000 women nationwide who enlisted in these reserves “released a man to fight” overseas. Whether they enlisted out of patriotic duty, sense of adventure, or another reason, they became an essential part of the military.

The women of DeKalb County, Illinois did not neglect their duty to their country. Many of them worked outside of the home for the first time in jobs that supported the war effort, such as building top-secret planes at Wurlitzer in DeKalb or working on local farms. Others became nurses or organized fundraisers and blood drives for the American Red Cross. At least 135 women from DeKalb County were not content with supporting the war from home, and they enlisted in the military. The majority of these women joined the Navy WAVES, and women in the WAC were a close second. About 30 women from DeKalb County joined the ANC, four women enlisted in the Marines, and one known DeKalb County woman joined the SPARS. Many of them had brothers or husbands fighting overseas, or met their husbands while serving. Several women followed their sisters, cousins, and even daughters into the military, including the three Villegas sisters of Sycamore, and the mother-daughter pair, Mary C. Burkart and Mary L. Burkart, who joined the WACs together in 1944.

Many of these women had never been away from home before, but saw many parts of the country while enlisted. Women from DeKalb County served on military bases throughout the United States, including Hawaii. While the WAVES and SPARS were primarily stationed stateside, many of the women enlisted in the ANC and WAC were stationed abroad in Indonesia, France, Japan, Germany, and beyond. Although these women could not fight in combat, they were no strangers to dangerous and sensitive situations. ANC Jean MacQueen of Kirkland earned the Air Medal for courageous service and aerial fighting in 1945. WAC Marguerite Carnal operated a radio broadcasting studio in Algiers and taught French to her colleagues while stationed in Italy. Esther Mae Nesbitt is perhaps the most well-known woman WWII veteran of DeKalb County. She was the first DeKalb County woman to enlist in the WAC, was one of the first WACs to land on Normandy Beach in France in 1944, and earned the French Croix de Guerre medal for her service as a map custodian in the European War Room. She was among several DeKalb County women who continued to serve in the military after the war, taking up their positions again during the Korean War and beyond. Some women, like Edith Spohn and Margaret Weydert of the Army Nurse Corps, and Dorothy Bartlett of the WAC stayed in the military for their entire careers and earned the titles of Major, Colonel, and Lieutenant respectively.

Groundbreaking women from DeKalb County were among those to accomplish some “firsts” of the war. In October 1942, Marion Cook Holmes was the first woman to enlist in the WAC from DeKalb (enlisting just two days after Esther Nesbitt), and as a recruiter, she encouraged many other local girls to join her ranks. Mattie Jackson was the first African-American woman from DeKalb County to enlist in the WAC, and she earned the rank of Tech. Sergeant. Lynn Chilton of Maple Park was in the first group of women Marines to report for overseas duty, and Corporal Evelyn Anderson was part of the first WAC company to be sent into the Pacific theater. First Lieutenant Vera Floit was one of the first ten women to arrive in Saipan in the Mariana Islands. My grandmother, Mildred Kaiser, was among the first group of women to integrate Saufley Field in Pensacola, FL.

The assignments that were given to these local women reflected the huge variety of positions that women held while enlisted. Ruth Babcock, Florence Billings, Beverly Vose, and Marjorie Swanson were instructors in the WAVES. Some women, including Constance Chenette and Dana Gibbons, were stationed in Washington, D. C. in the Navy department. Some specialists include: Margaret Frederick and Doris Weir, who were weather observers; Evelyn Anderson and Barbara White, who were stenographers; Norma Byers and Evelyn Johnson, who specialized in surgical nursing; and Martha McMenamin, who worked with aerial photography.

After the war was over, most of these quiet heroes returned home to DeKalb County and resumed their lives. They married, returned to their jobs, and raised children and grandchildren. Many of them were proud of their service, but felt that their sacrifice was small compared to the many men that sacrificed it all for their country. As my grandmother said once, it was “just a small thing to do for your country.” This Veteran’s Day, it’s time that these women get the credit and honor that they deserve for their service. Their efforts changed the US military and society forever. Remember their names, and learn their stories. We honor all of them, and to all who have served, for their service for this country.

WAVE Lieut. Constance Chenette and her husband Franz Bax. (Photo: The Daily Chronicle, 21 Dec 1945, p. 6, clipped from Newspapers.com)

Marine Sgt. Lynn Chilton. (Photo: The Daily Chronicle, 8 Jan 1944, p. 3, clipped from Newspapers.com)

ANC Lieut. Marjorie Smith. (Photo: The Daily Chronicle, 9 Jan 1943, p. 3, clipped from Newspapers.com)

Seaman 2-c Mildred A. Kaiser, WAVES, DeKalb (Photo: privately owned)

WAC Sgt. Mattie Jackson (Photo: True Republican, 5 Dec 1944, p. 1.)

The three Villegas sisters, Linda, Theophila, and Felicitas, joined the WAC together (Photo: True Republican, 9 May 1944, p. 3.)

WAC Lieut. Marian Cook and Donna Shellaberger (Photos: Daily Chronicle, 20 Mar 1943, p. 3, clipped from Newspapers.com)

ANC Lieut. Dorothy Giles. (Photo: The Daily Chronicle, 6 Feb 1943, p. 3, clipped from Newspapers.com)

WAC 1st Sgt. Esther Mae Nesbitt (Photo: The Union County Journal, 4 Sep 1944, p. 3, clipped from Newspapers.com)

The DeKalb County Women’s WWII Honor Roll includes:

Women WWII veterans who lived in DeKalb County at other points in their lives include:

More information about these women’s service can be found at the Joiner History Room in Sycamore, IL, or by contacting me directly. This honor roll was compiled from local newspaper articles, Army military records, census records, obituaries, and other records found on Ancestry.com. The women’s names and hometowns reflect their names and permanent residences at the time of enlistment during WWII. Dates of service included are known enlistment and discharge dates during WWII; later service dates may not be listed. While I have striven for accuracy, I apologize for any mistakes. Please contact me with any corrections or additions to this honor roll. Part II, which will honor the Homefront Women Heroes, will be published soon. 

See Part II of this series here.