June 12th: Women Veterans Day, History and Contributions by Women Who Served

Women Veterans (Recognition) Day is observed on June 12 in the United States, to commemorate the anniversary of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, enacted on June 12th, 1948.

Women have been a vital part of the Armed Forces throughout history. Over 200,000 women currently serve on active duty, making up 16% of Active-Duty Military Service Members. Since the inception of the All-Volunteer Force, the number of women in the military has grown significantly. In 2015, women accounted for 9.4% of the U.S. Veteran population, with projections showing they will comprise 20% by 2040. Women Veterans Day highlights their service and contributions since the Revolutionary War, across all branches and components, including combat roles. There are 1.8 million Women Veterans in the U.S., and they represent the fastest-growing demographic among Veterans. Additionally, 43% of Women Veterans using VA Health Services belong to minority groups.

While thousands of women have served in the Armed Forces with courage, distinction, and valor, listed below are some notable examples of women who served in the military, from the Revolutionary War to the present day:

• Deborah Sampson is credited as the first woman to serve in the Military, in the Continental Army, during the American Revolutionary War.  She was in uniform for 17 months before her gender was discovered in 1783 and she was honorably discharged at West Point.
  

• Mary Ludwig Hays was a woman who fought in the American Revolutionary War, at the Battle of Monmouth.
  

• Harriet Tubman served as a Union spy during the Civil War—making her one of the earliest female veterans.
  

• Dr. Mary Walker, a Civil War surgeon, is the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor. 
  

• During World War I, Loretta Perfectus was the first woman to enlist under her own name in 1917
  

• During World War II, over 400,000 women served in World War II serving in roles ranging from communications operators, postal services, nurses, and code breakers. 
  

• The 6,888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, also known as the "Six Triple Eight,” was the only all-Black, all-female battalion that served overseas during World War II. They sorted and routed mail for millions of American service members and civilians in the U.S. and Europe. Their service of distinction garnered a Congressional Gold Medal.
  

• Maj. Gen. Mary E. Clarke, Army Ret., was the last director of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) and the first woman to attain the rank of Major General. She joined the Army’s WAC during World War II, rising from the rank of Private to Major General. Clarke commanded units from detachments to Fort McClellan, becoming the first woman to command an Army post and serve as commandant of the U.S. Army Military Police School and Chemical School. After WWII, Clarke served in the Berlin Airlift and was commissioned through the WAC Officer Candidate School. As she advanced, she sought full recognition for women in the Army, with restrictions on rank lifted only for the WAC director and chief of the Army Nurse Corps. From 1972 to 1974, she expanded WAC until 1978 at which time WAC was de-commission, and its’ services members were fully assimilated into the Army.  In addition, Clarke testified before Congress on women’s roles in the Armed Forces and issues of sexual harassment in the military.  Upon retiring in October 1981, she supported the development of the Women’s Army Corps Museum. Post-retirement, she chaired the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Service, the Advisory Committee on Women Veterans, and served on the Presidential Commission on the Assignment of Women in the Armed Forces.
  

• The first female Marine Corps recruits began training at Parris Island in 1949.
  

• Captain Lillian Kinkella Keil was a highly decorated service woman who served in both World War II and Korean War flight nurse. Captain Keil made 250 evacuation flights (23 of them transatlantic) during World War II and 175 evacuation flights during the Korean War, becoming one of the most decorated women in American military history.
  

• General Mary Clark was the Commanding General of the Women Army Corp (WAC), during the Korean War, where she integrated women into combat areas in Korea at Camp Red Cloud.
  

• During the Vietnam War, Captain Linda Bray led a platoon during a rescue operation, breaking stereotypes about women’s involvement in military leadership.
  

• In 1968, Captain Linda Bray, commanded a military police unit in combat operations during the Vietnam War, making her one of the first women to lead men into battle.
  

• During Vietnam War, Major Patricia L. O’Neill an Army Nurse, provided critical medical lifesaving care to injured soldiers, while during intense battlefield conditions.
  

• In 1979, Hazel Johnson-Brown was the first Black woman who became a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army.
  

• In 1980, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy graduated its first class with women.
  

• During Operation Desert Storm Major General Linda Singh was the first woman to command a military unit in combat. Her leadership helped redefine the perception of female capabilities in the armed forces.
  

• Another notable woman who served in Operation Desert Storm is Captain Linda McGinnis, who became one of the first female pilots to fly combat support missions. Her successful operations helped pave the way for other women in aviation and combat roles.
  

• While serving in Operation Desert Storm, Lieutenant Colonel Barbara J. Thomas served as a logistics officer, emphasizing the vital role women played in ensuring operational success. Her efforts in supply chain management were crucial for troop preparedness and effectiveness.
  

• In 1993, Lieutenant Kara Hultgreen became the first female fighter pilot in the U.S. Navy.
  

• Tulsi Gabbard joined the Hawaii Army National Guard in 2003 and was deployed to Iraq from 2004 to 2005, where she served as a Specialist with the medical unit, and received the Combat Medical Badge. In 2007, Gabbard completed the officer training program at the Alabama Military Academy. She went to Kuwait in 2008 as an Army Military Police officer. In 2015, while also serving in Congress, Gabbard became a major with the Hawaii Army National Guard. In 2020, she transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in 2021. In 2012, Gabbard was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Hawaii's 2nd congressional district. She became the first Samoan American and Hindu American member of U.S. Congress. During her tenure in Congress, she served on the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), where she introduced several bills related to veteran issues. Gabbard also served on House Foreign Affairs Committee. Currently, Tulsi serves as the Director of National Intelligence and is the highest-ranking Pacific Islander American government official in U.S. history.
  

• Colonel Martha McSally was the first female U.S. fighter pilot to fly in combat and the first woman to command a fighter squadron. McSally took command of the 354th Fighter Squadron at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base in July 2004. She was subsequently deployed to Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2006, McSally's squadron won the David C. Shilling Award, given by the Air Force Association for the most outstanding contribution in the field of flight. Colonel McSally then went on to serve in Congress, Arizona 2nd district, and served as a US Senator, representing Arizona.
  

• Sergeant First Class, Leigh Ann Hester, served with the National Guard’s Kentucky-based 617th Military Police Company when she was deployed to Iraq. In 2005, she was scanning and clearing a route for a supply convoy near Baghdad when her squad was ambushed by enemy fire. Initially directing fire, she began fighting on foot. SFC Hester displayed incredible bravery as she had walked directly into the line of fire, killing at least 3 enemy combatants at close range, resulting in numerous convoy members lives saved. With 38 insurgents killed/wounded and 1 captured, every member of her unit survived. Her heroic actions led her to become the first woman since World War II to earn the Silver Star Medal, and the very first woman to earn it for combat valor. In 2014, Sergeant First Class Hester was also deployed to Afghanistan.
  

• In 2008, Ann E. Dunwoody became the first female Four Star General in the U.S. Military.
  

• The first all-female command team in Army history led a battalion in 2021. 
  

• Senator Tammy Duckworth, a double amputee and Iraq War veteran, was the first female combat veteran elected to the U.S. Senate. 
  

• The oldest known living female veteran, Lucy Coffey, served in World War II and lived to be 108. 

While the examples above represent only a small portion of the contributions made by women in the military, celebrating the achievements of women veterans recognizes their dedication, their courage to challenge conventions, and their ability to break barriers. These stories of resilience and bravery continue to inspire future generations of women to serve and lead in the armed forces.

Last but certainly not least, Veteran Voices For Fibromyalgia extends our humbled gratitude to our Women Veteran Team Members and Patriot Supporters, and highlighted some of our fieriest women warriors in the video below:

Written by Veteran Voices For Fibromyalgia Founder Kristal Kent, with research and writing contributions from Veteran Voices For Fibromyalgia Team Members, Kiesha Dean and Morgan Craig-Mundy.