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In 1942, President Roosevelt allowed women to enlist in the military. The U.S. Navy was quick to take action, creating the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, more popularly known as "WAVES". The Navy particularly wanted educated women with professional experience to help recruit women as clerks, teachers, and for other non-combat duties, and brought in 40 women as officers to do that. Laura Rapaport was one of the first few, and quickly was helping to register and assign duty to the 1,800 women who were recruited per week to fill those jobs. One of her first actions was to eliminate racial discrimination, saying all the women wore the same uniform, and there was no reason they couldn't share the same living quarters and duties. She remained after the war, too, to muster out the WAVES and close out their facilities in Honolulu. Rapaport rose to the rank of Lt. Commander and wrote a book about her experiences, Once a Wave: My Life in the Navy 1942-46. After the war she married but continued to work, running the Los Angeles chapter of the National Association of the Visually Handicapped until she retired in 1967. Rappaport-Borsten, the last surviving member of the original 40 WAVES, died August 11 in Southern California after a stroke. She was 91. From This is True for 10 August 2003 Suggestions for further reading:
 By: Jeff Shaara List Price: $28.00 Amazon Price: $18.48 Editorial Review: Jeff Shaara, America’s premier author of military historical fiction, brings us the centerpiece of his epic trilogy of the Second World War. General Dwight Eisenhower once again commands a diverse army that must find its single purpose in the destruction of Hitler’s European fortress. His primary subordinates, Omar Bradley and Bernard Montgomery, must prove that this unique blend of Allied armies can successfully confront the might of Adolf Hitler’s forces, who have already conquered Western Europe. On the coast of France, German commander Erwin Rommel fortifies and prepares for the coming invasion, acutely aware that he must bring all his skills to bear on a fight his side must win. But Rommel’s greatest challenge is to strike the Allies on his front, while struggling behind the lines with the growing insanity of Adolf Hitler, who thwarts the strategies Rommel knows will succeed. Meanwhile, Sergeant Jesse Adams, a no-nonsense veteran of the 82nd Airborne, parachutes with his men behind German lines into a chaotic and desperate struggle. And as the invasion force surges toward the beaches of Normandy, Private Tom Thorne of the 29th Infantry Division faces the horrifying prospects of fighting his way ashore on a stretch of coast more heavily defended than the Allied commanders anticipate–Omaha Beach. From G.I. to general, this story carries the reader through the war’s most crucial juncture, the invasion that altered the flow of the war, and, ultimately, changed history.  By: Evan Bachner List Price: $35.00 Amazon Price: $21.00 Editorial Review: In the spirit of his successful books At Ease and Men of WWII, Evan Bachner now focuses on the women of WWII. While traditionally female secretarial and clerical jobs took an expectedly large portion of recruits, thousands of WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) performed previously atypical duties in the aviation community—such as Judge Advocate General corps—medical professions, communications, intelligence, science, and technology. The photography team, headed by legendary photographer Edward Steichen, captured these heroic women at work, rest, and play. All the photos are from the National Archives and most have not been previously published.  By: James R. Benn List Price: $24.00 Amazon Price: $16.32 Editorial Review: Praise for the Billy Boyle series: “A meaty, old-fashioned and thoroughly enjoyable tale of WWII-era murder and espionage.”?The Seattle Times “The World War II atmosphere and history are expertly handled.”?Denver Post “Great fun. Benn knows his war history. . . . The novel introduces a batch of intriguing characters who seem destined to make another appearance.”?The Globe and Mail (Toronto) “A memorable debut.”?BookPage “A must for history buffs and mystery fans.”?Connecticut Post “If you enjoy World War II mysteries . . . you’ll love this book. . . . One of the best books I’ve read this year.”?Mystery Scene “Benn crafts a crackling good adventure, with much flavorsome period color.”?Kirkus Reviews “I’ll look for another book about Billy Boyle, with pleasure.”?Deadly Pleasures Lieutenant Billy Boyle reluctantly accompanies Major Samuel Harding, his boss, in the first boat to land on the shores of Algeria during the Allied invasion. Their task is to arrange the surrender of the Vichy French forces. But there is dissension between the regular army, the local militia, and De Gaulle’s Free French. American black marketeers in league with the enemy divert medical supplies to the Casbah, leading to multiple murders that Billy must solve while trying to rescue the girl he loves, a captured British spy.  By: Manhattan Project Engineers List Price: $0.99 Amazon Price: $0.99 Editorial Review: The investigation into the after affects of the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  By: C E T Warren and James Benson List Price: $19.76 Amazon Price: $16.01 Editorial Review: It was the Italians who pioneered the use of two-man human torpedoes or 'chariots', and their attacks on ships of the Royal Navy in Alexandria Harbour in 1941 caused Winston Churchill to write to the Chief of Staffs committee to enquire what was being done to emulate these daring attacks. The result was the development of British 'chariots' which were regarded as stop-gaps until the X-craft or midget submarines could be deployed. The book is divided into five parts. The first covers the development, training, growing pains and the attempt on the Tirpitz, the second and third to Mediterranean and Norwegian operations, while the fourth deals with the coast of Fortress Europe and the Normandy Beaches. Part Five considers the special preparations for the Far East and the exploits achieved in the fight against the Japanese. There are several appendices and an index to complete an absorbing record of a novel and important innovation in warfare. |
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