[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 2, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4699-S4700]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, as we celebrate National Women's History 
Month during this time of war, I rise to pay tribute to the 
extraordinary women, past and present, who have served this country 
selflessly and courageously in the armed services.
  Over 20 years ago, my distinguished colleagues, Senator Barbara 
Mikulski and Senator Orrin Hatch, cosponsored legislation that first 
established the National Women's History Week. I salute my colleagues 
for their leadership in establishing this now month-long celebration of 
women and their many contributions.
  This year's theme for National Women's History Month is ``Women 
Pioneering the Future.'' As we anxiously await a safe and swift end to 
the war in Iraq, it seems appropriate to honor and remember the 
pioneering women of the armed services. Today it is common, and perhaps 
unremarkable, to see women serving in a variety of capacities in the 
Persian Gulf. As a result, it

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is easy to forget that at one time the women who served this country in 
every major military conflict were unwanted and ill-treated.
  During the Revolutionary War, women were prohibited from enlisting in 
the Continental Army, but that did not stop many women from following 
their husbands to war where they served as cooks and nurses. One brave 
woman, Margaret Corbin, took over her fallen husband's cannon at the 
Battle of Fort Washington. During the battle she was wounded and taken 
prisoner by the British. On July 6, 1779, Mrs. Corbin became the first 
woman to be awarded a Federal pension for being wounded in battle.
  During the American Civil War, hundreds of women disguised themselves 
as men in order to serve in the Union and Confederate Armies. Many 
women were never discovered and most were not discovered until they 
were wounded or found dead on the battlefield. One woman enlisted in 
the 95th Illinois Infantry as Albert Cashier. Under the guise of a 19-
year-old Irish immigrant, she served for 4 years, participating in 
almost 40 battles.
  Following the Spanish American War, where more than 1,500 women were 
contracted to serve as nurses, the Army Nurse Corps of 1901 and the 
Navy Nurse Corp of 1908 were created, making women official members of 
the military for the first time. Twenty contract nurses died in service 
during the Spanish-American War and over 400 nurses died in the line of 
duty during World War I.
  In addition to serving as nurses, during World War I, women were 
enlisted in the Navy and the Marine Corps to serve as stenographers and 
typists. In addition to these 12,185 female Yeomen, 230 women were 
hired by the Army to serve in France as bilingual telephone operators. 
These ``Hello Girls'' routed messages between headquarters and the 
front lines. Despite the great service of the women of World War I, 
Congress soon took action to close the loopholes that had allowed women 
to serve in the military.
  Decades later, in order to meet the huge demands of World War II, all 
four services of the military formed women's components which were to 
last ``for the duration of the emergency and six months.'' Four hundred 
thirty two military women were killed in that war and 88 became 
prisoners of war. Sixty-six Army nurses endured an incredible 33 months 
at the Santo Tomas prison camp in the Philippines.
  Finally, in 1948, women achieved permanent status in the Army, Navy, 
Air Force, and Marine Corps, when President Truman signed the Women's 
Armed Services Integration Act of 1948. Unfortunately, that act 
restricted the number of women who could enlist and the award of 
promotions. Despite these restrictions, many thousands of women have 
served in a variety of capacities during the major military conflicts 
in Korea, Vietnam, and the Persian Gulf.
  In fact, according to the Department of the Navy, the deployment of 
women in the Persian Gulf was ``highly successful.'' More than 37,000 
women served as administrators, air traffic controllers, logisticians, 
engineer equipment mechanics, ammunition technicians, ordinance 
specialists, communicators, radio operators, drivers, law enforcement 
specialists, and guards during Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Tragically, 
during that conflict, 5 women were killed in action, 21 were wounded in 
action, 2 were taken as prisoners of war, and 4 Marine women received 
the Combat Action Ribbon.
  Today, women make up about 15 percent of the military and nearly 85 
percent of all positions and occupations in the military are available 
to active-duty women. The progress that has been made in opening 
military service to the women of the United States is no doubt a 
reflection of the incredible service records of the pioneering women 
soldiers who have served this country since the Revolutionary War.
  One such pioneering woman is National Women's History Month Honoree, 
BG Wilma L. Vaught. General Vaught grew up in rural Scotland, IL, and 
attended the University of Illinois. After college and some time spent 
in the corporate world, she joined the Air Force, in part, because of 
the opportunity it offered for managerial advancement.
  While serving in the Air Force, General Vaught achieved several 
``firsts'': first female Air Force officer to attend the Industrial 
College of the Armed Forces, first woman to command a unit that 
received the Joint Meritorious Unit Award, first woman promoted to 
Brigadier General in the comptroller career field, and the first and 
only woman to serve as president of the board of directors of the 
Pentagon Federal Credit Union. In addition, General Vaught is one of 
the most highly decorated women in history. It was my honor to meet 
General Vaught several years ago and feature her on my monthly cable 
television show.
  This March, as the Nation prays for the safe return of our soldiers 
in Iraq, let us remember the incredible contributions that women like 
BG Wilma Vaught have made in service of our country.

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