Each era spawns its acronyms. (POTUS, FLOTUS, and SCOTUS, anyone?) Some World War II acronyms remain familiar, like WAC, for Women’s Army Corps, and its earlier incarnation, WAAC, Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. Maybe you know of the WAVES—Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service–a branch of the U.S. Navy in which women could enlist. But chances are you’ve never heard of the W.I.V.E.S.
- Employment interview. [AHMC–W.I.V.E.S., folder 3.]
- Cooking class. [AHMC–W.I.V.E.S., folder 3.]
- Child care. [AHMC–W.I.V.E.S., folder 3.]
- Refreshments at canteen. [AHMC–W.I.V.E.S., folder 3.]
- Prisoner of war packaging center. [AHMC–W.I.V.E.S., folder 3.]
- Playing ping-pong at canteen. [AHMC–W.I.V.E.S., folder 3.]
- Committee meeting. [AHMC–W.I.V.E.S., folder 3.]
- Choral fun. [AHMC–W.I.V.E.S., folder 3.]
The W.I.V.E.S. was founded by a small group of Brooklyn women who first met in the spring of 1943. The organization’s initial focus was a letter-writing campaign urging Congress to amend the recently-passed Soldier Voting Act, which allowed military abroad to vote for federal offices by absentee ballot, but retained complex and restrictive local voter registration laws. Some Republicans opposed the act and its amendments in the belief that service members, loyal to their commander-in-chief, would simply vote for the incumbent Democrat, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in the 1944 election.
W.I.V.E.S. keep morale up high,
W.I.V.E.S. write each day,
W.I.V.E.S. buy the bonds that help to
Keep them flying on their way.
W.I.V.E.S. give their blood for them,
W.I.V.E.S. do war work,
W.I.V.E.S. pray the Lord to help
Till Victory is history — AMEN!”
[Sung to the tune of “Anchors Aweigh.” Words by Miram Shukat, Rockaway Park Chapter.]

This post is by Joseph Ditta, Processing Archivist.
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