In 2005, Hester was awarded the first Silver Star since WWII for her actions during an enemy ambush on her supply convoy in Iraq, making her the first woman to receive the honor for direct combat action.
Army Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester
Women continue to make strides and break down barriers. Capt. Linda Bray became the first woman to command U.S. troops in combat and Lt. Cmdr. Darlene Iskra became the first woman to command a U.S. Navy vessel.
Capt. Linda Bray,
Lt. Cmdr. Darlene Iskra
New roles were afforded women at this time, but the majority of women serving on Korea and Vietnam were nurses. Lt. Col. Graham served as a military nurse in both World War II and Korea before Vietnam. She is 1 of 8 women whose names are listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.
Lt. Col.
Annie Ruth Graham
Four nurses (2nd Lt. Ellen Ainsworth, 1st Lt. Mary Roberts, 2nd Lt. Elaine Roe, and 2nd Lt. Rita Rourke) become the first women in U.S. history to receive the Silver Star, the Army’s third-highest military decoration for valor in combat.
Ellen Ainsworth,
Mary Roberts,
Elaine Roe,
Rita Rourke
The U.S. Army Signal Corps enlisted women as bilingual French-speaking telephone operators, known as Hello Girls. These women were recognized decades later, in 1979, as veterans and were a catalyst for the passage of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote.
"Hello Girls"
The nurse and Red Cross founder drove her medical wagon through enemy fire to tend to injured soldiers.
Clara Barton
The first woman to receive a military pension, fought alongside her husband in the Battle of Fort Washington. She was shot multiple times, and lost her husband, but kept fighting.
Margaret Corbin
Women Warriors
throughout history
Dr. Mary Edwards Walker
The only female Medal of Honor recipient (still) became the first female surgeon in the U.S. Army.
1914-1918
World War I
1861-1865
The Civil War
1775-1783
The Revolutionary War
World War II
1939-1945
Korean and Vietnam Wars
1950-1975
Gulf War, Panama, Grenada, Somalia
1980s-1990s
Global War on Terror (Iraq, Afghanistan)
Post-9/11
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Army Capt. Linda Bray is presented the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Taeckens
(The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement)
(The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement)
Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester after receiving the Silver Star.
Photo by U.S. Army photo by Spc. Jeremy D. Crisp
Army Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester
During the U.S. War for Independence, women supported the fight as seamstresses, cooks, and nurses at camps for soldiers. However, some women warriors disguised themselves as men to voluntarily serve as spies or fight on the frontlines, like Margaret Corbin – the first woman to receive a military pension. She disguised herself as a man and fought alongside her husband in the Battle of Fort Washington. These women warriors suffered the same hardships as men, including inadequate housing and little to no pay.
Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
The Civil War marked the first time in American history that women played a major role in war. They kept traditional roles, while inching closer than ever to the frontlines. Historians estimate that nearly 20,000 women served in this war, with about 3,000 as nurses in battlefield hospitals and 1,000 or so disguised as men to fight in combat. Female warriors made history, like nurse and Red Cross founder Clara Barton, and Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, the first female surgeon in the U.S. Army, who remains the only female Medal of Honor recipient in American history.
Civil War (1861-1865)
World War I was a significant time in history for women – they were officially allowed to enlist, but still not allowed to vote or fight in combat. The U.S. officially entered WWI in 1917, and more than 35,000 American women enlisted to serve in the military, with about 25,000 serving overseas . Although most women in the military were members of the Army Nurse Corps, others served in new capacities like secretaries, switchboard and radio operators, administrators, and architects. The U.S. Army Signal Corps enlisted women to work as bilingual French-speaking telephone operators, known as the “Hello Girls."
World War I (1914-1918)
World War II had an unprecedented need for service members, thus, for the first time in history, all branches of the military enlisted women in their ranks. About 350,000 American women served in uniform during WWII to “free a man to fight.” The majority were nurses, but others served in new non-combat roles, such as drivers, mechanics, cryptographers, parachute riggers, and even pilots for the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP).
Four Army nurses – 2nd Lt. Ellen Ainsworth, 1st Lt. Mary Roberts, 2nd Lt. Elaine Roe, and 2nd Lt. Rita Rourke – became the first female recipients of the Silver Star. In 1948, President Harry Truman passed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act entitling women to veterans benefits and granting them permanent, regular, and reserve status in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.
World War II (1939-1945)
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