The contributions made by women to the war effort during World War II, both in the civilian sector and in the military, are nothing short of monumental.
As America’s active-duty military forces swelled to more than 16 million by war’s end, women moved into traditional male positions working as welders, machinists, mechanics and other skilled tradespersons in the manufacturing industry that built airplanes, ships and other equipment crucial to the U.S. war machine.
Women also performed critical roles in the military serving as pilots, nurses, cryptographers, intelligence specialists and radio operators. Nearly 350,000 women served in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces during the course of the war.
As part of its focus to honor the Greatest Generation on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the USS Midway Museum is saluting the incredible achievements made by women during the Second World War in a new exhibit called “Women’s Contributions to the War Effort.”
“Honestly, Midway doesn’t have many stories that feature women,” said Bill Coleman, Midway’s director of exhibits. “Women are mostly missing from the narrative. That didn’t sit right with us. We felt it was important to finally tell their story and give them the visibility they deserve. This exhibit not only helps fill that gap, but is long overdue.”
Located in Hangar Bay 1, the exhibit beautifully blends content, graphics and actual artifacts to help layout the narrative of how, where, and the extent women were involved in virtually every support element during the war, and how critical it was to the Allies’ ultimate victory in both the European and Pacific Theaters.
“Our approach in creating this exhibit was to go straight to the experts from the very beginning,” said Bill, who has been with Midway for 20 years. “Docents Terry Dover and Rudy Shappee were absolutely key to this project. Their knowledge, research and enthusiasm shaped the exhibit from the ground up and helped turn an idea into something real.”
“We did discover a lot about Rosie and all the women who went to work during World War II to support the war effort and to bring their men back home,” said Terry Dover, a Midway docent since 2018. “We found so much more to the Rosie story, and about the outcome after the war and years later, of more women going to work than we imagined. The result was an understanding of the influence that women had during World War II, the struggles involved and then the push to go back to being housewives when the men returned home.”
The artifacts incorporated into the exhibit provide a tangible component that help build a more intimate connection to the accomplishments of women during the war both in the factories and in uniform.
“Nearly 350,000 women served in all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces over the course of the war.”
“The lockers are hands down my favorite part of the exhibit,” said Bill, who earned a certificate in project management from the University of San Diego in 2020. “They are a mix of original artifacts and period-correct vintage pieces. We were able to secure the Marine Corps uniform from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Museum and we were lucky enough to be gifted the Navy WAVE uniform. Along the way, we learned some great details. That kind of discovery sent us down some fun rabbit holes, hunting for the right tools and clothing everywhere to make the lockers feel authentic.”
After five months of work, the exhibit was complete and is now on display for museum guests.
“I love it,” said Bill. “The content works, the graphics are strong, and it feels like a natural, meaningful addition to the Midway experience. The result is something that’s not just informative, but genuinely beautiful.”
“I think it’s really well done,” said Jennifer Zilman, a Midway guest visiting with her family. “Too often the work of women doesn’t see the light of day or get the credit it deserves. I hope this exhibit helps clue people in on how important our work was and still is.”
For the exhibits’ team working on the exhibit, the project turned out to be a labor of love.
“What I enjoyed most was learning about the incredible stories of women who played vital roles during World War II and helping bring those stories to life,” said Lillian Saluk, the lead preparator for the exhibits department. “Being part of a team that was passionate about honoring these women and making their contributions visible to the public was especially rewarding.”
While combat actions on the battlefield fill most of the pages of World War II history books, the tireless efforts of women working behind the scenes played an unparalleled role in defeating the Axis powers.
“The current exhibit is a start,” said Terry, who has amassed more than 4,600 volunteer hours as a docent and a member of the airwing team. “It touches on some local contribution of the aircraft factories in San Diego and touches on the women who enrolled in the different military branches which is equally important. I believe it is important that we highlight the story of women’s participation in World War II and what that meant for the success and contribution that women make today.”
“This exhibit is important because women played a crucial role in the success of the war effort, both on the home front and in military-related positions,” said Lillian, who joined the exhibit’s team in 2024. “Their contributions are not always fully recognized, so highlighting these stories helps provide a more complete and accurate picture of history while also inspiring future generations by showing the diverse roles women have played in shaping our world.”
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