12 Veterans Day
THE POLK COUNTY
Celebrating women in the military
By Ethan Nahté
When it comes to fighting for what would become the United States of America, women took an active part dating back to at least the Revolutionary War. One could mention flag maker Betsy Ross or printer, and signer of the Declaration of Independence, Mary Katharine Goddard; women who fought in battle such as Deborah Sampson who dug a bullet out of her own thigh to keep from being discovered as a woman posing as a man, or the women who possibly inspired the legend of Molly Pitcher — Mary Ludwig Hays McCauley and Margaret Cochran Corbin; spies Anna Smith Strong or Lydia Barrington Darragh, or several others, including those who were camp followers that cooked, brought water to
Pulse
November 15, 2023
the frontlines of battle or nursed the wounded. Even Gen. George Washington’s wife Martha made socks for the soldiers and raised money for supplies while running the Mount Vernon plantation while George was away. There was Civil War assistant surgeon Mary Edwards, who attempted to enlist as a surgeon with the U.S. Army but was denied because of her gender. She had a medical degree from Syracuse Medical College. She became a contract assistant sureon. She was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1865, during her lifetime, because she was a civilian at the time of her valor… only to have it rescinded in 1917. She refused to reurn the medal and wore it until her death in 1919 at the age of 86. She was restored the medal posthumously in 1977. Of the 3,500 recipients, she is
WOMEN IN THE MILITARY
the only woman recipient. Throughout each war on American soil, women tended to be a part of the action but rarely were officially recognized. Then on June 12, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed into law the “Women’s Armed Services Integration Act of 1948,” granting women the right to serve as regular, permanent members of the U.S. armed services. That was 75 years ago. Below, you will see a few of the women from Polk County, Arkansas, who are proud to have served in the U.S. military: - Faye Baker - Cathy Bohn - Linda Johnson - Harriet Lewis - Kelly Loyd - Mary Meier - Donna Rice
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Roseanne Rob Udene Westphal Sara Wiggins
Linda Johnson, commander of the VFW Post 4451 and Department of Arkansas judge advocate, said, “It’s nice to be finally recognized. A lot of women didn’t get recognized for it until 1948. Henrietta Lewis is 100 years old and served in World War II. Faye Baker is a Korean War vet who is in her 80s or 90s.” Of course, there are several other women veterans and active service from Polk County. Veterans Day may have been Saturday, but if you know or see a woman with a military background, thank them for their service. “Things are improving every day for women in the military,” Johnson said.
BAKER, FAYE
BOHN, CATHY
JOHNSON, LINDA
LEWIS, HARRIET
LOYD, KELLY
MEIER, MARY
RICE, DONNA
ROB, ROSEANNE
WESTPHAL, UDENE
WIGGINS, SARA
