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April 19, 1775-Sept 3, 1783 Women serve on the battlefield as nurses, water bearers, cooks, laundresses and saboteurs.
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April 25, 1846-Feb. 2, 1848 Elizabeth Newcom enlists as Bill Newcom. She marches 600 miles from Missouri to winter camp at Pueblo, Colorado, before she is discovered to be a woman and discharged.
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April 12, 1861-April 9, 1865 Women soldiers on both sides disguise themselves as men in order to serve. It's estimated 250 women serve in the Confederate army disguised as men. In 1866, Dr. Mary Walker receives the Medal of Honor. She is the only woman to receive the nation's highest military honor.
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June 28, 1914-Nov. 11, 1918 35,000 women serve in WWI including: 21,480 Army nurses serve in military hospitals in the United States and overseas. Eighteen African-American Army nurses serve stateside caring for German POWs and African-American soldiers.
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Sept. 1, 1939-Sept. 2, 1945 350,000-400,000 women serve in WWII including:
100,000 WACS
60,000 Army nurses
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Harriet Ida Pikens and Frances Wills were the first black women sworn into the newly desegregated WAVES.
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Mary Roberts Wilson, a nurse serving in WWII in Anzio, Italy was awared the Silver Star for grace under fire.
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In February 1948, President Harry S. Truman directed the U.S. armed forces to desegregate as quickly as possible.
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Annie Neal Graham-1st black female to enlist in the United States Marine Corps.
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June 25, 1950-June 27, 1953 1,000 women serve in theatre including 500 Army nurses
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Bertha Peters Billeb is the first woman Marine promoted to Sergeant Major.
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Aug. 2, 1964-April 30, 1975 7,400 women serve in Southeast Asia, the majority of them nurses. Eight women are killed.
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Elizabeth Hoisington and Anna Mae Hays are the first women promoted to Brigadier General.
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170 women were deployed
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770 women deployed
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Aug. 2, 1990-April 7, 1991 41,000 women are deployed during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Two Army women are taken prisoner by the Iraqis.
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Programs to screen and address Military Sexual Trauma (MST) are implemented.
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Congress repeals the law banning women from duty on combat ships. Women deploy with the USS Fox.
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Martha McSally is the first woman fighter pilot to fly in combat, and first to command a fighter squadron in combat in United States history.
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Women veterans' health becomes a priority at the VA.
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The Women in Military Service for America Memorial is located at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
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Military Operations Post 9/11: Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF)-Afghanistan
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)-Iraq
Operation New Dawn (OND)-Iraq More women than ever are deployed during these military actions. Over the next 11 years women are deployed in more combat areas than at anytime in military history. -
Ann E. Dunwoody becomes the first female four-star general in the U.S. Armed Forces.
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Marcia M. Anderson is the first female African-American officer to obtain the rank of major general.
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A total of 405,669 women serve in active duty, reserve and national guard. Women make up 11% (200,000) of the troops fighting in OEF/OIF/OND since 2002. More than during any other American conflict.
