Of the 16.1 million Americans who served in World War II, about 972,000 were from Illinois.

Not all were men.

More than 13,500 Illinois women served in the military, filling a variety of unsung – although critical – roles in all branches of service.

The war’s outbreak and the resulting manpower shortage opened unprecedented opportunities for women. In 1940, 854,000 Illinois women were in the workforce. By 1944, that number had surged to 2 million. Many took over jobs left vacant by men who had gone to fight, while others worked in roles supporting the war effort.

One example was the Sangamon Ordnance Plant in Illiopolis, located between Springfield and Decatur, where men and women were paid equally – a rarity at the time. The iconic image of Rosie the Riveter symbolizes this shift.

In 1943, more than 475,000 American women worked in aircraft factories, including the Wurlitzer plant in DeKalb, which had been converted to produce top-secret aircraft.

World War II was the first major conflict allowing American women to serve in all four military branches. More than 350,000 women enlisted during the war, although none served in combat roles. An estimated 543 women lost their lives in service.

The Office of War Information aggressively recruited women with posters and ads. One Springfield newspaper ad declared, “WOMAN POWER will help win the war!”

Despite these efforts, opportunities remained limited and often stereotypical. Women frequently were assigned clerical work, cooking or nursing – roles traditionally seen as female.

Nursing was a primary military role for women, a tradition dating to the Revolutionary War. Congress authorized the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in 1901. In 1940, the ANC had 942 nurses; by 1943, it had grown to 36,607.

At Scott Field (now Scott Air Force Base) in southwestern Illinois, the ANC established a new base hospital in 1941. Within a year, nurses were a daily presence, featured in a special section called “Nurse to You” in the base newspaper.

Army nurses earned less than male officers because they held an officer’s rank without commissions. They made $111 a month, while a male second lieutenant earned between $166 and $280. In 1944, Congress granted Army nurses temporary commissions with full pay.

Army nurses served worldwide, including in most major theaters of the war. The Navy Nurse Corps, established in 1908, provided a similar outlet for women.

One of the most notable women’s service branches was the Women’s Army Corps, founded as the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps on May 15, 1942. Congress initially was reluctant to authorize it.

Many WAC members served overseas. Esther Mae Nesbitt from DeKalb County was among the first WACs on Normandy in June 1944. She earned the French Croix de Guerre Medal for her work as a map custodian in the European theater.

From Sycamore, mother and daughter Mary C. Burkhart and Mary L. Burkhart both enlisted in the WACs, as did three Villegas sisters from the same town. In total, 135 women from DeKalb County joined various branches, especially the U.S. Naval Reserves’ WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). Others enlisted in the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve, the Coast Guard SPARS and the Women Airforce Service Pilots of the Army Air Force.

Women in service faced widespread sexism. Many reported condescending attitudes from male superiors, and especially older officers. Media coverage often focused on their clothing and implied recruits cared more about fashion than duty. Some branches barred Black women from service altogether.

Despite these challenges, many women persevered and became vital to the American war effort.

One inspiring example is Cpl. Myrtle Annetta Lusiak, who served from 1943 to 1945 in the Women’s Army Corps, working in the motor pool and earning numerous medals. She met her future husband, Eugene, while in the Army; their marriage lasted 60 years. Lusiak later lived in Sycamore and DeKalb.

In July 2024, at age 107, she received a Women’s Army Corps Medal from DeKalb American Legion Post 66. Lusiak died in May, one of the last surviving women veterans of World War II and a testament to their remarkable service.

• Tom Emery is a freelance writer and historical researcher from Carlinville, Illinois. He can be reached at 217-710-8392 or ilcivilwar@yahoo.com.