Women left their homes, jobs, and families to serve in Korea, just as they had in previous wars. Although the military desperately needed help, women were offered far more restricted opportunities than in World War II. During the 1950s, opportunities for any nontraditional assignments declined significantly. Nearly half of the women in the armed forces worked in “pink collar” jobs such as personnel and administration. Basic training also included stereotypical “women’s” training, which included makeup and edict lessons. …show more content…
The women carried out support roles at rear-echelon bases in Japan. They worked as air traffic controllers, weather observers, radar operators, and photograph interpreters. Nurses served stateside, while flight nurses served in the Korean theater. Air Force Nurses were responsible for evacuating 350,000 patients from Korea by the end of the War. During this time Captain Lillian Kinkella Keli made 175 evacuation flights, making her one of the most decorated women in American military history. In 1953, the total number of women in the military had increased, but their percentage in the armed forces declined. Still, a total of 12,800 Women’s Air Force officers and enlisted women were serving worldwide at that time (Lockwood, 2014).
During the Vietnam War in 1955, women in the Air Force made up three categories: the Air Force Nurse Corps (AFNC), Bio-medical Science Corps (BSM), and Women in the Air Force. By the time U.S. forces were withdrawn from the Southeast Asia (SEA) theater of war, hundreds of Air Force women had served tours in South Vietnam and Thailand. Women faced the same challenges and were exposed to the same risks and hardships as their male comrades. Many women also volunteered to serve in the combat zone but their requests were denied (Holm &