“WACs, WAFs, WASPS ‘N WAVES: Women in the 1940s”

The all-day event, held on March 29 to celebrate Women's History Month, opened with a session titled “Remembering the War Years,” featuring Amy Lawrence, a journalist assigned to Casper Air Base; Beryl Wausen, a Navy wife who witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor; Frances Livingston, who sold war bonds and worked in a west coast aircraft factory; Margaret Mains, an accomplished dancer and University of Wyoming faculty member; and Loretta Trick, a pilot who served in the WASPS. The panel members shared their wartime experiences and participated in a lively discussion with the audience.

The opening session was followed by a “Canteen Lunch,” with 1940s music from the AHC collections performed by the Michael Lange Jazz Quintet. UW cadets from the ROTC program were special guests at the luncheon and member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority served as hostesses. During the afternoon, students of the UW Department of Family and Consumer Sciences treated event participants to a fashion show featuring 1940s styles and a discussion of wartime influences on fashion. A presentation on redefining women’s roles in postwar America was given by Krys Park, American Studies graduate student. The celebration concluded with a screening of the film Ball of Fire, starring Barbara Stanwyck. Dr. Robert Torrey, UW associate professor of English, provided an exciting introduction to the movie. Ms. Stanwyck’s papers, including her Oscar for lifetime achievement, are in the collections of the AHC.