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YNC Vera Maxine Pearson Oral History
Publication date: 13 August 2024
File metadata
Dublin Core Metadata
title:
YNC Vera Maxine Pearson Oral History
creator:
Pearson, Vera Maxime (1919 September 11 - )
subject:
Navy WAVES
description:
Vera Maxime Pearson was born on September 11, 1919 in Loda, Illinois. In October 1942, she enlisted in the Navy WAVES out of Chicago, Illinois and went t Stillwater, Oklahoma for basic training. After six weeks of training, she was stationed at the Headquarters of the Commander in Chief of the US Fleet in Washington, DC. There, she was a yeoman in the Convoy and Routing section doing secretarial work. She was among the first group of WAVES that was stationed in DC, and they lived in a hotel three to a room, without a mess hall, and taking taxis to and from work each day. While in DC, she was transferred the to Anti-Sub Warfare section, enjoying the work and watching the group as it developed. After two years in DC, she requested a transfer to Maui, Hawaii, which she received. From California, she shipped off to her station at the Naval Air Station in Puunene, Maui, Hawaii. She continued doing secretarial work there, and the WAVE had their own cottage quarters and access to a mess hall. She was there when the war ended, and remembered people counting their points to get out before throwing a party together. She was discharged from Chicago in November 1945 and moved to DC to work as a civilian for the Navy Department. She worked there for 30 years, and used the GI Bill to attend George Washington University. She also worked in the JAG office with other former WAVES. She was proud to be one of the first four women to reach the rank of chief petty officer. When she left the service Pearson had reached the rank of chief yeoman, and for her service she was awarded an American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and World War II Victory Medal. No transcript of this interview is currently available.
publisher:
Military Women's Memorial Foundation
contributor:
Driver, Wanda | Kramer, Ardith
date:
2003-11-19
type:
Audio
format:
Cassette
identifier:
729; 2005.729
source:
Greensprings Collection | CLIR - Recordings at Risk
language:
English
relation:
176118
coverage:
World War II (1939-1945) | 1942-45
rights:
Unrestricted