Dates
Historical Information
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) Women's Reserve, also known as the SPARS, was the women's branch of the USCG Reserve in World War II. It approved the acceptance of women into the reserve as both commissioned officers and at the enlisted level for the duration of the war plus six months. United States Congress established this branch and President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed it into law on November 23, 1942. It's purpose was to replace male officers and men stationed at shore stations with women, releasing men for sea duty. Dorothy C. Stratton was appointed director of the SPARS with the rank of lieutenant commander and later promoted to captain. Previously, she had been the Dean of Women on leave from Purdue University and an officer in the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). Stratton is credited with creating the nautical name of SPARS.
After World War II, SPARS was demobilized and in 1973 Congress terminated SPARS as a separate branch of the USCG, making women eligible to serve with men in regular and reserve coast guard units.
Citation:
Coast Guard Women's Reserve. (19 September 2018). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Coast-Guard-Womens-Reserve
Citation:
SPARS. (8 September 2019). Wikipedia. Retrieved from:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPARS
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 102
Scope and Contents
The Marylu McEwen papers document the personal and professional life of Marylu McEwen, from her time as a student at Purdue University from 1964-1968 through her long career in higher education. A large portion of the collection depicts her relationships with the Deans of Women and Deans of Students at Purdue University from her time as a student in the 1960s into adulthood and retirement. Types of materials include correspondence, clippings, photographs, speeches, and articles. Also...
Dates:
1964 - 2014
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSF 334
Scope and Contents
The Helen Schleman papers document the life of Helen B. Schleman from her time as a student at Northwestern University in the 1920s up until her death in 1992. Much of the collection documents Schleman’s tenure at Purdue University as Head of the Women’s Residence Halls, Dean of Women, and Dean Emeritus, as well as her military service in the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve (SPARs) during World War II. Additionally, the collection contains Schleman’s collection of newspaper clippings pertaining...
Dates:
1920 - 2003; Majority of material found within 1934 - 1980
