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United States. Coast Guard. Women's Reserve

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1942 - 1973

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 3 Collections and/or Records:

Other Purdue Material, 1940 - 1985

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSF 334, Series 6
Scope and Contents

This series contains miscellaneous materials related to Schleman's tenure at Purdue, including her advocacy for equal rights for women students and faculty. Of particular note are materials that document Schleman's nomination of ten women for President of Purdue in 1970, the Schleman Gold Medallion Award and the 1979 TIAA pension lawsuit.

Dates: 1940 - 1985
Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections / Helen B. Schleman papers

Pamphlets and Publications, 1922 - 1988

 Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSF 334, Series 5
Scope and Contents

Series 5 contains various pamphlets, programs, and other publications that range from Schleman's time as an undergraduate student at Northwestern to the SPARs reunion in 1988.

Dates: 1922 - 1988
Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections / Helen B. Schleman papers

Helen B. Schleman papers

 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
Found in: Purdue University Archives and Special Collections