Valiant Women: The Extraordinary American Servicewomen Who Helped Win World War II [9780063088337]

Overview

National Bestseller * Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist

A groundbreaking new history of the role of American servicewomen in WWII, illuminating their forgotten yet essential contributions to the Allies’ victory, hailed as "an ingenious look at WWII” (Publishers Weekly, Starred Review)

Includes a chapter on the famed Six Triple Eight, America's all-black, all-women battalion led by Charity Adams

Valiant Women, a landmark work of WWII history, is the story of the 350,000 American women who served in uniform during World War II. These incredible women served in every service branch, in every combat theater, and in nearly two-thirds of the available military occupations at the time.

They were pilots, codebreakers, ordnance experts, gunnery instructors, metalsmiths, chemists, translators, parachute riggers, truck drivers, radarmen, pigeon trainers, and much more. They were directly involved in some of the most important moments of the war, from the D-Day landings to the peace negotiations in Paris. These women—who hailed from every race, creed, and walk of life—died for their country and received the nation’s highest honors. Their work, both individually and in total, was at the heart of the Allied strategy that won World War II.

Yet, until now, these untold stories of WWII have been relegated to the dusty shelves of military archives or a passing mention in the local paper. Often the women themselves kept their stories private, even from their own families.

Now, military analyst Lena Andrews corrects the record with the definitive and comprehensive historical account of American servicewomen during World War II, based on new archival research, firsthand interviews with surviving veterans, and a deep professional understanding of military history and strategy.

This essential history illuminates the forgotten contributions of the women at the heart of the Allied victory:

• Women’s Military History: Discover how 350,000 women served in nearly two-thirds of all military occupations, from pilots and codebreakers to gunnery instructors and parachute riggers.
• The Six Triple Eight: A dedicated chapter on the groundbreaking all-black, all-women battalion that served in Europe, a crucial piece of African American history.
• From D-Day to Victory: Learn how these servicewomen were directly involved in pivotal moments of the war, including the D-Day landings and the final peace negotiations in Paris.
• Firsthand Accounts: Based on newly unearthed archival records and compelling firsthand interviews with the last surviving veterans of the war.