Rank #353 in NON FICTION
As a salute to all the many women who fought in World War II, at home, in secret, in the service, we give you this collection of stories of real-life women. Like Agent Peggy Carter, too often their sacrifice and service was...
By Allison Veselka, Assistant at the Barnes County Museum in Valley City, North Dakota
Judy McFarland enlisted in the WAVES in February of 1943, taking her training at Hunter College in New York. After completing her training she was stationed in Atlanta Georgia as a Link Trainer Instructor. The link trainer was an airplane set on a swivel indoors to test blind flying ability. The tested pilot sits in a cockpit and fitted with flying instruments. Then he is placed at an unknown spot and must find their way to a selected airport or airfield. Of course, this was only a simulation, but many pilots became stressed and nervous. (Attached is a picture of Judy in front of the link trainer).
In July 1944 she was stationed in New Orleans and in November of that year she was sent to Pearl Harbor in the first Contingent of WAVES to leave the continental U.S. In a newspaper article dating from November 25th, 1944 Judy had something to say about her transfer to Hawaii. "The navy has given us a lot of opportunities. This is another one and I would like to be in on it. I have no choice as to location - wherever I can best do a job." Judy was honorably discharged from service in February 1946. By all accounts, she was a spitfire and cut quite the figure in her uniform. Unfortunately Judy died in the early 2000s.
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