In World War II, women in Allied countries served their nations in numerous roles, both on the homefront and in the theatres of war.
According to Retronaut, the American Women’s Voluntary Services trained hundreds of thousands of volunteers to provide services in support of the war effort, from aircraft spotting to firefighting to ambulance driving.
In 1942, LIFE photographer Herbert Gehr arranged a photoshoot to show off a small sample of the uniforms of different kinds of servicewomen, from standard nurse’s garb to outfits to help women survive gas, fire, and other hazards of war.
1. Red Cross outdoor coat.
2. Floater coat, capable of providing flotation for three days.
3. Red Cross Motor Corps uniform.
4. Civil Defense canteen uniform.
5. Red Cross Motor Corps uniform.
6. American Womens Voluntary Services ski patrol uniform.
7. Land Army uniform.
8. Navy uniform.
9. Decontamination suit.
10. Flame resistant suit with hood and bulletproof vest.
11. Red Cross nurse's aide uniform.
12. Red Cross uniform.
13. Civil Defense nurse's uniform.
14. American Womens Voluntary Service motorcycle uniform.
15. Flame resistant suit with bulletproof vest (hood down).
(Images: Herbert Gehr/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images, via Mashable/Retronaut)
According to Retronaut, the American Women’s Voluntary Services trained hundreds of thousands of volunteers to provide services in support of the war effort, from aircraft spotting to firefighting to ambulance driving.
In 1942, LIFE photographer Herbert Gehr arranged a photoshoot to show off a small sample of the uniforms of different kinds of servicewomen, from standard nurse’s garb to outfits to help women survive gas, fire, and other hazards of war.
1. Red Cross outdoor coat.
2. Floater coat, capable of providing flotation for three days.
3. Red Cross Motor Corps uniform.
4. Civil Defense canteen uniform.
5. Red Cross Motor Corps uniform.
6. American Womens Voluntary Services ski patrol uniform.
7. Land Army uniform.
8. Navy uniform.
9. Decontamination suit.
10. Flame resistant suit with hood and bulletproof vest.
11. Red Cross nurse's aide uniform.
12. Red Cross uniform.
13. Civil Defense nurse's uniform.
14. American Womens Voluntary Service motorcycle uniform.
15. Flame resistant suit with bulletproof vest (hood down).
(Images: Herbert Gehr/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images, via Mashable/Retronaut)
