,,ii #aaf? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 #bjf ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,janu>y #bd1 #bjai,mr4 ,te/] 7= himself & ,mrs4 ,blackburn7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,bank+1 ,h\s+1 & ,urban ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to aw>d a ,congressional ,gold ,m$al to ! female telephone op]ators ( ! ,army ,signal ,corps1 kn[n z ! ,hello ,girls4 #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z ! ,hello ,girls ,congressional ,gold ,m$al ,act ( #bjai4 #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7 ,on ,april #f1 #aiag1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates decl>$ w> aga9/ ,g]many4 ,z a hi/orically neutral nation1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates 0 unprep>$ to fight a te*nologically mod]n conflict ov]seas4 ,! ,unit$ ,/ates call$ ^u ,am]ican ,telephone & ,telegraph 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is section z ,,at,t7 to provide equipm5t & tra9$ p]sonnel = ! ,army ,signal ,corps 9 ,france4 ,,at,t executives 9 ,army uni=m s]v$ at home "u ! provisions ( ! ,act entitl$ ,an ,act = mak+ fur!r & m effectual provision = ! national def5se1 & = o!r purposes41 approv$ ,june #c1 #aiaf 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is section z ! ,national ,def5se ,act ( #aiaf71 :i* all[$ = ! induction ( individuals ) specializ$ skills into a res]ve =ce4 7#b7 ,:5 ,g5]al ,john ,p]%+ sail$ = ,europe 9 ,may ( #aiag z head ( ! ,am]ican ,exp$ition>y ,=ces 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is section z ! ,,aef71 he took telephone op]at+ equipm5t ) him 9 recognition ( ! inadequacy ( ,european circuitry & ) ! und]/&+ t telephones w\ld play a key role 9 battlefield communications = ! fir/ "t 9 ! hi/ory ( w>4 7#c7 ,f ,may to ,novemb] ( #aiag1 ! ,,aef /ruggl$ to develop ! telephone s]vice necess>y = ! ,army to function "u battlefield conditions4 ,monol+ual infantrym5 f ! ,unit$ ,/ates 7 unable to connect calls rapidly or communicate effectively ) _! ,fr5* c\nt]p>ts to put calls ?r\gh ov] toll l9es t l9k$ "o region ( ! c\ntry ) ano!r4 ,! ,army f\nd t ! av]age male op]ator requir$ #fj seconds to make a connection4 ,t rate 0 unacceptably sl[1 especially = op]ational calls betwe5 comm& outpo/s & ! front l9es4 7#d7 ,dur+ ?is "t1 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 telephone op]at+ 0 l>gely sex-segregat$4 ,hir$ = _! spe$ 9 connect+ calls1 wom5 fill$ #he p]c5t ( ! telephone op]at+ positions 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 ,x took ! av]age female op]ator #aj seconds to make a connection4 7#e7 ,on ,novemb] #h1 #aiag1 ,g5]al ,p]%+ cabl$ ! ,w> ,dep>tm5t & wrote1 ,on acc\nt ( ! great difficulty ( obta9+ prop]ly qualifi$ m51 reque/ organization & dispat* to ,france a =ce ( wom5 telephone op]ators all speak+ ,fr5* & ,engli% equally well44 ,to beg91 ,g5]al ,p]%+ reque/$ #ajj wom5 "u ! comm& ( a commission$ capta91 writ+ t ,all %\ld h all[ances ( ,army nurses & %\ld be uni=m$44 7#f7 ,! ,w> ,dep>tm5t s5t press releases to newspap]s across ! ,unit$ ,/ates to recruit wom5 will+ to s]ve = ! duration ( ! w> & face ! haz>ds ( subm>9e w>f>e & a]ial bomb>dm5t4 ,^! articles emphasiz$ t patriotic wom5 w\ld be full-fl$g$ soldi]s "u ! articles ( w> & w\ld d z mu* to help w9 ! w> z ! m5 9 khaki :o g ov] ! top44 ,all wom5 select$ w\ld take ! ,army oa?4 7#g7 ,m ?an #g1fjj wom5 volunte]$ = ! #ajj positions describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#e7 & ! fir/ recruits took ! ,army oa? on ,janu>y #ae1 #aiah4 7#h7 ,l nurses & doctors at ! "t1 female ,signal ,corps memb]s _h relative r ?an traditional ranks & 7 rank$ z ,op]ator1 ,sup]visor1 or ,*ief ,op]ator4 ,:5 promot$1 ! wom5 7 requir$ to swe> ! ,army oa? aga94 7#i7 ,telephone op]ators 7 ! fir/ wom5 to s]ve z soldi]s 9 non-m$ical classifications & ! job ( ! op]ators 0 to help w9 ! w>1 n to mitigate ! h>ms ( ! w>4 ,9 popul> p>lance1 !y 7 kn[n z ! ,hello ,girls4 7#aj7 ,signal ,corps ,op]ators wore ,army uni=ms & ,army insignia always1 z well z /&>d-issue id5tity disks 9 case ( dea?1 & 7 subject to c\rt m>tial = infractions ( ! milit>y code4 7#aa7 ,unbekn[n/ to ! wom5 op]ators & _! imm$iate (fic]s1 ! legal c\nsel ( ! ,army rul$ int]nally on ,m>* #bj1 #aiah1 t ! wom5 7 n actually soldi]s b contract employees1 ev5 ?\gh ! wom5 _h n se5 or sign$ any contracts4 ,milit>y code all[$ only = ! induction ( m5 & ! code rema9$ un*ang$ despite ! ord]s ( ,g5]al ,p]%+4 ,nev]!less1 legal c\nsel also recogniz$ t ! ,national ,def5se ,act ( #aiaf1 :i* all[$ = ! induction ( memb]s ( ! telephone indu/ry ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates into ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 impos$ no g5d] re/rictions4 7#ab7 ,f\r days lat]1 on ,m>* #bd1 #aiah1 ! fir/ cont+5t ( op]ators began _! (ficial duties 9 ,france4 ,! op]ators arriv$ be=e mo/ infantrym5 ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces 9 ord] to facilitate logi/ics & deploym5t & sp5t _! fir/ night 9 ,p>is "u ,g]man bomb>dm5t4 7#ac7 ,aft] ! arrival ( ! op]ators1 telephone s]vice 9 ,france improv$ imm$iately1 z calls tripl$ f #ac1jjj to #cf1jjj p] day4 7#ad7 ,! ,army quickly recruit$1 tra9$1 & deploy$ #e additional cont+5ts ( female ,signal ,corps op]ators4 ,) ^! p]sonnel1 calls increas$ to #aej1jjj p] day4 7#ae7 ,9 addition to /&>d telephone op]at+1 bil+ual ,signal ,corps memb]s provid$ simultane\s translation betwe5 (fic]s f ,france & (fic]s f ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 :o 7 communicat+ by telephone4 7#af7 ,! ,,aef f\ght _! fir/ major battles 9 ! la/ #b mon?s ( ! w>4 ,by t po9t1 ! ,signal ,corps consid]$ ! contributions ( wom5 to be s ess5tial t1 9 telephone ex*anges close/ to ! front l9e1 ! ,army exclusively us$ wom51 9 rotat+ #ab-;h\r %ifts4 ,9 ! re>1 ! ,army e/abli%$ rotat+ #h-;h\r %ifts & gave male soldi]s ! ov]night %ift :5 telephone traffic 0 sl[]4 7#ag7 ,sev5 bil+ual op]ators-- 7,a7 s]v$ at ! ,battles ( ,/4 ,mihiel & ,meuse-,argonne "u ! imm$iate comm& ( ,g5]al ,p]%+2 7,b7 /aff$ ! ,op]ations ,bo>ds ?r\gh :i* ord]s to advance1 fire1 & retreat 7 deliv]$ to soldi]s 9 ! tr5*es1 to artill]y units on al]t1 & to pilots await+ ord]s at ,fr5* airfields2 & 7,c7 7 aw>d$ a ,def5sive ,sector ,clasp = ! ,meuse-,argonne op]ation4 7#ah7 ,! ,*ief ,op]ator sup]vis+ ! ,hello ,girls1 ,grace ,bank] ( ,passaic1 ,new ,j]sey1 0 aw>d$ ! ,di/+ui%$ ,s]vice ,m$al4 ,out ( #af1jjj eligible ,signal ,corps (fic]s1 ,bank] 0 "o ( only #ah individuals s honor$4 7#ai7 ,?irty additional op]ators receiv$ special comm5dations1 _m sign$ by ,g5]al ,p]%+ himself1 = exceptionally m]itori\s & conspicu\s s]vices 9 ,advance ,sections ( ! conflict4 7#bj7 ,! w> end$ on ,novemb] #aa1 #aiah4 ,z ( t date1 #bbc female op]ators s]v$ 9 ,france & _h connect$ #bf1jjj1jjj calls = ! ,,aef4 7#ba7 ,! ,*ief ,signal ,(fic] ( ! ,army ,signal ,corps wrote 9 8 (ficial report #b days aft] ! date on :i* ! w> end$ t a l>ge "p ( ! success ( ! communications ( ?is ,army is due to ''' a compet5t /aff ( wom5 op]ators44 7#bb7 ,aft] ! w> end$1 "s wom5 7 ord]$ to ,cobl5z 9 ,g]many = ! occupation ( t c\ntry & to ,p>is = ! ,p>is ,peace ,treaty ( #aiai to cont9ue telephone op]ations1 sometimes 9 direct support ( ,presid5t ,woodr[ ,wilson4 7#bc7 ,two op]ators1 ,corah ,b>tlett & ,inez ,critt5d51 di$ 9 ,france 9 ! s]vice ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & 7 buri$ !re 9 milit>y cemet]ies ) milit>y c]emonies4 ,^? op]ators di$ ( ! same influ5za p&emic t kill$ m soldi]s ( ! ,arm$ ,=ces ?an combat op]ations4 7#bd7 ,wom5 ( ! ,army ,signal ,corps 7 ineligible = dis*>ge until =mal release4 ,because ( _! role 9 logi/ics1 ^? wom5 7 among ! la/ soldi]s to come home to ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 ,! la/ ,signal ,corps op]ators return$ f ,france 9 ,janu>y ( #aibj4 7#be7 ,^u arrival 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ! ,army in=m$ female vet]ans t !y _h p]=m$ z civilians1 n soldi]s1 ev5 ?\gh op]ators _h s]v$ 9 ,army uni=m 9 a !atre ( w> surr\nd$ by m5 :o 7 simil>ly engag$4 7#bf7 ,despite ! objections ( ,g5]al ,george ,squi]1 ! top-rank+ (fic] 9 ! ,signal ,corps1 ! ,army d5i$ ,signal ,corps wom5 ! vet]ans' b5efits grant$ to male soldi]s & female nurses1 su* z-- 7,a7 hospitalization = disabilities incurr$ 9 ! l9e ( duty2 7,b7 ca% bonuses2 7,c7 soldi]s' p5sions2 7,d7 flags on _! c(f9s2 & 7,e7 ! ,victory ,m$als promis$ !m 9 ,france4 7#bg7 ,= ! next #fj ye>s1 female vet]ans1 l$ by ,m]le ,egan f ,montana1 petition$ ,congress m ?an #ej times = _! recognition4 ,9 #aigg1 "u ! sponsor%ip ( ,s5ator ,b>ry ,goldwat]1 ,congress pass$ legislation to retroactively ackn[l$ge ! milit>y s]vice ( ! ,wom5's ,air=ce ,s]vice ,pilots 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is section z ,w,a,s,ps7 ( ,_w ,w> ,,ii & ! s]vice ( any p]son 9 any o!r simil>ly situat$ gr\p ! memb]s ( :i* r5d]$ s]vice to ! ,arm$ ,=ces ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates 9 a capacity consid]$ civilian employm5t or contractual s]vice at ! "t su* s]vice 0 r5d]$4 7#bh7 ,on ,novemb] #bc1 #aigg1 ,presid5t ,jimmy ,c>t] sign$ ! legislation describ$ 9 p>agraph 7#bg7 into law z ! ,,gi ,bill ,improvem5t ,act ( #aigg 7,public ,law #ie-bjb2 #ia ,/at4 #adcc74 7#bi7 ,! ,signal ,corps telephone op]ators appli$ =1 & 7 grant$1 /atus z vet]ans 9 #aigi4 7#cj7 ,only #cc ( ! op]ators :o _h return$ home aft] ! w> 7 /ill alive to receive _! ,victory ,m$als & (ficial dis*>ge pap]s1 :i* 7 f9ally aw>d$ 9 #aigi4 7#ca7 ,"o ( ! wom51 ,olive ,%aw f ,massa*usetts1 return$ to ! ,unit$ ,/ates aft] ! w>1 :]e %e work$ on ! pr(essional /aff ( ,congresswoman ,edi? ,n\rse ,rog]s4 ,%aw liv$ to receive h] honorable dis*>ge & 0 ! fir/ burial :5 ! ,massa*usetts ,national ,cemet]y op5$ on ,octob] #aa1 #aihj4 ,%aw's uni=m is on display at ! ,national ,_w ,w> ,i ,museum & ,memorial 9 ,kansas ,city1 ,miss\ri4 7#cb7 ,^u receipt ( h] honorable dis*>ge at a c]emony 9 h] home 9 ,m>9e ,city1 ,mi*igan1 ,hello ,girl ,ol$a ,j\re ,*ri/ides rais$ ! pap] to h] lips & kiss$ x4 ,! only ?+ ,*ri/ides ev] want$ f ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t 0 a flag on h] c(f94 7#cc7 ,on ,july #a1 #bjji1 ,presid5t ,b>ack ,obama sign$ into law ,public ,law #aaa-dj 7#abc ,/at4 #aieh71 :i* aw>d$ ! ,w,a,s,ps ! ,congressional ,gold ,m$al = _! s]vice to ! ,unit$ ,/ates4 7#cd7 ,= _! role z pione]s :o pav$ ! way = all wom5 9 uni=m1 & = s]vice t 0 ess5tial to victory 9 ,_w ,w> ,i1 ! ,hello ,girls m]it simil> recognition4 #c4 ,congressional gold m$al 7a7 ,aw>d au?oriz$ ,! ,speak] ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives & ! ,presid5t pro tempore ( ! ,s5ate %all make appropriate arrangem5ts = ! aw>d1 on behalf ( ,congress1 ( a s+le gold m$al ( appropriate design 9 honor ( ! female telephone op]ators ( ! ,army ,signal ,corps 7commonly kn[n z ! ,hello ,girls71 9 recognition ( ^? op]ators'-- 7#a7 pione]+ milit>y s]vice2 7#b7 devotion to duty2 & 7#c7 #fj-ye> /ruggle =-- 7,a7 recognition z soldi]s2 & 7,b7 vet]ans' b5efits4 7b7 ,design & /rik+ ,= ! purposes ( ! aw>d describ$ 9 subsection 7a71 ! ,secret>y ( ! ,treasury 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is ,act z ! ,secret>y7 %all /rike ! gold m$al ) suitable emblems1 devices1 & inscriptions1 to be det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y4 7c7 ,smi?sonian ,in/itution 7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,aft] ! aw>d ( ! gold m$al "u subsection 7a71 ! m$al %all be giv5 to ! ,smi?sonian ,in/itution1 :]e ! m$al %all be available = display1 z appropriate1 & made available = rese>*4 7#b7 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t ! ,smi?sonian ,in/itution %\ld make ! gold m$al receiv$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 available else:]e1 p>ticul>ly at-- 7,a7 appropriate locations associat$ )-- 7i7 ! ,army ,signal ,corps2 7ii7 ! ,wom5 9 ,milit>y ,s]vice = ,am]ica ,memorial2 7iii7 ! ,u4,s4 ,army ,wom5's ,museum2 & 7iv7 ! ,national ,_w ,w> ,i ,museum & ,memorial2 & 7,b7 any o!r location det]m9$ appropriate by ! ,smi?sonian ,in/itution4 #d4 ,duplicate m$als ,"u su* regulations z ! ,secret>y may prescribe1 ! ,secret>y may /rike & sell duplicates 9 bronze ( ! gold m$al /ruck "u section #c at a price suffici5t to cov] ! co/s ( ! m$als1 includ+ labor1 mat]ials1 dies1 use ( ma*9]y1 & ov]head exp5ses4 #e4 ,national m$als 7a7 ,national m$als ,m$als /ruck "u ?is ,act are national m$als = purposes ( *apt] #ea ( title #ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code4 7b7 ,numismatic items ,= purposes ( section #eacd ( title #ca1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 all m$als /ruck "u ?is ,act %all be consid]$ to be numismatic items4