American Telephone Girls on Arrival for "Hello" Duty in France
3/1918
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The original caption for this photograph reads: American telephone girls on arrival for "hello" duty in France. They all can speak both English and French.
By 1918, when his photograph was taken, World War I had already been raging for almost four years, and had taken its toll on European infrastructure. General John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces, devised a solution for the poor communication on the war front. War had destroyed the existing French telephone system and he felt that telegrams were too slow and expressionless. Pershing wanted to establish direct telephone communication between troops on the front line and the general-in-command, as well as between allied units.
While servicemen were tasked with laying lines in the field, General Pershing felt that women would best serve as telephone operators. In order to recruit quality telephone operators, General Pershing issued an appeal for 150 women who had past telephone operating experience – and who were fluent in both English and French. This appeal was published in newspapers throughout the United States in late 1917.
Of approximately 1,750 applicants, 450 women were trained and 233 ultimately sent overseas to serve as telephone operators. Referred to as the "Hello Girls," these women were primarily stationed in England and France (and in Germany after the Armistice was signed); some were stationed to work on the front lines in locations such as Saint Mihiel and Souilly, France. Not only did telephone operators work close to the front lines, they wore blue U.S. Army uniforms and were subject to military rules.
After the war was over, however, it was decided that technically only men could be members of the U.S. Army. The women received certificates for their service, but were denied military benefits. In 1930, a telephone operator named Merle Egan Anderson started the fight for benefits. Finally, more than 60 years after the operators served, benefits were approved in 1977 and awarded in 1979 to approximately 50 survivors. These women were designated the first female veterans of the United States Army.
By 1918, when his photograph was taken, World War I had already been raging for almost four years, and had taken its toll on European infrastructure. General John J. Pershing, Commander-in-Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces, devised a solution for the poor communication on the war front. War had destroyed the existing French telephone system and he felt that telegrams were too slow and expressionless. Pershing wanted to establish direct telephone communication between troops on the front line and the general-in-command, as well as between allied units.
While servicemen were tasked with laying lines in the field, General Pershing felt that women would best serve as telephone operators. In order to recruit quality telephone operators, General Pershing issued an appeal for 150 women who had past telephone operating experience – and who were fluent in both English and French. This appeal was published in newspapers throughout the United States in late 1917.
Of approximately 1,750 applicants, 450 women were trained and 233 ultimately sent overseas to serve as telephone operators. Referred to as the "Hello Girls," these women were primarily stationed in England and France (and in Germany after the Armistice was signed); some were stationed to work on the front lines in locations such as Saint Mihiel and Souilly, France. Not only did telephone operators work close to the front lines, they wore blue U.S. Army uniforms and were subject to military rules.
After the war was over, however, it was decided that technically only men could be members of the U.S. Army. The women received certificates for their service, but were denied military benefits. In 1930, a telephone operator named Merle Egan Anderson started the fight for benefits. Finally, more than 60 years after the operators served, benefits were approved in 1977 and awarded in 1979 to approximately 50 survivors. These women were designated the first female veterans of the United States Army.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer.
National Archives Identifier: 530718
Full Citation: Photograph 111-SC-8445; American Telephone Girls on Arrival for 'Hello' Duty in France; 3/1918; Photographs of American Military Activities, ca. 1918 - ca. 1981; Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer, Record Group 111; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/american-telephone-girls, December 9, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.