Florence Collins

Florence Collins, geologist and aviator, was a woman of adventure and an important part of Denali National Park and Preserve’s long history of scientific research.

Continue reading

Shirley Feldstein Bell

Shirley Feldstein enlisted in the WAVES at Portland, Oregon, in September 1942. She received training at Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Norman, Oklahoma, during the first part of 1943 and was a member of the initial group of WAVES to become Aviation Metalsmiths. Later, she served in that rate at Naval Air Station, Seattle (Sand Point), Washington.

Continue reading

Captain Joy Bright Hancock

In February 1946, Commander Hancock became the Assistant Director (Plans) of the Women’s Reserve and was promoted to WAVES’ Director, with the rank of Captain, in July of that year. She guided the WAVES through the difficult years of Naval contraction in the later 1940s and the expansion of the early 1950s, a period that also saw the Navy’s women achieve status as part of the Regular Navy.

Continue reading