Betty M. Prieve: A Song for the Holiday
Betty Mae Whitney Prieve was a Merrill, Wisconsin, native. She joined the United States Navy in 1942. She trained as an airplane mechanic in Norman, Oklahoma, before transferring to Lakehurst, New Jersey. In 1944, shortly after the combat related death of her brother, she volunteered for duty at Pearl Harbor
Women’s Unequaled Service
Prior to World War II, the only generally accepted role for a woman in the United States military was as a nurse, a position relegated to civilian status with few benefits. With the exception of a select group of women serving in the navy, marines and coast guard during World