Women 20 to 36. Earn a Navy rating. Join the WAVES
Navy WAVES recruiting sheet: a smiling uniformed woman above a grey chart of enlisted ratings and specialty marks, with 'Same grades, same pay, as for men' and 'Pay $50 to $126 a month clear, free uniforms'. The sheet lists the benefits and the available jobs and leaves out hardships, a one-sided selection (card-stacking).
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1943
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Navy
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- Military
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Domestic public
- Purpose
- Recruit
- Themes
- War and the military, Gender and suffrage, Labor
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. Navy. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-250 (NAID 513692).
Text on the object
Women 20 to 36 EARN A NAVY RATING Based on Navy Training and Your Own Ability and Experience Same Grades - Same Pay - As For Men STEPS IN ADVANCEMENT (For Radioman, illustrated, or other specialties) Apprentice Seaman Seaman 2nd Class Seaman 1st Class Seaman Petty Officer Third Class Petty Officer Second Class Petty Officer First Class Chief Petty Officer PAY- $50 TO $126 A MONTH CLEAR - FREE UNIFORMS Allowances for Food and Living Quarters - A Wonderful Opportunity to Serve Your Country SPECIALTY MARKS - Worn by the WAVES OTHER SPECIALISTS ARE OPEN TO WOMEN WHO QUALIFY Aerographer's Mate Aviation Machinist's Mate Aviation Metalsmith Baker-Cook Parachute Rigger Pharmacist's Mate Radioman Telegrapher Specialist I-Punched Card Tabulating Machine Operator Specialist M Mail Clerk Specialist P Photographer Specialist R Recruiter Specialist S Supervisor Specialist T-Instructors and Control Tower Operators Specialist U Housekeeper-Stewardess Storekeeper Yeoman JOIN THE WAVES APPLY TO YOUR NEAREST NAVY RECRUITING STATION OR OFFICE OF NAVAL OFFICER PROCUREMENT [on cap: U.S. NAVY] [imprint: ORDER NO. 43] [imprint: NAVPERS-NRB-38407-11 Sep 43-62M]
Small printing code at lower right is faint; digits approximate. Specialist U caption reads 'Housekeeper-Stewardess' in print.
