The Hello Girls were the telephone operators who responded to a call from their country to provide bi-lingual telephone services in the theatre of war.
It is estimated that they connected 26 million calls and were a significant factor in turning the tide of the war.
Although they took the military oath, served on the front lines, and wore a uniform, they were denied veteran status because they were women, from the end of the war until 1977. That means they were not given military benefits, allowed to have flags on their coffins, or recognized for their service.
It is time to write their stories back into history and recognize their sacrifice.
You can make that happen by asking your state Senators and Representatives to support these bills!
Meet Utah’s Hello Girls, and write to Congress. Here’s how:
Your Hello Girls: 2 (Operators)
Emelia Katharine Lumpert
Mary Marshall
Your Senate Message:
Hello,
Thank you for your continued service to our country.
As a constituent, I ask that you support S.815 – A bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps, known as the “Hello Girls”. This bipartisan bill honors the heroism and patriotism of the first unit of female soldiers to fight as combatants in American history. They served as battlefield telephone operators and translators in World War I. Two women were killed in Army service, and over 30 received commendations. After the war, the members of this all-volunteer unit were denied recognition and benefits as veterans (unlike Army nurses) for six decades until Congress interceded in 1977.
223 women and 2 men trained and served with the unit, including two with connections to our state, Operators Emelia Katharine Lumpert and Mary Marshall. The Hello Girls blazed the trail for the generations of women veterans who have followed them into our nation’s military services.
I respectfully request that you honor these women who served our country valiantly in WWI by signing on to this bill as a co-sponsor, and encouraging your colleagues to do so as well.
Thank you.
Your Senators:
Your Senate Message:
Hello,
Thank you for your continued service to our country.
As a constituent, I ask that you support H.R. 1572 – To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps, known as the “Hello Girls”. This bipartisan bill honors the heroism and patriotism of the first unit of female soldiers to fight as combatants in American history. They served as battlefield telephone operators and translators in World War I. Two women were killed in Army service, and over 30 received commendations. After the war, the members of this all-volunteer unit were denied recognition and benefits as veterans (unlike Army nurses) for six decades until Congress interceded in 1977.
223 women and 2 men trained and served with the unit, including two with connections to our state, Operators Emelia Katharine Lumpert and Mary Marshall. The Hello Girls blazed the trail for the generations of women veterans who have followed them into our nation’s military services.
I respectfully request that you honor these women who served our country valiantly in WWI by signing on to this bill as a co-sponsor, and encouraging your colleagues to do so as well.
Thank you.
Representatives from Utah by Congressional District: