Once again this weekend I will portray Oleda Joure Christides, who was a member of the U.S.Army Signal Corps, commonly known as the "Hello Girls." I believe strongly their long overdue recognition with a Congressional Gold Medal is needed. It took them 60 years finally to receive their Veterans Status recognition by the Army. (Oleda was among the few still alive to receive it.)
That is not the only overdue recognition to these telephone operators of World War I. In 2009, the WASPs received the Congressional Gold Medal. This is the highest medal bestowed by civilians in the United States. This past year the women working within the United States for World War II, the"Rosies", received the Congressional Gold Medal. Today, the United States World War I Commission is working to honor the Hello Girls with the same award, and we need YOUR help to bring them the recognition they deserve!
I have reproduced here a flier I will have at my program. Please read it. At the bottom I add the information for you to contact your Representative at https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/honor/valor-medals-image/hello-girls.html
Hello Girls Congressional Medal Legislation Gaining Big Momentum in Senate and House
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Great news from the campaign of the World War I Centennial Commission and other organizations, as well as many individuals like you, to encourage the 118th Congress to pass legislation honoring the World War I "Hello Girls" U.S. Army Signal Corps telephone operators, America's First Women Soldiers, with a Congressional Gold Medal. As of the publication of the WWI newsletter, the Senate measure, has gathered 65 of the 67 cosponsors it needs to be brought to a vote and passed in the Senate. H.R.1572, the House measure, has 152 cosponsors, some 70% of the votes needed to pass in the House.This outstanding progress has happened due to all the many organizations and people who have reached out to Senators and Representatives and asked them to cosponsor this important legislation. If you are one of those people, thank you! If you haven't joined the campaign yet, now is a great time to answer the call, and help get this legislation across the finish line. The Hello Girls made a huge difference in the outcome of WWI. The ability of the bilingual female operators to pass critical tactical information calmly and seamlessly between two allied armies that spoke different languages was a fundamental breakthrough in tactical communications on the Western Front. The service of the Hello Girls helped bring the fighting to an end in the Allies’ favor as much as a year earlier than it might have taken without them, according to General John Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces. When their nation called in 1918, the Hello Girls answered – will YOU answer their call for recognition in 2024?
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https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/honor/valor-medals-image/hello-girls.html
That's where my flier ends. The link also lets you find your representative. The website also gives the following advice:
You can read the legislation submitted in the House (H.R.1572 - To award a Congressional Gold Medal to the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps, known as the "Hello Girls".)
- On your Representative's web site, navigate to the "Contact form.
- Fill out the Representative's contact form, then copy and paste the state-specific message in the tab into the "Message" field of the form.
- We encourage you to customize your note before sending! Make it a personal message from you.
- Check "yes, I'd like a response" from your Representative.
- Click "Send"!
- If you receive a reply from your Representative, or would otherwise like to contact our team with information, please forward any and all correspondence to hellogirls@worldwar1centennial.org.
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