New Jersey Women in World War II

New Jersey women contributed to the World War II effort in multiple ways. Factory workers, including those at General Motors' Eastern Aircraft Division, filled industrial production roles. Women stationed on the vulnerable coast enforced blackout orders, while others sold war bonds, planted victory gardens, and conserved materials for the war effort. Thousands of women served as nurses or enlisted in armed forces branches, including the Women's Army Corps and the U.S. Navy's Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. African American women faced a dual struggle, fighting against both the nation's enemies and domestic discrimination. Historian Patricia Chappine examines the significant roles these New Jersey women played during World War II.