We’ve been learning about Tyler’s Ardith (Aamodt) Sween and her early years in Cottonwood; her work with Northstar Life Insurance during the Depression era and early years of WWII; and her decision to volunteer for service in the U.S. Navy WAVES. She traveled to the Bronx, New York in March 1943 for her initial training at Hunter College as part of the 2nd battalion of WAVES trainees.

After their initial training, the Navy assigned each of the WAVES a specialty and sent them on for their individual training. Ardith received orders to Boston for training as a Navy Storekeeper, meaning she would be a supply specialist. She well-remembered their arrival in Boston in May 1943.

“We arrived in Boston and it was raining. They didn’t have buses or cars to take us from the station to where we were to stay. There was a hotel in Boston called ‘The Victoria,’ which was taken over by the Navy and we had to march from the station to the Victoria. It was several blocks.”

The Victoria was home to the WAVES trainees for the 10 weeks of their Storekeepers school. The Navy assigned trainees roommates alphabetically. Ardith’s roommate was Mildred Abbey. The Victoria also provided the trainees their mess hall for meals and a sick bay for any trainees who fell ill or suffered an injury. The Old South Church across the street offered a chapel annex for the trainees.

The Navy had taken over two nearby business schools, Bryant-Stratton School and Burdett College, as training sites for WAVES and SPARS Storekeeper Training. The SPARS were women who had volunteered for service in the Coast Guard. The combination of the Victoria, the Old South Church chapel, and the two business school buildings was known as the US Navy Training Site (Storekeeper).

Ardith explained the operation of the training site and how marching was a common part of their days while in Storekeeper training.

“They divided the girls into 2 groups. One group attended Bryant-Stratton School and the other group attended Burdett College. We were assigned groups alphabetically. At the college we had classes in disbursing supplies and typing. We’d march in platoon formation to school. The people of Boston loved the parade. They’d always be watching us. When we came to Boston we were 550 WAVE and SPAR Storekeepers, so we were quite a group.”

Ardith recalled how the WAVES trainees had received ID tags at Hunter College, which became important while in training in Boston.

“We had to wear these at all times. They were considered a part of our uniform.”

The trainees’ duty days followed a familiar routine: reveille at 0600; breakfast at 0630; formation and march to morning classes at 0730; morning classes from 0800-1115; lunch from 1130 to 1235; afternoon classes from 1245 to 1545; formation and return march to quarters at 1600; supper at 1730; study time from 2000 to 2100; and taps and lights out at 2200.

The trainees enjoyed more liberty than in their initial training at Hunter College. Ardith recalled visiting the home of the 2nd US president, President John Adams, in Quincy, Massachusetts. She also joined a Glee Club the WAVES and SPARS organized and went on a recruiting tour of New Hampshire with them.

But the highlight of her time in Boston was a city-wide public event in which the trainees participated.

“One of the big events was the opportunity to take part in Boston’s ‘I Am an American Day.’ That was a real thrill! All 4 companies of WAVES marched in the parade along with units from the Marine Corps, the Navy, the Navy Reserve, and the Coast Guard. That was one proud day! We really got to show our marching ability that day.”

Ardith recalled that the WAVES had a big recruiting booth along the parade route. They later heard that over 200 Boston women had enlisted that day at the recruiting office downtown.

She described the end of their Storekeeper training in Boston.

“We had our graduation July 9, 1943. We got our 1 stripe, our 3rd Class rating. We were now a Storekeeper, 3rd Class. They called us in for interviews and asked where would we like to be stationed? I requested assignment to the West Coast. Well, that’s not where I ended up,” she recalled, laughing. “I was assigned to the Naval Air Station, (NAS) Clinton, Oklahoma where the only water I saw was in the swimming pool,” she concluded with more laughter.

The Navy sent NAS Clinton’s first group of WAVES to their new posting by rail. Ardith described their arrival.

“The base at Clinton had just been commissioned on Jun 1, 1943. We arrived there in July. We came to the station at night, so we didn’t see what it was like.”

The new WAVES soon discovered they were beginning their first operational assignment at a brand new military installation in the middle of nowhere.

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