Coaldale Teacher Among First to Join WAVES in 1942

Coaldale Teacher Among First to Join WAVES in 1942

(by Curt Williams, Valley Gazette, October 1991)

How many of you gals from the Valley were in that first group of WAVES that started "boot camp" at Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts?

That moment in history took place on Thursday, October 8th of ’42.

One young lady that was there was Kathleen Gildea, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. James H. Gildea, 142 East Ruddle Street, Coaldale.

She had enlisted back in September and had reported to Smith on October 1 to get in on the first group to undergo officer training. She was a former home economics teacher and dietician for the Coaldale school district.

Note: In the High School her first name was listed as: Catherine Bernie, a 1937 graduate of St. Jerome's