On January 21, 1943, 11 WAVES (Women Appointed for Voluntary Emergency Service),
members of the women's branch of the U.S. Navy, arrive at the Sand Point Naval Air Station. Four officers and seven enlisted women are all graduates of the first training course for women at Cedar Falls, Iowa. They assume duties in communications, the control tower, recreation, ship's services, and in the Officer of the Day's office.
By March 1945, 322 enlisted WAVES and 36 officers were stationed at Sand Point in every aeronautical billet including: control tower operator, metalsmith, aviation machinist, parachute rigger, storekeeper, photographer's mate, Link celestial navigation trainer operator, corpsman, pharmacist's mate, driver, low pressure chamber operator, radio operator, post office specialist, and switchboard operator.
An official report described the WAVES' quarters as follows:
The cubicles are painted dusty pink and the two lounges are beautifully decorated with comfortable furniture and draperies. The girls are enjoying the large recreation room in the basement which they cleverly decorated themselves, carrying out a nautical theme. The room has [a] juke box, ping-pong table, and adjoining snack bar. The girls can entertain men there certain nights of the week.
