SOTH CONGRESS 2d Session } HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES { REPORT No. 1616 AUTHORIZING THE ENLISTMENT AND APPOINTMENT OF WOMEN IN THE RESERVE COMPONENTS OF THE ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, AND MARINE CORPS, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES MARCH 29, 1948.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed Mr. SHAFER, from the Committee on Armed Services, submitted the following REPORT [To accompany S. 1641] The Committee on Armed Services, to whom was referred the bill (S. 1641) to establish the Women's Army Corps in the Regular Army, to authorize the enlistment and appointment of women in the Regular Navy and Marine Corps and the Naval and Marine Corps Reserve, and for other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do pass. The amendments are as follows: On page 1, line 4, strike out the words "Integration Act of 1947" and insert in lieu thereof the words "Reserve Act of 1948." On page 1, line 6, strike out the words "Establishment of Women's Army Corps, Regular Army", and insert in lieu thereof the word "Army". On page 1, strike out all of lines 7 and 8. Strike out all of pages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. On page 11, strike out lines 1 to 15, inclusive. On page 11, line 16, strike out the words "SEC. 109", and insert in lieu thereof the words "SEC. 101". On page 12, lines 6 and 7, strike out the words "Women's Army Corps" and insert in lieu thereof the following "such female persons". On page 12, line 20, strike out the word "War" and insert in lieu thereof the words "the Army". On page 12, lines 23 and 24, strike out the words "or as the Director of the Women's Army Corps created by this title,". On page 13, line 4, strike out the word "War" and insert in lieu thereof the words "the Army". On page 13, line 6, strike out the word "War" and insert in lieu thereof the words "the Army". On page 13, line 13, strike out the word War" and insert in lieu thereof the words "the Army". On page 13, line 16, after the period add the following new section: SEC. 102. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 2a of the Act of July 25, 1947 (Public Law 239, Eightieth Congress), neither (1) the Act of July 1, 1943 (57 Stat. 371), nor (2) the Act of September 22, 1941 (55 Stat. 728, ch. 414), as amended, insofar as it pertains to officers of the Women's Army Corps heretofore appointed thereunder; shall be repealed until that date which is twelve months after the date of enactment of this Act. On page 13, strike out lines 18, 19, and 20, and insert in lieu thereof the following "Navy and Marine Corps". On page 13, strike out lines 21 to 25, inclusive. Strike out all of pages 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and 27. On page 28, strike out lines 1 and 2. On page 28, line 3, strike out the words "SEC. 212", and insert in lieu thereof the words "SEC. 201". On page 28, line 5, after the word "out", insert the words "the present caption and". On page 28, immediately preceding the words "SEC. 501" insert the following: "Title V-Women in the Naval Reserve". On page 28, lines 9 and 10, strike out the words "ratings, grades, or ranks" and insert in lieu thereof the words "ratings or grades". On page 28, line 18, delete the period after the word "assigned" and insert in lieu thereof a colon and the following: Provided, That they shall not be assigned to duty in aircraft while such aircraft are engaged in combat missions nor shall they be assigned to duty on vessels of the Navy except hospital ships and naval transports. On page 29, line 17, strike out the words "ratings, grades, or ranks," and insert in lieu thereof the words "ratings or grades". On page 29, line 19, strike out the word "this" and insert in lieu thereof the word "the". On page 29, strike out lines 20, 21, and 22, inclusive, and insert in lieu thereof the following: Women's Armed Services Reserve Act of 1948, and such transfer of enlisted personnel shall be for a period to be determined by the Secretary of the Navy. On page 29, line 23, strike out the words "SEC. 213", and insert in lieu thereof the words "SEC. 202". On page 29, line 24, strike out the word "Regular". On page 29, line 24, after the word "Corps" add the word "Reserve". On page 30, line 3, strike out the word "Regular". On page 30, line 3, after the word "Corps" add the word "Reserve". On page 30, line 4, strike out the words "Regular Navy" and insert in lieu thereof the words "Naval Reserve". On page 30, strike out all of lines 5 to 25, inclusive. On page 31, strike out lines 1 to 15, inclusive. On page 31, immediately following line 15, add a new title as follows: TITLE III AIR FORCE SEC. 301 (a) Effective on the date of enactment of this title, the appointment and enlistment of women in the Officers' and Enlisted Section of the Air Force Reserve shall be authorized. (b) Except as otherwise specifically provided, all laws now applicable to male commissioned officers and former commissioned officers of the Officers' Reserve Corps, to enlisted men and former enlisted men of the Enlisted Reserve Corps, and to their dependents and beneficiaries, shall be applicable, respectively, to female commissioned officers and former commissioned officers, to enlisted women and former enlisted women, of the Air Force Reserve, and to their dependents and beneficiaries, except as may be necessary to adapt said provisions to such female persons: Provided, That the husbands of such female persons shall not be considered dependents unless they are in fact dependent on their wives for their chief support, and the children of such female persons shall not be considered dependents unless their father is dead or they are in fact dependent on their mother for their chief support. (c) Appointments of women to commissioned grade in the Air Force Reserve may be made by the President alone in grades from lieutenant colonel to second lieutenant, inclusive, from female citizens of the United States who have attained the age of twenty-one years and who possess such other qualifications as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force: Provided, That any person who has served satisfactorily in the temporary grade of colonel in the Women's Army Corps established by Act of July 1, 1943 (57 Stat. 371), may, if otherwise qualified, be appointed in the grade of colonel in the Air Force Reserve. (d) Enlistments of women in the Air Force Reserve may be accepted under the provisions of law now applicable to enlistments of male persons in the Enlisted Reserve Corps, under such regulations, in such grades, or ratings, and for such periods of time as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Air Force. (e) The President may form any or all such female persons of the Air Force Reserve into such organizations and units as he may prescribe. (1) The Secretary of the Air Force shall prescribe the military authority which any female person of the Air Force Reserve may exercise, and the kind of military duty to which such female persons may be assigned: Provided, That female persons of the Air Force shall not be assigned to aircraft while such aircraft are engaged in combat missions. Amend the title so as to read: An Act to authorize the enlistment and appointment of women in the Reserve Components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, and for other purposes. The purpose of the proposed legislation, as amended, is to authorize the enlistment and appointment of women in the Reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Title I of the proposed legislation, as amended, authorizes the appointment of women in the Officers' Reserve Corps of the Army of the United States and the enlistment of women in the Enlisted Reserve Corps of the Army of the United States. Unless otherwise specifically provided, all laws applicable to male commissioned officers and former commissioned officers of the Officers' Reserve Corps and enlisted men and former enlisted men of the Officers' Reserve Corps and to their dependents and beneficiaries are applicable to female commissioned officers and former commissioned officers of the Officers' Reserve Corps and to enlisted women and former enlisted women in the Enlisted Reserve Corps and to their dependents and beneficiaries. However, husbands of such personnel shall not be considered dependents unless they are in fact dependent upon their wives for their chief support, and children shall not be considered dependent unless their father is dead and they are in fact dependent upon their mother for their chief support. Title I authorizes the President to appoint women in the Officers' Reserve Corps in grades from lieutenant colonel to second lieutenant, inclusive. It further permits the appointment of any person who served satisfactorily as Director of the Women's Army Corps to be appointed in the Keserve Corps in the grade of colonel. The title further permits the appointment of women specialists in the Officers' Reserve Corps with such grades as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Army. This provision will permit the appointment of scientists and technical experts. Title I further authorizes the President to form female members of the Reserve components into such organizations and units as he may prescribe. The title, as amended, also extends the present Women's Army Corps, established pursuant to the act of July 1, 1943 (57 Stat. 371), for 1 year from the date of enactment of the proposed legislation. This amendment is necessary in view of the fact that under section 2 (a) of the act of July 25, 1947 (Public Law 239, 80th Cong.) the authority for the Women's Army Corps would otherwise terminate on July 1, 1948. This amendment will permit an orderly transition from the Women's Army Corps to the new Reserve status. Title II amends the present law for women who served in the Naval Reserve. It repeals section 501 to 508, inclusive, of the Naval Reserve Act of 1938 (56 Stat. 730), as amended, and creates new authority for the appointment and enlistment of women in the Naval Reserve. The new sections of the Naval Reserve Act will permit the enlistment and appointment of women in the Naval Reserve without a termination date. Under existing law, the authority for the appointment and enlistment of women in the Naval Reserve is effective only for the duration of the present war and for 6 months thereafter. This title also permits the appointment and enlistment of women in the Marine Corps Reserve. In addition title II, as amended, prohibits the assignment of women in the Naval Reserve to duty in aircraft while such aircraft are engaged in combat missions and limits assignment aboard naval vessels to hospital ships and naval transports. A new title III has been added to the proposed legislation which authorizes the enlistment and appointment of women in the Officers' and Enlisted Section of the Air Force Reserve. The President is authorized to commission women in the Air Force Reserve in the grades of lieutenant colonel to second lieutenant, inclusive. The new title also permits the appointment of any person who served satisfactorily in the temporary grade of colonel in the Women's Army Corps to be appointed as a colonel in the Air Force Reserve. Title III also prohibits the assignment of women in the Air Force Reserve to aircraft assigned to combat missions. The committee is of the opinion that the retention of women in the armed services in a reserve status is necessary and of great value to the Nation. By permitting women to join the reserve components, the services will have a large reservoir of women from which to draw in the event of national emergency. The Committee on Armed Services adopted the proposed legislation as amended, by a vote of 26 to 1, with 1 member voting present, and urges its passage. In compliance with clause 2a of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, there is herewith printed in parallel columns the text of provisions of existing laws which would be repealed or amended by the various provisions of the bill. EXISTING LAW TITLE V OF THE NAVAL RESERVE ACT OF 1938 (56 STAT. 730), AS AMENDED THE BILL SEC. 212. Title V of the Naval Reserve Act of 1938 (56 Stat. 730), as amended, is hereby further amended TITLE V-WOMEN'S RESERVE SEC. 501. A Women's Reserve is hereby established which shall be a branch of the Naval Reserve and shall be administered under the same provisions in all respects (except as may be necessary to adapt said provisions to the Women's Reserve, or as specifically provided herein) as those contained in this Act or which may hereafter be enacted with respect to the Volunteer Reserve. TITLE V-WOMEN IN THE NAVAL RESERVE SEC. 502. Members of the Women's SEC. 501. Women may be enlisted or Reserve may be commissioned or enlisted appointed in the Naval Reserve under in such appropriate ranks and ratings, the provisions of this Act, as now or not above the rank of captain, corres- hereafter amended, in such appropriate ponding to those of the Regular Navy, ratings or grades as may be prescribed as may be prescribed by the Secretary by the Secretary of the Navy in the of the Navy: Provided, That there shall not be more than one officer in the grade of captain, exclusive of officers appointed in the Medical Department of the Naval Reserve: Provided further, That military authority of officers commissioned under the provisions of this title may be exercised over women of the Reserve only and is limited to the administration of the Women's Reserve. SEC. 503. The Reserve established by this title shall be composed of members who have attained the age of twenty years. SEC. 504. Members of the Women's Reserve shall not be assigned to duty on board vessels of the Navy or in aircraft while such aircraft are engaged in combat missions and shall not be assigned to duty outside the American area and the Territories of Hawaii and Alaska, and may be assigned to duty outside the continental United States only upon their prior request. SEC. 505. Members of the Women's Reserve shall not be used to replace civil-service personnel employed in the Naval Establishment, but shall be composed of women trained and qualified for duty in the shore establishment of the Navy to release male officers and enlisted men of the naval service for duty at sea. same manner and, except as otherwise provided in this title, under the same circumstances and conditions as men are enlisted or appointed in the Naval Reserve. SEC. 502. The Secretary of the Navy may prescribe the manner in which women enlisted or appointed in the Naval Reserve shall be trained and qualified for military duty, the military authority they may exercise, and the kind of military duty to which they may be assigned: * |