In March 1917, the U.S. Navy began enlisting women as Yeomen (F), or 'Yeomanettes,' to serve in clerical and administrative roles and free men for combat duty during World War I. This album page, captioned 'Yeomanettes, Mare Island Navy Yard, 1917-18,' shows a company of Yeomanettes drilling with wooden training rifles on the grounds of the historic California shipyard, a rare glimpse of women's first formal service in the U.S. Navy. Project: 218551