Dorothy Rudd - U.S. Navy WAVE 1942-45

Dorothy “Pat” Rudd was born in Peoria IL. Aug. 29 1921 and joined the U.S. Navy in 1942, enlisting into the newly forming U.S.Navy WAVEs program. Dorothy went through military training at Hunter College, N.Y., was assigned to Washington D.C. and worked in the U.S. Navy education dept.

Dorothy was selected as one of the first 200 WAVE’s out of thousands of applicants to be re-assigned overseas and was deployed and stationed to Honolulu, Hawaii. She continued working in the education department helping to train and advancing other U.S. Navy serviceman.

Dorothy was in Honolulu on VJ Day and was released from the Navy in Dec. of 1945 with the final rank of Specialist (S) 3rd Class. She met her husband Gerald J. Rudd - Boatswain Mate 2/3 USN, while stationed in Honolulu and they married after the war and settled in Kissimmee Fl. They were married 71 years.

Dorothy still enjoys staying active and attending as many Veterans functions as she can, always promoting the honor and history of our WWII USN WAVEs.

Story by Ross Rowlinson - Vero Beach FL