Call on the Hill for the Hello Girls Seeks Support for Congressional Gold Medal Legislation
Published: 24 January 2024
By Doughboy Foundation Staff
COTH 5
Senator Maggie Hassan (left) from New Hampshire, who is a cosponsor of S.815 - Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023, chats with the granddaughters of two of America's first women soldiers: Catherine Bourgin (center), granddaughter of Hello Girls Operator Marie Edmee LeRoux, and Carolyn Timbe, granddaughter of Hello Girls Chief Operator Grace Banker. Hassan's office was visited as part of the Call on the Hill for the Hello Girls project.
The Call on the Hill for the Hello Girls took place the week of January 18, as representatives of the World War I Centennial Commission, the Doughboy Foundation, descendants of two of the World War I Hello Girls, and other volunteers walked the halls of the United States Senate office buildings to encourage Senators to cosponsor S.815, the Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023.
52 individual personal letters were delivered to the offices of Senators who have not yet become cosponsors, requesting that they support the legislation awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to the Hello Girls, America’s First Women Soldiers. Many of the letters enclosed draft cards filled in and signed during World War I by family members of the Senators.
“The World War I Centennial Commission has now helped to assemble a coalition of organizations and individuals across the country with the hope that our combined voices will result in the granting of a Congressional Gold Medal for our nation’s first female soldiers, the ‘Hello Girls’ personnel of the U.S. Army Signal Corps,” said Daniel Dayton, Executive Director of the Commission. “The Military Women’s Memorial, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and other organizations are all supporting this measure. We invite others military and veterans organizations, as well as Americans everywhere, to join in this campaign.”
The Senate Resolution states that “For their role as pioneers who paved the way for all women in uniform, and for service that was essential to victory in World War I, the “Hello Girls” merit” the recognition of a Congressional Gold Medal. This language is mirrored in H.R.1572 – Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023, the identical legislation in the House of Representatives. Information on how to support this legislation in both houses can be found here.
Carolyn Timbe, granddaughter of Hello Girls Chief Operator Grace Banker, was one of those who visited Senate office during the Call on the Hill effort. “What a thrill it was to spend two days at the Senate buildings with a small, dedicated team of us, visiting Senate offices and relaying the importance for the senators to co-sponsor the Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act,” Carolyn said. “We shared our stories, photos and artifacts. We were accompanied by two uniformed Doughboys and a uniformed Hello Girl (provided by the Doughboy Foundation) as we made our way through the building.
Carolyn Timbe, granddaughter of Hello Girls Chief Operator Grace Banker, holds the WWI military ID tags of her grandmother.
“Once we introduced the story, we had everyone’s attention. The Hello Girls served bravely, selflessly and made a huge impact on the success of WWI, only to be overlooked upon their return to the states. It took 60 long years for them to be recognized as veterans. Most did not live to see this day, including my grandmother Grace Banker, Chief Operator of the 1st Unit.
“The Hello Girls of WWI no longer have a voice but we will speak out to make sure their story lives on! They deserve to be recognized for their place in history as America’s First Women Soldiers!”
Catherine Bourgin, granddaughter of Marie Edmee LeRoux, an Operator with Hello Girls Unit 4, also participated in the Call on the Hill. “I marvel at the fact that five months ago I met Carolyn, who is the granddaughter of Grace Banker, and 106 years after our grandmothers went off to war in France as bilingual telephone operators in the U.S. Army Signal Corps with the AEF,” said Catherine.
“For two days during the first snowy week of January 2024, Carolyn and I walked just over seven miles in the hallways of three different Senate office buildings as part of the WWI Centennial Commission’s campaign for the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of our grandmothers and for all the women of the WWI U.S. Army Signal Corps women, AKA The Hello Girls.
“Our group was graciously received for scheduled meetings or walk-in awareness visits. I loved watching the unsuspecting listener become enraptured by their story and accomplishments as America’s first Women soldiers. This slice of U.S. history with all the complexities of politics and societies norms forced into a world war is worth keeping alive and telling. It shows how the Hello Girls accomplishments during wartime influenced the progress and change in American society for generations to come.
“The Hello Girls were the first of the first. General Pershing saluted them and the Doughboys cheered for them,” said Catherine. “It’s been a very uplifting and positive experience to participate in this campaign and an honor to share my grandmother’s story on Capitol Hill. Going for Gold, not in the Paris ’24 Olympics, but on Capitol Hill!”
Sounding the Charge for the Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal
Senator Jon Tester (right) joins Doughboy Foundation Taps Bugler Kevin Paul in testing the sound of original 1917 (date stamped) World War I-era M1894 “Trench Bugles.” Next to them is Doughboy Foundation Taps Bugler Christina Alegre. Christina is wearing an authentic Hello Girls uniform with the actual century-old WWI service cap and arm band of Grace Banker, Carolyn Timbie’s grandmother, who was Chief Operator of the Hello Girls 1st Unit.
The M1894 was issued as infantry bugles but were also used by other branches including the cavalry. There is no record of the Army ever officially designating these little horns as “Trench Bugles,” as bugle use was restricted on the front lines during World War I.
Some members of the Call on the Hill for the Hello Girls team meet with Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire. (l to r) Mark Theres, director of The Hello Girls documentary; Kevin Paul, Doughboy Foundation bugler; Carolyn Timbe, granddaughter of Hello Girls Chief Operator Grace Banker; Senator Hassan; Christina Alegre, Doughboy Foundation bugler; Catherine Bourgin, granddaughter of Hello Girls Operator Marie Edmee LeRoux; Michael Delaune, Doughboy Foundation intern. Paul, Alegre, and Delaune are clad in the authentic World War I uniforms that the Doughboy Foundation buglers wear for the sounding of Daily Taps at the National World War I Memorial.
James Theres, director of The Hello Girls documentary, helped organize and also took part in the Call on the Hill. “The Hello Girls were America’s first female soldiers,” said James. “‘First of the first of the first.’ As a nation we remember and revere the first, but somehow these women were forgotten to history.
“Two of the women died overseas of the Spanish Flu, Corah Bartlett and Inez Crittenden―Inez died on Armistice Day, November 11, 1918. The Hello Girls’ service had post-war social and cultural impact: it was no coincidence that the 19th Amendment passed in 1920. We often quoted President Wilson upon his return from the Paris Peace Conference: ‘Are we alone to ask and take the utmost women can give-service and sacrifice of every kind-and still say that we do not see what title that gives them? Shall we admit them to a partnership of sacrifice and suffering and not to a partnership of privilege and of right?’
“All staff were extremely receptive and courteous, even to those unannounced visits,” Jim concluded.
Five additional Senate sponsors were added in the days after the Call on the Hill, and the campaign to get the required number of cosponsors to bring the legislation to the Senate floor for a vote continues. Efforts in the House of Representatives are underway as well.
All Americans are invited and encouraged to support the Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal legislation in the 118th Congress by contacting their Senators and Representative, and asking them to become cosponsors. A simple toolkit for making those Congressional contacts is available here.
Some members of the Call on the Hill for the Hello Girls team meet with Senator John Tester of Montana, original sponsor of the of S.815 – Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023. (l to r) Doughboy Foundation Taps Bugler Christina Alegre, wearing an authentic Hello Girls uniform; Senator Tester; Catherine Bourgin, granddaughter of Hello Girls Operator Marie Edmee LeRoux; Carolyn Timbe, granddaughter of Hello Girls Chief Operator Grace Banker. Alegre is wearing Banker’s actual WWI service cap and arm band with the uniform.
