When were women allowed to join the Coast Guard Auxiliary and what could they do?
Women were always allowed to join the Auxiliary, as the 1939 enabling legislation stated that U. S. citizenship was a requirement. In early 1943, there were approximately 100 women members, mostly located in the Great Lakes region. Many owned their own boats and were active in public education and training. An unknown number of women Auxiliarists enrolled as temporary Reservists during World War II; a total of 2,000 women part-time Reservists served, largely as volunteers in port security units. Betty McNabb is the earliest known Auxiliary member, having joined originally in 1940. Her parents Maj. Frank and Florence Wood of Panama City, Florida ran their local flotilla. Betty and her mother crewed on the family boat. Betty and her husband, Harold, then enrolled as temporary Reservists. He assumed the rank of lieutenant commander and became the executive officer of the port security unit at Jacksonville. The couple conducted antisubmarine and antisaboteur patrols in their 56-foot live-a
