SPARS
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SPARS was the acronym for the women's branch of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Women's Reserve. The abbreviation was derived from the Coast Guard motto, Latin: "Semper Paratus"—"Always Ready" (SPAR). The branch was established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in November 1942 during World War II. This legislation authorized the USCG to accept officer candidates and enlisted personnel into its ranks for the duration of World War II plus six months. Its purpose was to release male personnel for sea duty by filling essential shore-based roles with women; while initially restricted to the continental United States, members were later allowed to serve in some U.S. territories.
Dorothy C. Stratton was appointed director of the program with the rank of lieutenant commander. The recruitment standards for age and education varied depemnding on whether applicants were seeking to be officer candidates or enlisted personnel. African American women were not accepted for service until late 1944. The training for both groups varied in focus and took place at several sites across the U.S., including the United States Coast Guard Academy and Palm Beach, Florida, Training Canter. While most personnel performed in administrative and clerical roles, others filled technical positions; notably, in 1943, the Coast Guard assigned Spars to the top-secret LORAN (Long Range Aid to Navigation) program. By the end of the war, approximately 11,000 women had served in the branch. They were stationed in every Coast Guard district except Puerto Rico, including the Territories of Alaska and Hawaii.
The demobilization of the program began shortly after the surrender of Japan in August 1945, and nearly all members were discharged by mid-1946. The Women's Reserve was officially inactivated in 1947, but was reactivated as the U.S. Coast Guard Women's Volunteer Reserve in November 1949. During the Korean War, the Coast Guard actively recruited former Spars, with approximately 200 women reenlisting for service. On December 5, 1973, Congress passed Public Law 93-174, which ended the separate Women's Volunteer Reserve and officially permitted women to serve in the regular Coast Guard and the Coast Guard Reserve on an integrated basis. The legacy of the program has been honored by the naming of several vessels, including the USCGC Spar (WLB-403), the USCGC Spar (WLB-206), and the USCGC Stratton (WMSL-752).