Women of War - A Band of Brothers Story

An Outsider's Perspective

A/N: Hey folks! Sorry for the wait. I started my intership yesterday and after getting bombarded with info for 8 hours, I was just wiped out. The chapter is rather short, but I hope you still like it. I managed to write ahead a little, so I'm pleased to announce that there will be an update next Saturday or Sunday :)

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The Ladies of the 506 PIR

Felix T. Arbogast

"The United States Army is looking for female volunteers willing to join a special, unprecedented program!"

Who could forget the phrase that sparked debate in every household, workplace, bar and salon? Surely, this had to be an elaborate hoax because who in their right mind would allow women in the Army?

In May 1942, 35 women completed a four-week training and evaluation period designed to prepare them for Army basic training. It was on the same day that they – and our whole nation – discovered, which branch they would serve in. The Airborne Infantry. These strong, brave women that left the safety of their homes and families would become paratroopers.

Since that day, countless news stories have been published about the lady soldiers and sadly, only a very small minority of the articles expressed a positive attitude. The general consensus was that the women would not last long in such an unforgiving and physically demanding environment.

Several women left basic training for a variety of reasons, including not meeting the Army's physical standards or discovering a different vocation. Speculations filled the headlines, going as far as calling the women's reputation into question with slanderous insinuations in order to explain why these tenacious and resilient pioneers persevered.

Two years passed and on the eve of D-Day, 24 women prepared for the night time jump into occupied Normandy. 24 women spread across the three companies of 2Battalion, 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101 Airborne Division. Only 11 returned to England a little over a month later.

In Dog Company, one woman remained out of the three that had boarded the C-47 planes before D-Day. Technician 5th Grade Esther Bowman (25, Rochester NY) serves as one of the company's translators. Easily recognisable by her dark curls that she habitually wears in a practical bun, her friends characterise her as dependable, pragmatic and easy-going. "She gets things done and is always ready to help", clarifies Pvt. Kapopoulos.

Easy Company lost three of its women on D-Day, but still boasts the highest female percentage in the battalion. The highest ranking among them as a Staff Sergeant is Maxine Lloyd (22, Washington D.C.), the middle child of esteemed diplomat Mr Ignatius Lloyd. A capable and highly respected squad leader, she combines grace and elegance with firm efficiency and fierce protectiveness. "She always looks out for her guys", says her platoon sergeant and close friend, S.Sgt. Guarnere. "A good friend and even better leader."

S.Sgt Lloyd is not the only female squad leader in this company. Sergeant Theresa Nolan (20, Scottsbluff, NE) proves that youth doesn't have to be synonymous with naivety. If the situation requires it, she doesn't hesitate to give out orders and nobody would think of questioning her authority. Described as analytical and astute, Sgt. Nolan shows that beneath the surface of a sweet young woman can lie tactical skills and iron determination.

A member of Sgt. Nolan's squad, Private First Class Jessica Helak (21, Elkton, MD) has a reputation as ferocious and scrappy fighter. According to several members of Easy Co., PFC Helak excelled at unarmed combat in basic training. By her own admission, she hates the Nazis with a passion stemming from her Polish roots. In a firefight, though, she can often be observed offering brazen and sarcastic comments, lifting her fellow soldiers' morale.

Fondly nicknamed "Mom", Technician 4th Grade Catherine Wilson (26, Honolulu, HI) is the ranking medic and proverbial mother figure of the company. "You don't want to disappoint her", explains Sgt. Malarkey. "She listens and cares for everybody, but when you messed up and did or said something stupid, she'll let you know." T-4 Wilson certainly has enough practice looking after others and keeping them in line as she has two children back home.

Corporal Frances Shea (21, Asheville, NC) is a member of S.Sgt. Lloyd's squad. Mischief is written in the lines of her face and her demeanour mirrors her personality: Easy-going, friendly and naturally cheerful. As her comrades readily attest, Cpl. Shea has a knack for magic tricks and always carries a pack of cards with her. But she is also immensely resourceful even in the heat of battle, having jury-rigged a smoke bomb out of nothing but some sugar and soap shavings on D-Day to create a diversion.

Easy to identify but difficult to spot in a crowd is Easy Company's female radio operator, Technician 5th Grade Ana María Hernandez (23, Fort Pierce, FL). Despite her diminutive stature, the Puerto Rican-born woman routinely carries a heavy radio device on her back. She also makes maintenance and smaller repair works on the same device. "If the thing is acting up, chances are Ana can fix it", says fellow radio operator T-4 Luz.

Sergeant Louise Fields (22, Green Bay, WI), as the company's sniper, is single-handedly responsible for putting down dozens of Nazis. Her focus as sharp as her features, she is infamous for her fiery temperament and extensive vocabulary. "Louise is not somebody you want to cross", comments Sgt. Randleman. "She will take you apart." Deadly with a rifle and equally accurate with her words, Sgt. Fields was awarded a Purple Heart after being injured by tank shrapnel in Normandy.

Unusual, but long since accepted by the battalion's members, is Sgt. Fields' friendship with the second of Easy Co.'s female medics. Technician 5th Grade Mia Arricante (20, Barton, VT) contrasts the temperamental sniper with her unobtrusive, mysterious nature. Quiet and soft-spoken, she is assertive nonetheless. Beneath the ephemeral smiles, T-5 Arricante harbours an abundance of courage and resilience. To give an example: She survived on her own (and unarmed, no less) for three days after D-Day before reconnecting with members of her unit.

In Fox Company, the list of women is nearly as short as in Dog Co. Corporal Cassandra Jessup (21, Box Elder, SD) defied the odds and returned to the field after a piece of shrapnel left her with a deep wound to the head. Cpl. Jessup is an assistant machine gunner, determined to a fault and, if the friendly teasing of her friends is to be believed, a highly efficient scrounger. "She could sell you your own boots and you'd thank her", jokes Pvt. Haney.

Cpl. Jessup's closest friend and main gunner is New Zealand-born Sergeant Audrey Maynard (22, Santa Maria, CA). Her comrades can always trust her to have their backs and her sunny disposition is instrumental in cheering up her peers when morale suffers under the strains of war. Though her often cheerful attitude and slight build might not suggest it, Sgt. Maynard clearly has the strength required for her position, handling the heavy machine gun as if it weighed nothing more than a bouquet of flowers.

But regardless of their rank, position, age or background, these women deserve just as much respect and praise as the rest of our troops. Like their fellow paratroopers, the ladies of the 506 PIR are brave enough to jump out of flying airplanes and land behind enemy lines. They have faced and overcome countless obstacles, during training and in the field. And yet, despite everyone doubting and trying to discourage them, they prevailed.

Sergeant Grant from Easy Co. put it best. "These women are heroes, end of story. They made it this far on their own merit, fair and square. They don't deserve any of the slander the papers have put them through."