Mary Kate Bonds and her friend, a yeoman, shining her shoes, 1945

Mary Kate Bonds primarily tells of coming of age during the Great Depression and of her service in the WAVES during World War Two and in the U.S. Navy until 1971. Bonds d[...]

Letter from WAAC Jenny Lea, then stationed at Fort Des Moines, that convinced Mary Kate Bonds to join the military, dated 14 September 1942. Lea had just completed Office[...]

All ten WAVES assigned to Headquarters European Command pose together around a cake commemorating the 24th anniversary of women in the U.S. Navy while at Camp des Loges, [...]

U.S. Navy Commander Mary Kate Bonds sits at her desk while stationed in France on 18 Sept 1958.

Mary Kate Bonds receives Joint Service Commendation medal in 1966. An unidentified officer pins the award to her uniform.

WAVE Mary Kate Bonds is pictured on a dock while on duty in Hollywood from 1951 to 1952. She wears the blue service dress with lieutenant commander sleeve stripes and off[...]

Mary Kate Bonds stands outside WAVES Quarters D in Corpus Christi, Texas, after she made lieutenant jg in 1944. She is wearing the WAVES white service dress with officer'[...]

Lieutenant Mary Kate Bonds prepares to takes notes while talking to her battalion commander, Lieutenant Commander Kathryn Dougherty, at Dougherty's desk at Naval Station [...]

Close-up, hand-colored photo of Mary Kate Bonds in WAVES work uniform, 1943. The uniform includes a navy blue shirt with ensign insignia on the collar and a light blue ti[...]