From Propaganda to the Personal: WAVES, Memory, and the “Prick” of Photography

Abstract

During World War II, the U.S. Navy used photography as both a historical recording device and a propaganda tool. Famed photographer Edward Steichen headed the navy’s photography unit, coordinating efforts to present a consistent visual message.1 Photographs were sent to newsrooms showing naval personnel in training or on the job. The photographs were especially important in shaping public perception of the navy’s female recruits, the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). The navy developed specific goals for its promotion of WAVES, including key publication dates and overall themes, which it distributed to news outlets around the nation.2 The photographic propaganda was crafted to create the image of women serving as refined, cultured, and elegant.