The Hello Girls of WWI Were More Than Just Telephone Operators

There are World War I stories that often go unnoticed. The "Hello Girls" were among the first American women to serve with the U.S. Army overseas. As an official part of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, they managed vital military communications during the First World War.

Working grueling hours to connect military leaders across the front lines, they played an indispensable role in the American war effort in France. Yet, when the war ended, they spent decades fighting for basic recognition as Veterans.

This is the story of the Hello Girls, the women who kept the U.S. Army connected during World War I, and whose contributions to military history were nearly forgotten.

Who Were the Hello Girls?

The 223 women of the Signal Corps earned the nickname the "Hello Girls" because they famously answered every military dispatch with a cheerful "Hello." Deployed overseas in six distinct groups, they operated with a strict military hierarchy. Chief Operators functioned as the equivalent of Lieutenants. Supervisors served as non-commissioned officers (NCOs) for each group, and operators served as the equivalent of enlisted soldiers.

After the war, survivors like Melina Olive Shaw returned home to build civilian lives. Shaw, for example, became the personal secretary to Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers, but like her fellow operators, she did so without the Veteran benefits she had rightfully earned.

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Answering the Call: Recruitment and Training

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, the American Expeditionary Forces faced a massive logistical hurdle: the American and French armies could not effectively communicate over the existing French commercial telephone networks.

To fix this critical breakdown, General John J. Pershing urgently requested the recruitment of women telephone operators who were completely fluent in both English and French.

The response from American women was overwhelming. Over 7,000 applied for the dangerous assignment. Of those, only 450 were selected for specialized training, and exactly 223 ultimately qualified to deploy overseas.

The Mission in France

The Hello Girls' primary mission was to eliminate communication delays between allied operations.

Before deploying, they underwent rigorous preparation. The Army taught them military traditions, specialized terminology, and standard drills. They were issued uniforms, given rank equivalents, and treated in almost every functional way as enlisted soldiers.

Once shipped out, they operated switchboards in high-stress environments across Paris, Chaumont, London, Southampton, and Winchester. They were the vital link connecting headquarters, supply centers, hospitals, and field units.

Despite this service, the Army considered them civilian contractors. When the war ended, the Hello Girls were sent home without honorable discharges, completely stripped of Veteran status.

A Century-Long Fight for Recognition

The Hello Girls fought a grueling bureaucratic battle for decades. Finally, Congress passed the G.I. Bill Improvement Act of 1977, which officially granted them Veteran status, honorable discharges, and benefits. Tragically, by the time the government acknowledged their service, there were just 18 of the original Hello Girls still alive to receive their discharges.

The fight to honor their legacy continued into the modern era. In 2024, the Senate passed S.815 to award the Hello Girls the Congressional Gold Medal. This bipartisan measure was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025, which President Joe Biden signed into law in December 2024.

After waiting more than a century, these trailblazers finally received one of the nation's highest civilian honors.

More Than Just Switchboard Operators

The moniker "Hello Girls" might sound quaint, but their service was anything but. They were the nerve center of the American war effort, responsible for the rapid communication that allowed Allied forces to coordinate massive operations and save lives.

Though it took generations for the United States to properly recognize them, their legacy is now secured in military history. The Hello Girls are a lasting reminder that the bravest people in a war zone don’t always carry rifles; sometimes, they are the ones making sure everyone else can do their jobs.