I have read multiple books about the women, known as the Hello Girls, who served as telephone switchboard operators in the US Army during World War I. I am enamored of their story and yet cannot seem to find the words to talk about them and explain why exactly this story has such a hold on me. As such, I will share my collection of interesting facts, books, videos, etc. and simply beg you to check them out for yourself!
That said, my number one recommendation is The Switchboard Soldiers by Jennifer Chiaverini. This is by far the best story about these women. Do yourself a favor and read it!
Brief History of the Hello Girls
The Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit, commonly known as the “Hello Girls”, was a unit of women who operated telephone switchboards, sworn into the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I. General “Blackjack” Pershing called for these women to be recruited and sent to France because the phone communication there was in chaos. The women who were recruited were all bilingual (French/English) and almost all had some experience working as a switchboard operator for American companies.
The November 8, 1917, cable read: “On account of the great difficulty of obtaining properly qualified men, request organization and dispatch to France of force of Woman telephone operators all speaking French and English equally well.” Pershing’s message dictated precise staffing requirements: three chief operators, nine supervising operators, seventy-eight local and long-distance operators, and ten substitutes.
Hello Girls by Elizabeth Cobb
After the war, they were sent home and denied any status as veterans. Merle Egan, among other former Hello Girls who had served in the war, spent decades fighting the government for recognition, finally winning in 1977.
Original image source: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/55203658
Fun Facts
Just a few fun facts about the Hello Girls…
- At the start of the 20th century, 80 percent of all telephone operators were women, and they could generally connect five calls in the time it took a man to do one.
- More than 7600 women answered the initial call for operators, though fewer than 500 ended up in the Army
- Once in service, the women were connecting calls five times faster than the male soldiers had been doing it and could connect up to 300 calls per hour
- Grace Banker was the first and only woman operator in the Signal Corps to be awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Medal
- Merle Egan led the fight – for decades! – for recognition as veterans for the women who had served
- The operating force actually achieved faster connection times during wartime than in large cities back home.
- By November 11, 2018, the Signal Corps was averaging 4,000 toll and 150,000 local calls every day and by war’s end, they had connected more than 26 million calls.
Sharing the Story of the Hello Girls
Despite fighting for nearly sixty years to receive their proper recognition, many people are still unaware of their story. In 2017, the first book about these women was published. Several more books as well as a documentary film and a musical followed over the next several years.
Hello Girls by Elizabeth Cobb
Elizabeth Cobb’s non-fiction book, Hello Girls, was published in 2017. Elizabeth writes about the history of the telephone operators unit as well as how it is intertwined with the fight on the home front for women’s right to vote. She also details the decades-long fight for official recognition and veteran status for the women who served.
Author Interview with Elizabeth Cobb
Elizabeth Cobbs gave a presentation about her book at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City. You can also watch on YouTube.
Girls on the Line by Aimie K. Runyan
Girls on the Line is a historical fiction novel about the Hello Girls, published in 2018.
Here’s a book trailer for Girls on the Line.
Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call by Claudia Fridell
Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call by Claudia Fridell is a picture book published in 2021. A great way to bring a little history to life for the younger generation.
Author Interview with Claudia Fridell
Claudia Fridell gave an online presentation hosted by the National WWI Museum and Memorial. You can see it on YouTube.
A Read Aloud of Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls
A preview of Claudia Fridell’s book can be see here on YouTube.
Switchboard Soldiers by Jennifer Chiaverini
This is not an action-packed book but it does show what life was like for the telephone operators who served in WWI. I could definitely tell that I am less familiar with WWI than WWII as I was reading about the different battlegrounds in the war. At one point they are expecting a German invasion of Paris. I know that the Germans made it to Paris in WWII but I couldn’t remember if that had also happened in WWI (spoiler – it did not).
This is perfect if you want to know more details and facts about the Switchboard Soldiers and their lives from American phone operator to key factors in Allied victory in WWI. I enjoyed it because I’m all about the Day in the Life.😉After reading several books about the Hello Girls, I would say that this is the best one of them all.
Interview with the author of Switchboard Soldiers, Jennifer Chiaverini
Or watch on YouTube.
Hello Girls Documentary
Lincoln Penny Films released the Hello Girls Documentary in 2018. You can find it streaming in various locations. Check out the trailer–
Hello Girls Musical
There’s even a Hello Girls musical! So fun! This was first staged in 2018. Here are some video highlights (a trailer so to speak) from the Prospect Musical’s Off-Broadway premiere.
You can also watch this Kennedy Center performance of the songs from the musical.
More Books featuring Hello Girls
Here are a few more books that feature the Hello Girls.
- The Brightwood Code by Monica Hesse
- Molly by Shanna Hatfield
Visit the Hello Girls
We stopped at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri on our Eclipse Road Trip last year and I was so excited to be able to see the display about the Hello Girls! (I apparently haven’t written about that trip yet?! Adding it to the list…)
According to quick Google search, you can also see Hello Girls exhibits at The National Museum of the Army in Northern Virginia (this museum is already on my to-visit list!), the Museum of the American GI in College Station, Texas, and the US Army Women’s Museum in Richmond, Virginia (also on my to-visit list and I see that they have added Saturday hours -woohoo!).
Hopefully I have piqued your interest and you will read more about these courageous woman who fought for their country and broke down barriers for other women to follow behind them.
Also, be sure to check out a few other Remarkable Women before you go…
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