At its roots, "The Hello Girls" is a true story. There are added details or assumptions, but the basis is factual. As a cast, this means something different, you are portraying an actual person with real feelings and a real story.
Delving into the young women who served the United States as switchboard soldiers (they preferred that term) led to some deep realizations. While many women were far from the front lines, they were still in danger. Additionally, there was tremendous emotional stress when you realized that anyone you spoke to could be moments from death--or worse, if you did not handle the call correctly, you could be contributing to their danger.
Most switchboard operators were young, probably in their early twenties on average. Many operators were college educated, and they were working at the phone company with a career length predicated on when or if they married. Suddenly, some women were given a direct path to help in the war effort; many were eager to join.
The Hello Girls were extremely successful in France. Not only did productivity on the switchboards increase, but also morale was improved. The operators were popular with both the soldiers and those who housed them abroad. They participated in social events and made hospital visits in their free time.
Inez Crittenden was the one known casualty in the switchboard unit. Inez was the supervisor of the second unit, she served the same role which Grace Banker served in the first unit. Inez died on November 11th, 1918 (Armistice Day) after a bout with the Spanish flu.
The Hello Girls would be some of the last soldiers to return to the United States as many of the ladies facilitated the logistics of the troops' return home. Upon return, they would learn that, in the eyes of the U.S. government, they were not considered soldiers. The women wore uniforms, swore the army oath (twice), were threatened with court-martial and were subject to inspections just like any other soldier, but as Suzanne predicted they were told "you were never soldiers, you were secretaries".
Some of the women accepted this decision, others would continue seeking their honorable discharge. Finally, in 1977, President Jimmy Carter would sign a bill formally recognizing the veteran status of the Hello Girls. Louise LeBreton and Helen Hill would attend the ceremony in San Francisco on November 11th, 1979.
In 2021, Jon Tester (D-MT) introduced a Senate bill seeking to award the Hello Girls with the Congressional Gold Medal. There are 47 co-sponsors in the Senate including Illinois Senator, Tammy Duckworth, and an identical bill in the House of Representatives--both bills have been awaiting action since 2021.
For more information, please visit www.jtwestchoir.org/hellogirls
