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Editor’s Note: Since March is Women’s History Month, the author wrote about the extraordinary Baldwin Family whose three daughters served in the United States Navy during WW II.

Judge and Mrs. E.O. Baldwin raised four children in Andalusia, Alabama, and all four served in the United States Navy during WW II. The author wrote about the late Judge William Hope “Bill” Baldwin in the Dec. 21, 2019 edition of the Andalusia Star-News. Bill joined the Navy and was an Aviation Metalsmith stationed at Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, when the Japanese attacked on Dec. 7, 1941.

Bill survived the attack and returned to Andalusia after the war and enrolled at the University of Alabama, utilizing the GI Bill, where he earned his undergraduate degree and his Juris Doctorate degree. Following graduation from law school, Bill joined his father’s law practice in Andalusia. He married Betty Brogden in July 1956. They had three sons, William, Grant and Chris. Bill died on Oct. 28, 2011, just two days short of his 91st birthday.

Author’s note: Judge Bill Baldwin was a friend with the author for more than 40 years. He served as a city councilman and mayor for the City of Andalusia. Bill also served as a district and circuit judge for Covington County. He was also an active member of the Methodist Church and the Andalusia Lions Club for more than 50 years.

Not to be outdone by their brother, all three Baldwin sisters joined the Navy and served during the war. Lena was the oldest, born Oct. 28, 1915. She attended Andalusia schools and was valedictorian of her graduating class. She enrolled at Alabama College [now Montevallo] where she was the school’s tennis champion for two years. She was also inducted into Kappa Delta Pi honorary fraternity. After graduation, Lena earned her Master’s Degree at the University of Alabama and taught school at Linden, Al. for a year and at Hoke’s Bluff School for three years. Following that, she enrolled at the University of Michigan where she earned another Master’s Degree and was working on her PhD when she joined the Navy.

In Oct. 1942, Lena enlisted in the Navy and became member of the WAVES [Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service]. She attained the rating of RM3 [radioman third class] while serving eight months at the Naval Air Station, Memphis, Tn. After that, she underwent officer training at Mt. Holyoke College before being commissioned as an Ensign. Lena was assigned to Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Fl., where she worked in communications.

After the war, Lena worked in communications for the armed forces in Boston, Ma. She left Boston and moved to Seattle, Wa., where she worked for the State of Washington. Her nephew, Grant, remembered that his Aunt Lena traveled a lot and once sent his family a small Masai warrior shield and spear from Africa. Lena never married and was killed in an automobile accident in Jan. 1972. She is buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Andalusia.

Josephine was born Mar. 2, 1918. She attended Andalusia schools and graduated from Andalusia High School in 1936. She enrolled at Alabama College [now Montevallo], where she was inducted into an honorary science fraternity. After graduation, she taught school for two years before working as a laboratory technician at the State Department of Health in Montgomery for two years. Josephine enlisted in the WAVES in Feb. 1943. She underwent preliminary training at Hunter College in New York City before completing a three-month advanced course at the Navy Hospital, Bethesda, Md. After that, she was designated a PHM3 [pharmacist mate third class]. Josephine was then assigned to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Il and was promoted to a PHM2.

After the war, Josephine enrolled at the University of Michigan where she earned her Master’s of Public Health degree. Her nephew, Grant, remembered her telling him that one of her acquaintances was an associate professor, Dr. Jonas Salk, who later developed the polio vaccine. After earning her Master’s Degree, Josephine worked as a medical technician at the Ford Motor Company Employee Infirmary. She also traveled the world and was active in the Methodist Church. When Josephine was in her 70s, she moved to Mobile and later to Spanish Fort. She never married and died in 2011 at the age of 92. She is buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Andalusia.

Martha Baldwin was born Jun. 13, 1923. She attended Andalusia schools and graduated from Andalusia High School. She qualified for an emergency certificate to teach and taught at Red Level School for two years before enrolling at Huntingdon College in Montgomery. After graduation, she enlisted in the WAVES a few days after her 20th birthday. Martha was the last Baldwin sibling to join the Navy. She said, “I couldn’t do less than my sisters and Bill.” After basic training, Martha was assigned the rating of SN [Seaman] and sent to Link Trainer School at Naval Air Station, Atlanta, Ga. After completing that school, she was assigned to Naval Air Station. Pensacola, Fl. At NAS Pensacola, Martha was sent to Whiting Field [near Milton, Fl.] where she trained aviation cadets on the Link Trainer.

Author’s note: The Link Trainer, sometimes called “the blue box,” was a flight simulator built by Edwin Link and used extensively to train pilots during WW II. It could simulate flight conditions including wind noise, turbulence, radio static etc., while putting the “aircraft” into various positions through the use of a system of bellows, pumps and valves. With the hood down, pilots learned to fly “by instrument.” During WW II, more than 500 thousand pilots learned instrument flying using the Link Trainer.

After the war, Martha married Tom Nelson. They had no children. They lived in Gautier, Ms., where Tom was an engineer with Litton Industries and later, Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Ms. Martha died on Feb. 14, 2003. She is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Andalusia.

John Vick

The author wishes to thank Grant and Bill [sons of Bill and Betty Baldwin] for their help.

[Sources: The Andalusia Star-News – the following editions, May 13, 1943; June 1, 1944; July 7, 1944; Oct. 8, 11, 1944, Wikipedia]