Sworn in as Chief Yeoman (F), becoming the Navy’s first woman petty officer and first female Chief Petty Officer.
On 21 March 1917, Loretta Perfectus Walsh was formally sworn in at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard by Lt. Cmdr. Frederick R. Payne as a Chief Yeoman (F) in the U.S. Naval Reserve.[1][2][12] This ceremony made her the Navy’s first woman petty officer and the first female Chief Petty Officer in the history of the United States Navy.[1][2]
Walsh underwent the same examination standards as male applicants, as reported by contemporary press accounts, and was assessed as fully qualified for the role.[1][9] The Navy had no precedents for women in such positions, and she initially had to have her own uniform made, underscoring how unprecedented her status was.[1][9] Her appointment signaled that women could not only enlist but also hold leadership and supervisory roles within enlisted ranks, with equal pay and responsibilities.
This event is historically significant for several reasons. First, it confirmed that women could be integrated into the Navy’s hierarchy at non‑commissioned officer level, challenging deep‑seated assumptions about leadership, authority, and gender. Second, Walsh’s role as Chief Yeoman (F) placed her at the forefront of administrative operations, helping coordinate recruiting and clerical work during a period of rapid expansion on the eve of U.S. entry into World War I.[1][2] Third, her visibility as a uniformed woman leader provided a powerful symbol that encouraged thousands of other women to follow into Yeoman (F) service.
Walsh’s swearing‑in marked a shift from theoretical policy to lived reality. By standing in formation as a Chief Petty Officer, she embodied the Navy’s new recognition of women as full participants in military service, a legacy that continues to be honored in modern commemorations and educational materials.[1][2][10][12]