Joy Bright Hancock
Lieutenant Commander Joy Bright Hancock, circa 1943. Hancock was instrumental in creating policies and procedures for the WAVES.
Naval History and Heritage Command

WAVES: Laying the Groundwork

By Taira Payne
February 2021
Naval History Magazine
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Captain Joy Bright Hancock's naval service spanned three wars, starting with duty as a yeoman (F) in World War I. She went on to be the third director of the WAVES from 1946 to 1953.

In this excerpt, Captain Hancock speaks to the groundwork which led to the Naval Reserve Act of 1938 and Women’s Auxiliary Corps in 1942, along with the early struggle to pass legislation.

Captain Joy Bright Hancock, her red hair on display, posed for this portrait in the 1940s.
(U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

To read more about the Naval Institute Oral History Program, click here.

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Taira Payne

Taira Payne is the Project Manager, Digital Assets & Web for the United States Naval Institute. She holds a Master of Library and Information Science, specializing in Archives and Digital Curation, from the University of Maryland and a Bachelor’s in History from Washington College. Prior to working for the Naval Institute, Taira held intern and fellowship positions at the U.S. Naval Academy Museum, CV Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience, Maryland State Archives, Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, and National Agricultural Library.

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