RESERVIST MAGAZINE A LIGHT ON YESTERYEAR SPARS from the "Oklahoma Sooner Squadron," from left, Seaman Mildred Cleghorn Womack (Photo from Military Women’s Memorial); Yeoman Corrine Goslin (Tampa Tribune); Yeoman Lula Mae O’Bannon. (Courtesy of family); Yeoman Lula Belle Everidge (Courtesy of family); Yeoman Nellie Locust (Courtesy of family). The First Native American Women in the Coast Guard By Donna Vojvodich, Historian, SPARS Stories History Program At least six women from Oklahoma’s tribal nations served in the U.S. Coast Guard Women’s Reserves (“SPARS”) during World War II. They enlisted for the same reasons as other American women and performed the same duties, yet newspaper reporters sensationalized their stories with popular culture stereotypes. By releasing shore-side Coast Guardsmen for sea duty, these SPARS contributed to the Allied victory. Congressional legislation authorized the SPARS formation November 23, 1942, and the Navy initially coordinated recruiting. In April 1943, the Navy looked to landlocked Oklahoma for 100 new SPARS and Navy WAVES, tasking SPAR Ensign Mable Martin with finding them. The former English teacher appealed to state pride. She told reporters, “Wherever they go, Sooners will always make names for themselves, and the ‘Sooner Squadron’ members will be privileged to carry on the tradition of bringing honor to their native state.” Perhaps her more persuasive argument for at least four women was that friends could enlist together, travel together, and attend boot camp together. The first group was even honored with fanfare and a parade. The Sooner Squadron SPARS included women from 42 RESERVIST � Issue 4 • 2021 Oklahoma’s tribal nations, including Otoe-Missouria, Choctaw, Yuchi, and Cherokee. All but one attended boarding schools, institutions created to “assimilate” Native Americans into European-American culture. The military-like regimen imposed by the boarding schools prepared them for boot camp at the Palm Beach Training Station. Otoe cousins Mildred Cleghorn Womack of Red Rock and Corrine Koshiway Goslin from Hugo enlisted together. Womack, a seaman, was assigned to Headquarters, tracing missing Coast Guard members for their anxious families. A newspaper added human interest to its story by reporting that Womack, the granddaughter of an Otoe herb doctor, could bead belts and moccasins but preferred military drill. After the war, she attended Oklahoma State University, where she earned a degree in sociology, becoming a social worker for her tribe. An active tribal member, she served on the tribal council, belonged to the Otoe War Mothers, participated in Otoe Veterans activities, and attended pow-wows throughout her life. While her cousin’s reasons for enlisting were undocumented, Corrine Goslin joined because her 17-year-old brother was
