American Red Cross women on the frontlines: World War II clubmobile crews
In World War II, at a time when women made up only .033 percent of the military and almost all but nurses were stationed far from the front, the American Red Cross sent hundreds of young women tasked to boost military morale to the European frontlines in “clubmobiles,” 2.5-ton trucks and buses repurposed as mobile social clubs.
The American Red Cross was the sole nonmilitary agency designated to provide welfare and recreation services for the US expeditionary forces in World War II. With the official job description of “club services worker,” clubmobile crews, usually three young women, were tasked to prepare and serve coffee and doughnuts, and other reminders of “home” that might allow the soldiers to momentarily forget the stresses of war.
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