«The Blog of Wistar Watts Murray

In January, 1943, my grandmother Bunny Murray enlisted in the WAVES. Born Jean “Bunny” Miller Brundred in 1920, my grandmother loved fishing, hunting, fashion, and the best of American values. When the United States joined World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and Bunny’s friends started dying soon after, she knew she had to help her country. At first her war effort was restricted to volunteering for the Red Cross and other community organizations, but soon Bunny felt she had to contribute more. She enlisted in the Navy and went to boot camp in the Bronx. That’s her on the right.

In boot camp and later at aviation machinist training in Memphis, Tennessee, Bunny learned to march, make up a bed so you could bounce a quarter off the sheets, and fix airplanes. That’s her on the left.

The women of the WAVES took the same classes as sailors. Bunny soon outranked the sailors. That’s my grandmother front row, center.

This is also her (on leave, she swears):

After attending officer training school, Bunny became a personnel officer at the Naval Air Station in Coronado, California. On a blind date she met my grandfather, a lieutenant in the Navy.

They married a year later, a few days before Jim was sent to the Pacific. That’s her in the wedding dress.

One thing that brought my grandparents together (besides looking good in uniform) was a shared sense of humor. This afternoon my 87-year-old grandmother sat on my couch and showed me the lighter side of the homefront. She brought over a stack of documents that had circulated through the personnel offices of the Naval Air Station during the war. They still make her giggle.

“To: Medical Supply Office

1. Following telephone information from your office that you were unable to issue carbon disulphide for use in this office in ant control, and following receipt of your letter listing insect repellents furnished by your office, request was made of Quartermaster for carbon disulphide for use by this office in ant control. We were informed by Quartermaster that they could only issue such preparation if the ant to be exterminated was in the building. If it was outside the building, the issuance of such preparation properly should come from Engineering. It is difficult to determine the intentions of the ants we are attempting to exterminate. Some live inside and wander outside for food, while others live outside and forage inside for food. It is a rather difficult problem to determine which ant comes from without and is what you might call an Engineering ant, and which ant comes from within and would be called a Quartermaster ant. Some of our ants appear to be going in circles and others apparently are wandering at random with no thoughts of destination. Such ant tactics are very confusing and could result in a Quartermaster ant being exterminated by an Engineering poison, or an Engineering ant exterminated by a Quartermaster poison, which would be contrary to the letter of regulations and would probably lead to an extensive investigation and lengthy letter of explanation.”

The three-page request for cockroach extermination is my favorite:

Machine Gun Range, Border Field, Naval Air Station, San Diego, California

November 3, 1943

“1. Returned. Only two methods are known for prohibiting the presence of cockroaches and mice. Cleanliness and deprivation of food sources (starvation) are the best procedure. The other method is to eliminate by some brutal method either all the ladies or all of the gents. This leaves the other half with little to do but die of old age, these meanwhile existing in a state of such bewilderment that many can be expected to die of worry.

2. It is believed that as long as the extermination of existing critters is being undertaken, that little would be gained in attempting to separate the genders. The most commonly accepted and a thoroughly approved method is to take them as they come, leaving the women and children to shift for themselves. This method involves much useless slaughter but is actually the most positive solution in the long run and avoids much wasted effort in determining and cataloging the sex of the various species.

3. Positive recommendations based upon actual experiences in various climes can be made relative to satisfactory methods of elimination.

(a) Cockroaches:

1. The Indian or sneak thief method: Approach softly (if roaches are encountered in groups where confusion and panic would aid, not so softly) from a quartering angle. When within striking range tap the cockroach (or roaches) gently but firmly on the skull with sufficient force to cause extrusion of the interior sections. For this an implement, such as a shoe, boot, broom, or piece of cordwood should be provided in advance.

2. The Chicago or poison gas method: Provide oneself with a device known as a flit gun. Upon location of a covey of the varmints in the open, wade in with utter ruthlessness, pumping profusely.

3. The Rocking Chair or Loafers Method: Sit patiently until the roach approaches some object which can be easily pushed over in such a manner as to reduce him to a very squashy mess.”

Bunny Murray will speak about her experiences in the WAVES at Mirabella’s in Williamsburg, Virginia, at 1 pm on Friday, April 4, as part of the World War II Seminar of Williamsburg.