🎖️Giving Thanks for Discovering Family Stories: Chief Operator of the U.S. Signal Corps' Grace Banker

A Conversation with her Granddaughter Carolyn Timbie

📷 Hello Girl Grace Banker | Courtesy of Carolyn Timbie

With Thanksgiving this week in the United States, it’s a time for gathering with family, enjoying favorite foods and engaging in conversations. This article is one for your dinner table discussion. It’s a story about family, discovering the incredible impact a Grandmother had decades later and honoring the legacy of brave women.

In my conversation with Carolyn Timbie, granddaughter of Grace Banker, the Chief Operator of the U.S. Signal Corps', I learn about her family’s story — an Army trunk that was tucked away with artifacts that would be brought to life many years later by Historian and Professor Elizabeth Cobbs.

This is the third in my series on inspiring women Switchboard Operators. Catch up on the story from Elizabeth Cobbs, author of “The Hello Girls” and Claudia Friddell author of “Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call,” illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley. Here’s a short summary:

During World War I, 223 women Switchboard Operators bravely served the US Army in France, changing the course of history as they connected telephone calls for General Pershing and army leaders. The swift communication of information by these bi-lingual (French and English speaking) “Switchboard Soldiers” made the difference between winning and losing battles. But, they were never recognized for their service as Veterans until nearly 60 years later. Now, they are up for a Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. with S. 692: Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021. Here’s more information, a list of Senators who’ve already signed on and a template email to recognize their efforts.

Carolyn Timbie has been leading the way to recognize her Grandmother and the Hello Girls with this honor. It’s been an honor getting to know her and sharing her family’s story. She is truly carrying on Grace’s legacy in meaningful ways.

As you gather around the table for your favorite foods and traditions, here are a few conversation starters to pair with this story:

• What lessons can we learn from The Hello Girls and apply to today?

• How did these women transform the world of work?

• Why do you think their impact was not recognized for so many years? 

• What ideas do you have to help recognize the Hello Girls today, especially with the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor?

Here’s my conversation with Carolyn Timbie:

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How did you find out about your Grandmother's story and how did it make you feel?

I discovered the true story of my Grandmother Grace Banker when Elizabeth Cobbs published “The Hello Girls”! It was a life-changing moment for me because sadly, I never had the chance to meet my Grandmother — she passed away before I was born. 

Growing up, all of the stories about her came from my mother — she would share what an important person my Grandmother was as Chief Operator in the Army Signal Corps under General Pershing. As a child, I really didn’t know what that meant, but it sounded very impressive. It turned out that even my family only knew parts of the story, and did not understand the full picture of her impact because my Grandmother, like many Veterans, never talked about her service.  

Years later, when my Grandfather passed away in the 1970s, we inherited a lot of items that had belonged to my Grandmother — a trunk with many artifacts — a trench helmet, a YWCA poster of The Hello Girls, photos and letters. All of the items were stored under our basement stairs. Life got busy, and we never looked closely at the artifacts until decades later. 

📷: Hello Girls recruitment poster, courtesy of Carolyn Timbie

Fast forward to 2016 when Elizabeth Cobbs was writing her book, The Hello Girls, She reached out to my family, and we shared these memories with her. Once the book was released, I was completely in awe and surprised. I’ll never forget reading page 85 for the first time when she referred to Grace Banker as the leader of these women. It was a very surreal feeling to learn about her in this way and what an important role she played in history. I felt such pride and amazement that my Grandmother had made this great impact! 

What moments from your Grandmother’s Switchboard service stand out as most memorable to you?

I’ll share four artifacts. First, her diary has been an incredible resource! Ironically, Elizabeth Cobbs read it before I did because I never read it in all those years before her book. I found the first entry in the diary quite moving where my Grandmother shared her personal feelings about being the Chief Operator and sailing off into unknown territory. On March 6th and 7th, 1918 she wrote:

“I’ve crossed the Rubicon now, there can be no turning back. 32 girls in my charge, several older than I. We are the only women on board the ship, the former Celtic of the White Star Line… Sailed this morning in a dismal gray drizzle. Slipped out quietly, decks cleared of all life. No one allowed outside until well out at sea. 

With faces glued to port holes and doors, watched the Statue of Liberty fade from sight. For the first time suddenly realized what a responsibility I have on my young shoulders.”

My grandmother was 25 years old when she wrote this. She was young, vulnerable and questioning herself. I think so many people can relate to that feeling as she had signed up for something that was greater than she was. 

Second, a small group of them — six of the 223 women were selected to go to the Advanced Section with the First Army, which was closer to the front lines. The women worked hard alongside the Signal Corps officers during the American battles of San Mihiel and the Meuse Argonne. She was so proud of that work. It was very difficult and dangerous — she was nearly killed by shrapnel that landed near her. But through it all, she described that they had incredible camaraderie. 

📷: Grace Banker Distinguished Service Medal, courtesy of Carolyn Timbie

Third, she was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for her extraordinary services — she was the only woman of 16,084 women and men in the Signal Corps who was selected for this honor. As a very humble person, she didn’t draw attention to herself or mention this honor. In a memoir, she wrote:

“Whatever glory may go with that medal, I have always felt belongs in large measure to the very small, but very loyal group of First Army girls.”

She didn’t want the recognition herself but felt it belonged to the team. Fourth, I found her trench helmet in her trunk. In light pencil that’s only barely legible today, she listed the dates and the locations where she was stationed throughout service. 

You visited some of those places in France to see where your Grandmother was stationed. Can you tell us about that experience?

In 2018, I had the great opportunity to visit France twice. I went to all the places my Grandmother wrote about in her diary. We drove through the small towns she saw —  many of these places were destroyed during the War, yet she wrote about the beauty of the countryside. It was a dichotomy of extremes during the War. This journey into the past was incredible. 

There were a few memorable stops that really stood out to me. I went to the town of Chaumont where the Hello Girls were first stationed when they arrived. The same big stone house where the YWCA took care of them was still there. I also saw one of the places she was based near the Meuse–Argonne Offensive — it was part of the final Allied offensive of the War and the Armistice was signed after it.

On the second trip, we went over on the Centennial of the Armistice of World War I  — the war ended in 1918 and we visited in 2018. It was a very special journey organized by Jim Therres who produced the Hello Girls documentary — Elizabeth Cobbs joined, Linda Jantzen, a retired Signal Corps Colonel, Helen Richard, daughter of Oleda Jour (one of the Hello Girls) and Mark Hough, the attorney who fought for The Hello Girls to have Veterans' rights. This experience was incredible to bring all of these connections together. 

This fall in September 2022, I went on my own personal journey. This entire experience of learning about my Grandmother actually brought me closer to my mom who had dementia — as I read to her about the stories of her mother she would smile. This connected me to my mom and my Grandmother in a very special way. I found a folder of my mom’s that she also went on a similar journey to France — notes of what it was like to discover France in the same way that I did. It was very emotional because my mom passed away last year. 

What legacy do you hope your Grandmother's life and work has on people today?

I admire her joy, perseverance and leadership. As I read her childhood diary, I learned how she embraced everything life had to offer — she participated in drama club, focused on her school studies and enjoyed the outdoors with gardening and even raising chickens. When she went to Barnard College, she felt very fortunate to be able to do that at a time when not many women went on to higher education. She majored in French and History. Pursuing her passions led her down this path of working as a trainer for AT&T in New York City. 

But, she faced many challenges in life — with the War and other moments after it, yet she persevered. She was also a natural leader in her ability to manage the Hello Girls. She directed them and set limits when necessary, but she was also very kind and had fun with them. When she was Over There, she was living with her direct reports. It was an unusual situation in that she balanced this fine line with them between friendship and work.  

She was very sensible and able to work calmly under pressure. In her diary, she wrote a lot about wanting to do her bit to help win the War. I think that she was very brave!  

What else has been meaningful for you personally to learn about your Grandmother’s story?

It’s been great getting to know descendants of the women from the Signal Corps Operators. I’ve met some of them, and it’s brought a beautiful sense of connection with our common history.  From learning about my Grandmother’s stories, I discovered Suzanne Prevot’s story — she was a Switchboard Operator with her and became one of her close friends, even being a bridesmaid in her wedding. We were able to track the family and I got together with them to trade stories. 

I even found old army video footage of the two of them! In this film, at 7:14, you will see my Grandmother walking on the right side, as the women exit their vehicles to go to work. Next, you can see Grace supervising on the right side of the screen.  At 7:40, she is seated at her desk and at 7:50, she is with Suzanne Prevot.

How can our community honor and support The Hello Girls with the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor?

This is now the third time that The Hello Girls have been nominated for this award. There are 47 co-sponsors now, and we need at the minimum three more Senators by the end of this year, otherwise, it will expire and we’ll have to start over again. 

This is a nonpartisan bill to recognize their service — S. 692: Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2021. It’s such a prestigious award that is “bestowed by the United States Congress … [as the] highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions by individuals or institutions.”

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Author Note 

✏️ If you’d like to be part of making history for the field of communications, you can write your Senator or Representative to ask them to sign on as a sponsor — only a few more signatures are needed.

📝 Here’s more information, a list of Senators who’ve already signed on and a template email is here — feel free to download and personalize it. Thanks to Claudia Friddell’s sister-in-law for drafting this resource.  

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Thank you for reading The Switchboard. ☎️ Every edition is personally curated by me — Julia Levy. Learn more about why I write. Review the Index of past posts.

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