Nell "Johnnie" Phelps (April 4, 1922 – December 30, 1997) was a member of the

Women's Army Corps The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on 15 May 1942 and converted to an active duty status in the Army of the United States ...

who claimed that she managed to convince General

Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

not to eject lesbian members of the WAC as he had been ordered by President Truman.

Early life

Johnnie Phelps was born in North Carolina as Nell Louise Phelps on April 4, 1922, and was raised with an adoptive family.

Military career

Johnnie Phelps joined the Women's Army Corps in 1943 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. She was honorably discharged in 1945 and reenlisted in 1946. Phelps claimed that in her post-World War II service she was assigned to head the motor pool for General Eisenhower in Germany. She claimed in an interview with Bunny MacCulloch in 1982, that in 1947 she was told by General Eisenhower, "It's come to my attention that there are lesbians in the WACs, we need to ferret them out...." Phelps replied, "If the General pleases, sir, I'll be happy to do that, but the first name on the list will be mine." Eisenhower's secretary added, "If the General pleases, sir, my name will be first and hers will be second." Phelps then told Eisenhower, "Sir, you're right, there are lesbians in the WACs – and if you want to replace all the file clerks, section commanders, drivers, every woman in the WAC detachment, I will be happy to make that list. But you must know, sir, that they are the most decorated group – there have been no illegal pregnancies, no AWOLs, no charges of misconduct." Eisenhower dropped the idea. Later Phelps said, "There were almost nine hundred women in the battalion. I could honestly say that 95 percent of them were lesbians". She was honorably discharged a second time. Phelps is believed to have exaggerated and fabricated stories of her military service.

Later career

Phelps left the army to establish her own printing business, which she ran for years. Phelps joined the

National Organization for Women The National Organization for Women (NOW) is an American feminist organization. Founded in 1966, it is legally a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S. states and in Washington, D.C. It ...

and founded the San Gabriel Valley - Whittier chapter in 1979. She chaired the California Lesbian Task Force (a branch of California NOW), and spearheaded protests on behalf of the Norton Sound Eight - eight female crew members aboard the who were charged with "homosexual misconduct." In addition, she joined the Southern California Women for Understanding organization and served on the Los Angeles County Veterans' Advisory Commission. A recovering alcoholic, she also served as president of the Alcoholism Center for Women. She was appointed by

Gloria Molina Jesus Gloria Molina (born May 31, 1948) is an American politician and a former member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Molina broke into politics in 1982 by going agai ...

to the Los Angeles Commission on Veterans' Affairs and resigned in 1996 due to severe health problems. She appeared in the ''

Before Stonewall ''Before Stonewall: The Making of a Gay and Lesbian Community '' is a 1984 American documentary film about the LGBT community prior to the 1969 Stonewall riots. It was narrated by author Rita Mae Brown, directed by Greta Schiller, co-directed by ...

'' documentary, and she was interviewed for books, including, ''My Country, My Right to Serve'' by Mary Ann Humphrey, and ''Conduct Unbecoming'' by

Randy Shilts Randy Shilts (August 8, 1951February 17, 1994) was an American journalist and author. After studying journalism at the University of Oregon, Shilts began working as a reporter for both '' The Advocate'' and the ''San Francisco Chronicle'', as wel ...

. She appeared in the ''Trailblazers: Unsung Military Heroines of WWII'' documentary by Mindy Pomper, shown ad infinitum at the Women's Memorial in Washington D.C.

Personal life

Phelps married a Navy man, but the marriage was unhappy, and to escape it, she joined the military in 1943. Johnnie Phelps' first female lover died when their boat was bombed as they landed on Leyte, Philippines in 1944. Living in Southern California, Phelps became politically active in the 1970s. It was around this time that she met Grace Bukowski, her last partner, who survived her. Phelps died on December 30, 1997, at the Veterans Home in Barstow, and her ashes were buried with full honor in the U.S. Veterans Cemetery in Westwood, Los Angeles.

Legacy

In 1993, Veterans for Human Rights organized the annual Sgt. Johnnie Phelps Annual Awards Banquet in Portland, Oregon.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phelps, Johnnie 1922 births 1997 deaths LGBT people from North Carolina American LGBT military personnel 20th-century American LGBT people Women's Army Corps soldiers