“I like to think I helped prove that women can contribute more to national defense than just waiting for the war to end,” Myrtle Hazard remarked to an interviewer in 1950.
Electrician First Class Myrtle Rae Holthaus Hazard (1892 – May 19, 1951) made history as the first woman to enlist in the United States Coast Guard. Born in 1896 in Baltimore, Maryland, Hazard faced the challenges of polio, which left one of her legs smaller than the other, yet she learned to walk without braces.
By 1918, Hazard, then married with a young son, had earned her Wireless and Commercial Telegraphy License through night classes at the YMCA. On her way to answer a job advertisement, Hazard unintentionally found herself at the Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Her timing was crucial; the Coast Guard was modernizing its communication systems amidst World War I, and Hazard’s telegraphy skills were in high demand. This chance encounter led to her enlistment, marking a significant milestone in military history.
Hazard quickly adapted to her role as not only the sole woman in her office but also the only woman serving in the Coast Guard during World War I. Despite initial skepticism from some male colleagues, she earned their respect through her competence and unwavering commitment, ultimately rising to the rank of Electrician First Class before her honorable discharge in 1919.
In the post-war years, Hazard continued to make an impact by working as a radio operator and supporting children affected by polio through the Bou-Tem-Sci Club. She passed away on May 19, 1951, in Baltimore, Maryland. Her obituary failed to mention her role in the Coast Guard. While her military contributions went largely unrecognized during her lifetime, her legacy endures. In 2020, the Coast Guard honored her by naming a Fast Response Cutter after her, celebrating her pioneering role as the first woman in the service. Myrtle Hazard’s story stands as a powerful reminder of the significant impact that determination and capability can have, paving the way for future generations in national defense and beyond.
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