This Western Union telegram from March 19, 1918, instructs Hortense Levy to report to Trenton, New Jersey, for training as a telephone operator. It specifies that she report to Miss Whelan, Chief Operator at the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania. The telegram outlines logistics for her travel and training, including transportation arrangements and a daily allowance similar to that provided to Army nurses. This document highlights the recruitment and crucial communication roles of women, known as "Hello Girls," during World War I. The details also show the military protocol for telegrams at the time.
The "Hello Girls" were part of the Signal Corps Female Telephone Operators Unit, sworn into the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I. The term originated from their greeting of "hello" to callers. The unit was formed following a call by General John J. Pershing in 1917 to enhance communications on the Western front. Over 7,000 women applied, and 223 were accepted, many of whom had prior experience with telephone companies. This recruitment was crucial for improving battlefield communications.