Pappas Holds Medal Ceremony Honoring WWI “Hello Girl” Grace Derby Banker
Today Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Ranking Member of the Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs (DAMA), held a medal ceremony to honor “Hello Girl” Grace Derby Banker. During the ceremony, Pappas presented a World War I Victory Medal and a World War I Victory Button Bronze in recognition of Grace Derby Banker’s service to our nation with the U.S. Army Signal Corps to her granddaughter, Carolyn Timbie.
During World War I, women from across the country served as telephone operators in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, nicknamed “Hello Girls”. After their service, they were treated as citizen volunteers and not given recognition as members of the military. It was not until 1977 with the G.I. Improvement Bill signed into law that the Hello Girls finally received recognition for their service from the government, given discharges from the military, and granted veteran benefits.
In June, Carolyn Timbie reached out to Congressman Pappas’s office for assistance in securing the WWI Victory Medal for her grandmother, Grace Derby Banker who served during World War I as chief operator of mobile for the American Expeditionary Forces in the U.S. Army Signal Corps or a “Hello Girl”. In 1919, Banker received a Distinguished Service Medal for her work and leadership. It was confirmed last month that Grace Derby Banker was entitled to these additional awards.
“Grace Derby Banker’s story is powerful and it is uniquely American. During World War I, Grace Derby Banker used her experience as a telephone operator in civilian life to serve her country in the American Expeditionary Forces in the U.S. Army Signal Corps. She led thirty-three women, served in harsh conditions, and was often on the front lines for nearly two years. Their work was essential to maintain consistent communications between the various battle elements, no doubt saving lives and helping bring about victory,” said Congressman Pappas. “It was an honor for my office to assist Carolyn Timbie in securing the WWI Victory Medal and the WWI Victory Medal Bronze in recognition of Grace Derby Banker’s service, as well as a new copy of the Distinguished Service Award medal. These are small tokens of our appreciation for the service and sacrifice of Grace Derby Banker. I want to thank Carolyn Timbie for her advocacy on behalf of her grandmother and for working so hard to keep the story of the Hello Girls alive and well, and I would urge any veteran or military family that is looking for help or assistance of any kind to reach out to my office.”
“It has been an absolute honor and pleasure to be here today with Congressman Pappas and all the supporters of my grandmother Grace Derby Banker, along with the supporters for the Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act. We have waited 106 years for my grandmother to receive this honor, and we could not have done it without the assistance of Congressman Pappas’s office,” said Carolyn Timbie, granddaughter of Hello Girl Grace Derby Banker.
Congressman Pappas’s offices are available to assist Granite Staters in the First District with federal agencies, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, the IRS, the Social Security Administration, and more.