Irene Mary Wavelet was born in Illinois on 23 August 1924. Her early childhood unfolded during the challenging years of the Great Depression, which most likely shaped the circumstances of her early family life.
In 1930, Irene’s mother Pearl worked as a housekeeper for a family residing at 3616 West 22nd Street (now Cermak Road) in Chicago. Seeking better opportunities, Irene and her mother eventually relocated to Peru, Illinois, where Irene attended St. Mary’s parochial school. During the 1930s, Pearl married Amedee Wavelet, a French immigrant who had settled in Peru. The couple welcomed a daughter around 1937, giving Irene a half-sister.
Irene completed her education at LaSalle-Peru High School, graduating in 1941 as World War II was intensifying. By 1944, she had found employment as a waitress at Orsingers, a bakery in LaSalle, while living at 1802 N. Prospect in Peru. At age 20, Irene stood five feet 2¼ inches tall, weighed about 130 pounds, and had blue eyes and brown hair. Her personal interests included roller skating, sewing, and collecting autographs and pictures, as noted on her Coast Guard application.
On her 20th birthday, 23 August 1944, Irene enlisted in the US Coast Guard Women’s Reserve as an Apprentice Seaman in Chicago, Illinois. She reported to the recruiting station and departed for duty on 31 August 1944. Her military service began with training in Palm Beach, Florida, where she was promoted to Seaman 2nd Class in October 1944 before being transferred to San Francisco.
Irene’s dedication to service continued with a promotion to Seaman 1st Class in February 1945. Her hard work and commitment were further recognized when she was promoted to Specialist (TR) 3rd Class in July of that same year.
Tragically, Irene fell ill in October 1945, requiring hospitalization. As her illness continued, military authorities arranged to transfer her from the Marine Hospital in California to Chicago to be closer to her family. However, before this transfer could take place, Irene Mary Wavelet passed away on 22 December 1945, just months after the end of World War II.
This story is part of the Stories Behind the Stars project www.storiesbehindthestars.org This is a national effort of volunteers to write the stories of all 400,000+ of the US WWII fallen here on Fold3. Can you help write these stories? If you noticed anything missing in this profile, you may contact the author. Click on the author’s name located at the bottom of the story page next to the words “added by.”
- SBTSProject/Illinois/LaSalle
- SBTS Historian: Pam Broviak
Thank you to John Meier who secured the Irene Wavelet’s OMPF and Jennifer Holk who secured her IDPF. Note, the information for this story was researched by Pam Broviak and the story developed using AI technology with final editing by Pam Broviak.
Sources:
- 1930 U.S. Census, William O’Meara household, Ancestry.
- 1940 U.S. Census, Amedee Wavelet, Ancestry.
- “Granddaughter of Louis Wavelet, Spring Valley, Passes Away,” DePue Leader, 28 December 1945, p. 1, NewspaperArchive, https://newspaperarchive.com/de-pue-leader-dec-28-1945-p-1/.
- “California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997,” Irene Wavelet, Ancestry.
- IDPF, Irene Mary Wavelet, National Archives—St. Louis.
- OMPF, Irene Mary Wavelet, National Archives—St. Louis.
- “U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1861-1985,” Irene Mary Wavelet, Ancestry.
- “California, U.S., San Francisco Area Funeral Home Records, 1895-1985,” Irene M. Wavelet, Ancestry.
- https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/229891753/irene-mary-wavelett
