Who were the first uniformed women to serve in the Coast Guard, and in what year did they serve?

• A. Genevieve and Lucille Baker of the Naval Coastal Defense Reserve, 1918
• B. Diane Bucci of the SPARs, 1942
• C. Olivia Hooker and D. Winifred Byrd, 1943
• D. Genevieve Baker and Lucille Baker, 1920

Answer: (A)

The earliest uniformed women in the Coast Guard served during World War I as part of the Naval Coastal Defense Reserve, and the sisters Genevieve and Lucille Baker did so in 1918. They wore Coast Guard uniforms while performing duties that supported coastal defense, marking the first time women served in uniform in Coast Guard history.

The other options describe later developments or different people and years that don’t match the historical firsts: the SPARS were established in the early 1940s in connection with the Navy’s World War II reserves, so that involvement happened later; the year 1920 is incorrect for the Bakers’ service; and the names listed there aren’t the well-documented first uniformed Coast Guard women.