Josephine Winkler
Josephine (Jo) Winkler has always been a woman who made her own way through the world. She grew up in Mandan, ND and worked at a land development office after graduating from high school. She took and passed the civil service test and landed herself a great paying job. Unfortunately, war efforts forced her to work for much lower wages at the local creamery and produce company to prepare food for civilians and the military. The creamery wouldn’t release her to take a civilian Navy job in Washington, D.C.
A Woman Ahead of Her Time
At that point Jo decided if you can’t beat ‘em - join ‘em. She enlisted in the Navy in 1943. After boot camp at Hunter College in New York, she was assigned to the Georgia College for Women for the study of storekeeping. She was then sent to a position in the ammunition depot in southern Indiana. At the end of WWII, Jo was assigned to the Navy Training Station at Great Lakes, Illinois to help discharge the troops. Jo spent four and one half years in the Navy and left with the rank of chief petty officer.
Josephine (Jo) Winkler has always been a woman who made her own way through the world.
Jo returned to ND and worked in the bookkeeping department at the Bank of North Dakota, then started college in Valley City. She taught school for one year in Buchanan, ND then returned to college where she met Walt, who would later become her husband. As a Navy Reservist, she was called to serve in the Korean War in 1950. Although she was planning on being married after graduation, she could not get a release from her orders for duty. Jo had to leave Walt to work as a payroll disbursing officer in Seattle. At the end of her duty, she returned to Mandan to marry Walt.
Walt farmed near Oriska, ND. Jo remained in touch with the military through Walt’s 164th Infantry meetings and activities. She and Walt were married for 34 years and raised eight children.Years later, Jo discovered that some of her children had no idea of her Navy rate. Her oldest son called home from officer’s training complaining about the opinionated chiefs he had to survive. Jo shocked and amazed him saying he really should be used to it since he had been raised by one.
"That tickled me more than any of my own navy experiences. We all had a good laugh about that with his buddies at his graduation," laughs Jo.