Dorothy "Pat" Rudd honored as "Veteran of the
Day" during daily Flag Retreat ceremony in Magic Kingdom Park at
Walt Disney World Resort
LAKE
BUENA VISTA, Fla., June 12,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Disney honored World War II
female U.S. Navy veteran Dorothy "Pat" Rudd as "Veteran of the
Day" during the June 7th
Flag Retreat ceremony in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. A
pioneer and heroine, Pat volunteered and joined the Women Accepted
for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) program to perform
shore-based duties for the U.S. Navy after U.S. President
Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Public
Law 689 in 1942.
The law established the Women's Reserve as a branch of the Naval
Reserve and authorized women to serve in the U.S. Navy for the
duration of the war, plus six months. Stationed in Washington, DC, Pat became one of the first
200 WAVES to be deployed overseas – in her case, to the then
Territory of Hawai'i. There, she served as an educator, teaching
service members how to read and write and helped in the hospital
attending the wounded.
Pat met her husband, Gerald, at Pearl
Harbor, who was active-duty Navy himself and were married
for 71 years. Prior to participating in the Flag Retreat ceremony,
Pat visited Frontierland in Magic Kingdom, which her late husband
helped bring to reality. Gerald was part of the construction team
that built the structures in this area of the theme park, as well
as parts of EPCOT and the original resort hotels of Walt Disney
World.
"I was really happy the buildings he helped build in
Frontierland are still there," said Rudd. "I'm proud of him and
that his work has brought so much joy to so many people here at
Disney."
Honoring Pat during the day's events were members of Disney
SALUTE, a veteran employee resource group, including Susan Finnigan, Lead Project Manager for Disney
marketing and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
"Pat's unwavering spirit and commitment to duty are an
inspiration to fellow servicewomen," said Finnigan. "It was an
honor to be able to join my fellow veterans here at Disney to help
celebrate a trailblazer and hero like Pat."
On June 12, 1948, three years
after the end of World War II and Rudd's naval service, President
Harry S. Truman signed the Women's
Armed Services Integration Act into law, officially opening the
door for women to serve as full, permanent members of all branches
of the U.S. Armed Forces. The day is recognized annually as Women
Veterans Day.
Disney has long honored those who serve in the U.S. Armed Forces
throughout the 100-year history of The Walt Disney Company. That
tradition continues today with events like the daily Flag Retreat
ceremony at Magic Kingdom, where an active-duty military member or
veteran is selected from the park's daily visitors to be
honored.
Disney is honored to offer a heartfelt tribute to the unsung
female military heroes of the past and all those who continue to
serve today.
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destination built around storytelling and immersive experiences,
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including six resort destinations with 12 theme parks and 53
resorts in the United States,
Europe and Asia; a top-rated cruise line fleet of five
ships with three more planned in the coming years; a luxurious
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SOURCE Walt Disney World