Alternative Service: Conscientious Objectors and Civilian Public Service in World War II

Alternative Service: Conscientious Objectors and Civilian Public Service in World War II

During World War II, a new program gave young men who refused to wear a uniform other ways to serve their country.

“smokejumpers,” these men were trained to parachute into remote areas to fight fires. Smokejumping had proved to be a practical, effective tool against forest fires in locations without road access as early as 1935. By 1943, the program was growing, but suffered from manpower shortages due to the demands of the war. Conscientious objectors began to inquire about joining the program, and 70 were trained that year to become smokejumpers. By the next year more than 100 COs were part of smokejumping teams in the west. Unlike most COs in the Civilian Public Service who worked unpaid, smokejumpers earned a meager five-dollar a month salary. In the off season, they performed forest maintenance, similar work to other COs.



Despite their willingness to perform vital, and at times, life-endangering work, many COs were subjected to daily harassment, being considered “yellow bellies” and cowards, having those epithets thrown at them by civilians bitter at their refusal to fight. This drove many of them to volunteer for more dangerous work like smokejumping or medical experiments. Many of them hoped putting their lives at risk would change public opinion. The camps and men were supported by the Peace Churches, whose communities donated to the Mennonite Central Committee, which ran many of the camps. More than $3 million was contributed between 1941-1947, in addition to food and other goods. The camps strove to fill the physical, educational, and spiritual needs of COs, and many women volunteered to work in the camps.

The result of the Civilian Service Program was generally seen as positive by those involved, though many felt the work they were doing was not of the significance which they were led to believe was required. But their contributions should not be overlooked. In the six years the CPS was active, men assigned to Mennonite camps performed more than 2.2 million man-days of service, performed over 120 different types of work, and contributed an estimated $4 million of labor to both the federal and state government. 

Many men found their time in CPS kept them grounded in their convictions, and were happy to return home to their communities where they were admired and not ridiculed. For some, such as those working at psychiatric hospitals, their experiences put them in a position to help make important changes in the world. Often overshadowed by their counterparts who reconciled themselves to non-combatant service, the alternative service of 12,000 played a vital role in the American war effort.

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