Grace Murray Hopper was born in New York City on December 9, 1906.  At the age of 16, she applied to Vassar, an all female college.   However,   they denied her application and told her to reapply at a later date.  One year later she entered Vassar college.  After graduating, she went on to earn her Master's degree in mathematics and physics in 1934 from Yale University.  A short four years later she earned her Ph.D. in Mathematics.
    During World War II, Grace enlisted in the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) in the United States Navy.  She was assigned to the Bureau of Ordinance Computation Project.  There she began to work on the world's largest computer, the Mark I.  She mastered the Mark I, Mark II, and the Mark III.
    With her fascination for machines Grace went on to develop the Common Business-Oriented Language (COBOL) for computers.  She received many awards both in the United States and abroad.  In 1982, she earned a unique honor:  she became the oldest naval officer on active duty.
    In 1986, Grace now a Rear Admiral took her final retirement from the Navy.  The ceremony was held at Boston harbor.  Grace was seventy nine years old.  The wonderful and amazing Grace died on January 1, 1992 at her home in Arlington, Virginia.
                                                                                                                 by Tiffany
            
Reference:
    Northrup, M (1998).  American Computer Pioneers.  New Jersey:  Enslow Publishers, Inc.

    Grace Murray Hopper
http://www.hopper.navy.mil/Admiral-Hopper.htm
 
 
 
 
 

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