In 1972, she and Susan Malone became the first female agents to be sworn into the bureau, shortly after it started accepting women.
Joanne Pierce Misko, a trailblazing woman who made history as one of the first female F.B.I. special agents, passed away at the age of 83 in Wheatfield, N.Y. Her brother, James Pierce, confirmed that she succumbed to a lung infection in a hospital. Prior to joining the F.B.I., Mrs. Misko had spent a decade as a member of the Sisters of Mercy religious order in western New York.
In 1970, Mrs. Misko made the bold decision to transition from her religious life to a career in law enforcement by joining the F.B.I. as a researcher. At that time, opportunities for women within the bureau were limited, with the prevailing belief under the leadership of J. Edgar Hoover that only men were suited for the demanding and risky work of special agents. However, following Hoover’s death in 1972, his successor, L. Patrick Gray III, lifted the ban on women serving as special agents.
Seizing the opportunity, Mrs. Misko applied for the special agent position with the support of her supervisor. In a groundbreaking moment, she was sworn in alongside 44 other new agents at the F.B.I. headquarters in Washington. She, along with Susan Roley Malone, a fellow female agent and former Marine, underwent rigorous training at the F.B.I. Academy in Quantico, Va. Their 14-week training included mastering firearms, physical fitness assessments, and a comprehensive understanding of the bureau’s protocols.
Despite facing some skepticism and challenges from a few of their male counterparts during training, Mrs. Misko and Mrs. Malone excelled and earned the respect of their peers. They demonstrated proficiency in handling firearms, completing physical fitness tests, and grasping the intricacies of F.B.I. procedures. The two women paved the way for future generations of female agents within the bureau.
Source: The NY Times
