Like many patriotic Americans, White put aside her career ambitions to serve her country after the United States entered World War II. In this case, that meant joining the American Women’s Voluntary Services (AWVS), which had White delivering supplies to gun emplacement stations throughout the Hollywood Hills — even though she'd just learned how to drive. Additionally, the AWVS had her sewing uniforms despite her lack of experience in that department. Although the assignments kept her far from conflict zones, White recalled the tense times of having to drive with curtains drawn and only the parking lights on after the occasional spotting of a submarine off the Pacific coast.