AUGUSTA – Helen Siragusa of Winthrop was a Navy nurse during World War II.

Stationed at a naval hospital on Long Island, N.Y., then the Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station in North Carolina, she served from 1945 to 1952.

Siragusa, now 87, was among 180 female veterans honored Friday in the State House Hall of Flags during the dedication of the “Women Veterans Plaque: A Heritage of Service.”

Each woman received a silver commemorative coin in the likeness of the plaque.

“It’s very nice that they recognize servicewomen,” Siragusa said. “There were a lot of us in World War II, so this is a real honor. There’s not many of us left.”

Peter Ogden, director of the state Bureau of Veterans Services, said $26,000 was raised for the plaque. State Rep. Linda Valentino, D-Saco, and Sen. Thomas Saviello, R-Wilton, led the effort, which will continue.

The plaque depicts Maine women who served in military capacities over four centuries. The Legislature passed a resolve for the plaque to be placed in the Hall of Flags.

Families of deceased female veterans have expressed interest in the coins, Ogden said.

“The original goal was to raise an additional $40,000 to present each of the 10,000 living (Maine) women veterans a silver commemorative coin,” Ogden said. “The recognition of deceased women veterans could add an additional 10,000 coins.”

Ogden said that for years, the contributions of women in war were almost invisible. He said women were not recognized at all before World War II — even though they were nurses in World War I and supported the troops during the Civil War.

Jean Doe, 77, of Portland and her friend Joan Calder, 76, of Falmouth served in the Navy during the Korean War.

“It was very important to get a ride up here (to Augusta),” Doe said. “We’re veterans and wouldn’t miss this for all the tea in China, just to be honored for our military service.”

Doe and Calder said the role that women play in the military has changed.

Neither of them said she favors women fighting; Doe said a battlefield is no place for women, and Calder said, “They can still serve our country, but do it like we did.”

“There’s many jobs that they can do in any part of the world. But I don’t think they should be on the battlefield.”

Master Sgt. Anita Manupelli of Springvale, who is with the 157th Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard, spoke of women’s lack of post-service organization.

Manupelli, who is 53, served on active duty from 1979 to 1984. She rejoined the service after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

“The thing about women is that they kind of look at going into the military as just another job to do,” she said. “They leave and move on and there’s not a lot of opportunity to organize them to be recognized.”

However, she said, “They need to be honored as a valuable member of the military, and to know their service is valued.”

Many of the women at the ceremony wore hats representing their American Legion or Veterans of Foreign War posts. Friends found each other and hugged.

They were loud and proud.

“I knew there were 10,000 Maine veterans, but I didn’t know you’d all show up here,” Ogden said. “Thank you for your service and thank you for being here today.”