Happy Anniversary—from the 80th to the 75th!

Header with a photo of Mari K. Eder on the left, the text "Ret. Major Gen. Mari K. Eder. Author, Speaker, Consultant at Benson's ReView" in the middle. And two book covers (The Girls Who Stepped Out Of Line and The Girls Who Fought Crime) on the right.

May 14th was the 80th anniversary of the Women’s Army Corps (WAC). The Women’s Army Corps began as an auxiliary unit for the United States Army on May 15th, 1942. It converted to active-duty status on July 15th, 1943. Over 150,000 women served as WACs in World War II, the first women to serve in uniform apart from nurses and the small contingent of telephone operators who served in WWI.

Major Stephanie Czech was in the first group of women to be commissioned into the WAC in 1942, along with Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams, the first African American woman to be commissioned in the WAC. They reported first to Fort Des Moines, Iowa, where the Army established its initial training center for WAC.

A black and white portrait photograph depicting a woman wearing a military uniform with epaulette insignia on the shoulders, indicating a position of rank or authority. The woman has short, wavy dark hair and is looking directly at the camera with a serious expression. The dark background puts the focus solely on the woman's face and uniform, giving the image a formal and professional tone reminiscent of official military portraits from that era

black and white portrait photograph depicting a smiling African American woman wearing a military uniform with insignia on the shoulders and a peaked cap. The woman has a warm, friendly expression as she looks directly at the camera against a plain background, putting the focus on her military dress uniform and positive demeanor

In 1944 Ola Mildred Rexroat joined the Women’s Army Corps, but her goal was to become a pilot with the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). The training took place in Sweetwater, Texas, at Avenger Field. While the women who joined the WASP were initially told they would be commissioned as lieutenants in the Army Air Corps at the conclusion of their training, that didn’t occur.

They served throughout the war as government civilians. The program ended in December 1944. The war was winding down then, and the women were summarily dismissed, making room for instructor pilots and returning pilots from the front lines. It wasn’t until 1977 that the WASP were declared veterans.

A black and white photo of Millie Rextroat in her WASP uniform.

The U.S. Navy established its women’s contingent on July 21, 1942. The U.S. Navy Reserve (Women’s Contingent) was better known as the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) during the war. Approximately 100,000 women served in the WAVES, including Seaman Betty Bemis, who became part of the top-secret Project Ultra program, building the Bombe machine that decoded enemy messages.

A black and white portrait photograph depicting a young woman wearing a U.S. Navy uniform, including a cap with the Navy insignia. The woman has a warm, friendly smile as she looks directly at the camera against a plain background. Her uniform and cap indicate this is likely an official portrait taken during her time serving in the U.S. Navy

The Marine Corps Women’s Reserve was established at the end of July 1942, part of the Marine Corps Reserve. Over 80,000 women served in the Marine Corps Reserve in WWII.

The Coast Guard was established in November 1942. The women in the U.S. Coast Guard’s Women Reserves were known as SPARS (standing for Semper Paratus – Always Ready, the USCG motto). This organization aimed to assign women to shore stations, releasing the men for sea duty and protecting the coasts.

Kate Nolan joined the Army Nurse Corps straight out of nursing school in the spring of 1944. Like most of her class, she wanted to do her part. Kate was assigned to a field hospital (heavy casualty). She earned five battle stars for her service in the war.

A black and white portrait photograph depicting a smiling woman wearing a military uniform with epaulette insignia on the shoulders, indicating a position of rank or authority. The woman has curly, shoulder-length hair and is looking directly at the camera with a warm, friendly expression against a plain background, putting the focus solely on her military dress uniform and positive demeanor

Altogether, including the nurses in uniform in each service, over 350,000
American women served in uniform in WWII.

There were cultural issues with discrimination, and segregation played a role in determining quotas and limiting numbers of African Americans who could serve. Asian-American women likewise faced difficulties in enlistment.

Despite the limitations of the time, women served honorably. They contributed, in engineer units, in communications, working in medical laboratories and a number were also deployed overseas. As many as 543 died in war-related incidents.

On the homefront Rosie the Riveter gained a reputation for how women could contribute to the workforce. In fact, the number of women working outside the home rose from 27 to 37 percent from 1940 to 1945.

At the time, there was no plan for the female service members to become a permanent part of the U.S. Military. But the success of their performance and their contributions meant there was no going back.

Another significant anniversary dates back 75 years to June 12, 1948. On that date, President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act, legally permitting women to serve in all four branches of the military.

Those volunteers not only made history, they created the future.

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