Family Harvest Genealogy

Upated: 2007 April 10

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One WAC's Story

It was March 1943. The United States had been at war for more than a year and it looked as if the conflict would not be ending quickly. Ruth had been working for the General Control Company for just one year. Her previous employer of 9 years, E. R. Blaisdell Slate Products Company, had suffered a lack of business due to the war and had closed its doors. It now seemed that this company might share the same fate.

Ruth had seen a recruitment notice for the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps which had been formally established by law on May 14, 1942. It said that the Army was looking for women willing to offer support for the war effort at home and abroad. With many of her childhood friends enlisting or being drafted into the service, Ruth wanted to do her part, too. This seemed the best way to do it. So, on April 2, 1943, Ruth enlisted in the WAACs.

Upon reporting to Fort Devens (Massachusetts), Ruth discovered that there were several other women from her hometown among the recruits! This made her feel more comfortable during the basic training, but being a social person, she soon settled right in and made new friends.

There was much excitement in May, when basic training was completed. A small handful of the women had been selected for Officer Candidate school and a few more were sent for further specialist training, but the rest were anxiously awaiting their assignments in the field. Finally! Ruth learned of her assignment to Fort Sheridan, Illinois. She was thrilled with the assignment and was impatient to get on the train which would take her to her new life as a WAAC.

The first assignment for Ruth was in the Judge Advocate's Office working on claims for/against the U.S. Army, Line of Duty investigations and General Courts Martial briefs. Her strong stenography skills and background in business made her a valuable member of the staff. While on this assignment, in July 1943, the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps became part of the regular Army and was now being called the "Women's Army Corps".

Fort Sheridan Gate

In December of 1943, Ruth was transferred to the Post Adjutant's Office where her business expertise became even more useful. Her new expanded responsiblities made use of her bookkeeping skills. When Army regulations required the consolidation of certain funds, Ruth was able to facilitate the changes with ease.

Life as a WAC was not all business, though! Because Fort Sheridan was located near Chicago, Ruth and her barrack companions could spend some of their leave time in the Windy City. They were able to go shopping for some of the "necessities" not available at the PX and attend a play or movie. However, the most enjoyable times were those spent together chatting and peeling "spuds".

Ruth's job in the Adjutant General's office ended in April 1945, when she was transferred to the Post Commander's office. Here, she became Brigadier General J. T. Pierce's "right-hand man", acting as receptionist, taking dictation, handling his appointment schedule and keeping the office running. Her initiative and dependability gave the General the support he needed to run the Post in the most efficient manner possible under war conditions.

By the time World War II had ended, Ruth had been promoted to the rank of Technical Sergeant and earned several citations. But most gratifying for her was that her hard work and dedication had earned her the respect and friendship of her superior officers. It was a sad day when she left Fort Sheridan in 1945. But...Although she was formally honorably discharged on September 27, 1945, Ruth's attachment to the military was not over!

Ruth and Edna

In January of 1946, she had applied for and been accepted into the Veterans Administration. Her new job with the VA placed her in the Construction, Supply and Real Estate Service as secretary to the Director, Clifton A. Whyte. This interesting job lasted until June of 1949, when a reduction in force prompted an application to the Department of the Air Force.

Ruth's appointment with the 33rd Fighter Wing (Jet) at Otis Air Force Base in Falmouth, MA, was as secretary to the Wing Adjutant. Her experience at Fort Sheridan as a WAC served her well in her new duties. But, this was a temporary appointment and Ruth found herself once again filling out an application for employment. In July of 1950, Ruth began working for the Navy Department in Boston!

Over the span of seven years, as an Army WAC (and WAAC) and civilian attached to the Air Force and Navy, Ruth had proven the value of accepting women into the military. She was very proud to have served her country. I think she expressed best her feelings in a poem she wrote in April 1943 while in basic training at Fort Devens:

How does it feel to be a WAC?

To express the real feeling I fear I lack
The words. But every beat of my heart
Repeats: At last you're really a part
Of the Fighting Force whose torch is high,
Whose motto is We'll fight and we'll die,
'Til victory's ours and we've won the peace,
'Til tyranny and murder cease,
'Til justice shall prevail again,
Dear Lord, please be our Guide. Amen.

The relationships established during these years were the most important ones for my mother. For more than thirty years after the end of World War II, she was still in contact with many of "the girls". Some had been overseas with "the boys", some had stayed at home and one of them had been a court reporter at the Nuremburg Trials. Each one contributed in a special way to the effort of bringing peace to the world. I feel fortunate that I have met some of them.

My mother kept a diary during her WAC years. In it she writes about not only the daily routines, but the little things that made WAC life so enjoyable for her. As this page evolves, I hope to include excerpts from the diary which describe the life of a WAC in 1943 and tidbits from letters she wrote to her mother at home in Massachusetts. Hopefully, someone will enjoy reading them!

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