Women's Army Corps
Requirements for Enlisting in the Women's Army Corps
- Be a United States Citizen
- Be between the ages of 21 and 45
- Weigh at least 100 pounds
- Be at least 5 feet tall
The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was a vital part of WWII. Over 150,000 women served their country during this time.
In 1941, Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers wrote a bill establishing the Women's Army Corps. While the public was positive towards her idea, Army leaders did not believe that women could do as good of a job as the men and did not want the WAC as a part of the Army.
One male officer believed that "women's probable jobs would include those of hostess, librarians, canteen clerks, cooks and waitresses, chauffeurs, messengers, and strolling minstrels."
Rogers and Army leaders compromised on what was to be included in the bill. The women would work with the Army instead of as a part of the Army and would only receive pay and benefits when working in the United States. Rogers brought her bill to Congress, but it was not fully considered until the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. General Marshall knew the United States could not fight on two fronts without enough manpower. He believed that the women could help with communication jobs which the men were often careless on, allowing the men to fight.
Since the women were separate from the men, they had their own name, the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps. They also had their own ranking system. The Director of WAAC had the rank of major. The first, second, and third officers would be the captains and lieutenants with the men. The chief leader was equivalent to the master sergeant, the junior leader was comparable to corporal, and auxiliary women equaled a private.
There were many postcards which women in W.A.A.C. could send home to their families.
On July 20, 1942, 440 women began the first training class for WAACs in Fort Des Moines. Women often joined because: 1) a male member of her family was in the armed forces, 2) she had no one in her family who was able to serve, or 3) she wanted to serve her country. These women performed important tasks such as repairing army trucks, mapping air routes for the fighter pilots, repairing rifles, sorting mail and issuing weapons.
In March 1943, Army leaders began discussing the idea of joining WAAC with the Army. The name would be changed to the Women's Army Corps. On July 3, the new bill was signed into a law. The women were given a choice about whether they would join the men or return to being civilians. 25 percent of the women decided to leave the armed services due to the merge. The women who stayed were given a new rank based on the system the army had been using.
Overall, the war would not have been the same without the effort and courage of these women. They broke through the stereotypes that women were not good enough to fight and work in the Army.
More Information
Overview of Women's Army Corps
WWII Postcards
Women in the Airforce
