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Page 14 The Antique Shoppe July, 2017
75th Anniversary (1942-2017)

SALUTING WOMEN IN UNIFORM — THE WACS

By Roy Nuhn
The important part played by so many thousands of women soldiers, sailors who flew fighting aircraft across the dangerous North Atlantic route to airfields
and airmen in the Persian Gulf Wars of the last quarter—century, as well as in England. Quasi-official in terms of military status, these brave and intrepid
in other recent conflicts, has triggered serious thoughts about both the future women had to wait nearly a half-century before receiving the official recognition
and past roles of women in the armed forces. Little appreciated until the final and full veteran rights due them.
decades of the When World War II came to an end in 1945, the WACS were not disbanded
20th century, as women soldiers has been 25 years earlier. Along with the Women Marines,
women have WAVES and SPARS, the Corps was made a permanent branch of their service.
been serving Today, because of the women’s suffrage movements of the 1960s and ‘70s,
their country separate women’s branches in the military no longer exist. They now serve
in wartime equally - or soon will be – with men in practically all job, including those in
in steadily combat.
increasing
numbers. Only POSTCARDS
within the Postcards of the WACS are an interesting collecting category. During the war
last couple of years publishers were enchanted with the WACS and issued many humorous
dozen years comics with the G.I. gals as the focus. Serious military—themed cards of the
have their WACS were also published during this time. These showed them on parade or in
contributions formation.
been seen in a ABOVE: One of Postcards marketed during the post-war years of the late 1940s and
new light. And the many wartime afterward were more serious. Many showed women recruits in basic
now they are humor postcards training at Lackland AFB, Texas. When the Air Corps split from the Army
being assigned by Colourpicture after the end of World War II, those women who became airmen were
combat slots of Co. called WAFS and their story is a continuation of the WACS saga.
all kinds. RT: Card by Curt The large publishing houses of Curt Teich and Asheville Post Card Co.
Teich of WAF
While recruits marching led the way in the WAC topic. Other firms were involved, as well, but not
individual in downtown San as heavily and often on a regional basis. Only two specific sets of WACS
women have Antonio, home of postcards seem to have been published. One was by Asheville Post Card
often taken up Lackland AFB, Co. Their cards, which included a vast array of wartime humor, saw wide
the musket, Texas (1955). distribution throughout
helped to fire LEFT: the South, which is not
the cannons, or nursed the wounded and maimed Sold by Asheville Post that unusual considering
since the Revolutionary War, only with the arrival of Card Co. that the vast majority
world War I, in 1917, was their participation formally of military bases were
organized. BELOW: “Aid located there.
During that war, more than 10,000 “Yeomanettes” to Uniform This set has 21 cards.
served in the Navy and 300 “Marinettes” in the Identification” of Leftover stock was still
Marine Corps. These women were not full-status various women’s being sold decades later
military personnel, however. auxiliaries, a postcard in stores throughout
printed by Curt Teich
They wore the uniform but lived and worked under for the Fred Harvey the region. The price
a modified version of military rules and regulations. chain of restaurants back then was $2.25 for
They were restricted to rank no higher than sergeant and hotels (1943). all 21 cards, a bargain
in the Marines and its equivalent in the Navy. The by today’s
women performed mainly clerical duties and were standards.
allowed to enlist and fill those jobs in order to free men for the much more The other set,
important task of combat duty overseas. also comedic,
As soon as the war came to an end in November 1918, the auxiliary branches was published
of women were disbanded and, except for nurses and a couple of other by Beals,
specialties, the American fighting machine was once again an exclusive all-male located in Des
club. Moines, Iowa.
A generation later came World War II and the crucial need to get as Under their
many men as possible, as soon as possible, into the war zones. After much “Artone ‘Glo-
consideration, the various military services and the Administration of President Var’ Finished”
Franklin Roosevelt had Congress authorize the necessary legislation to create WAC OFFICER WAVE OFFICER ARMY NURSE NAVY NURSE SPAR (COAST GUARD) MARINE trademark. The
women auxiliaries for the Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. AID TO UNIFORM IDENTIFICATION Beals postcards
The Women’s Army Corps, soon to be universally called the WACS, came poked fun at
into being in May 1942, 75 years ago. Like their sisters in the other military the WACS and
organizations, WACS were secretaries, clerks, cartographers, cooks and a variety showed the ladies themselves often laughing at Army life.
of other non-combat jobs stateside or far behind the front lines. Surprisingly, cards of the other women military auxiliaries are extremely hard to
Those serving in the Army Air Corps branch were called WAACS. find. But then, most World War II military humor postcards concerned the Army,
Under the command of Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby, the Women’s Army which was the recipient of most of the draftees.
Corps, which eventually reached a peak strength of 100,000 by war’s end, did When viewed as a whole, these wonderful WACS postcards offer us a never-
an admirable job. The same could also be said of the other auxiliaries. Little to-be-forgotten reminder of the important role that women played in the nation’s
discussed at the time, and only becoming recognized in the 1980s and ‘90s, armed forces during World War II. Both a collecting pleasure and a view of
for their contribution to the war effort were the hundreds of women ferry pilots recent history.