Wac's Legal Journey: From Inception To Enactment

The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It became law on the 15th of May, 1942, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a bill to create a Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). The WAC was created as an auxiliary unit, the WAAC, on the same day. It was converted to an active-duty status in the Army of the United States as the WAC on the 1st of July, 1943.

The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was established as a branch of the US Army in 1943

The WAAC was an auxiliary unit, and its members had no military status. They were limited to non-combat roles and were given separate grade titles and pay schedules from men. However, this changed in 1943 when, on 1 July, President Roosevelt signed a bill introduced by Mrs. Rogers to enlist and appoint women in the Army of the United States. Ninety days later, the WAAC was replaced by the WAC, which became a branch of the US Army. Colonel Hobby continued as Director of the WAC.

The WAC took on a variety of roles in the Army, eventually serving in almost every non-combat job. During World War II, about 150,000 American women served in the WAAC and WAC combined. While most served in the US, some went to various places worldwide, including Europe, North Africa, and New Guinea. The WAC continued to serve during the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and in 1972, a major expansion of the WAC began to help the Army maintain its required strength after the elimination of the draft. In 1978, the WAC was disestablished as a separate corps of the Army by an Act of Congress so that women could be more fully assimilated into the overall Army structure.

WAC was an auxiliary unit of the US Army, without military status, from 1942-1943

The WAC, or the Women's Army Corps, was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), on 15 May 1942, and was converted to an active-duty status in the Army of the United States as the WAC on 1 July 1943.

The WAAC was designed by several Army bureaus, coordinated by Lt. Col. Gillman C. Mudgett, the first WAAC Pre-Planner. However, most of his plans were discarded or modified before being implemented, as he had expected a corps of only 11,000 women. Without the support of the War Department, Representative Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts introduced a bill on 28 May 1941, providing for a Women's Army Auxiliary Corps. The bill was stalled for months by the Bureau of the Budget but was revived after the United States entered World War II. The bill was approved by the Senate on 14 May 1942 and became law on 15 May 1942.

The WAAC was modelled after comparable British units, especially the ATS, which caught the attention of Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall. The first contingent of 800 members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps began basic training at Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School in Iowa in 1942. The women were fitted for uniforms, interviewed, assigned to companies and barracks, and inoculated against disease during the first day.

The WAAC was trained in three major specialties: switchboard operators, mechanics, and bakers. This was later expanded to dozens of specialties, including Postal Clerk, Driver, Stenographer, and Clerk-Typist.

The WAAC was an auxiliary unit of the US Army, without military status, from 1942-1943. During this time, it faced resistance from senior Army commanders and negative attitudes from men in the rank and file. Despite these challenges, the WAAC proved its value in the field, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt set a recruitment goal of 25,000 women for the first year, which was exceeded.

In 1943, the WAAC transitioned to full military status, becoming the Women's Army Corps (WAC). This change granted female soldiers the same rights as male soldiers, including equal rank and pay.

WAC was disbanded in 1978

The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on 15 May 1942, and was converted to an active-duty status in the Army of the United States as the WAC on 1 July 1943. The WAC was disbanded on 20 October 1978, and all WAC units were integrated with male units.

The WAC was created to enable women to serve in non-combat positions in the U.S. Army. It was designed by Lt. Col. Gillman C. Mudgett, the first WAAC Pre-Planner, who expected a corps of 11,000 women. However, the Senate approved a bill on 14 May 1942, which became law on 15 May 1942, setting a recruitment goal of 25,000 women for the first year. This goal was exceeded, and the Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson, authorized the enlistment of 150,000 volunteers.

The WAAC was modelled after comparable British units, particularly the ATS, which caught the attention of Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall. The first contingent of 800 members of the WAAC began basic training at Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School in Iowa in 1942. They were trained in three major specialties: switchboard operators, mechanics, and bakers. This was later expanded to dozens of specialties, including Postal Clerk, Driver, Stenographer, and Clerk-Typist.

During World War II, about 150,000 American women served in the WAAC and WAC. While most served stateside, some went to Europe, North Africa, and New Guinea. For example, WACs landed on Normandy Beach just a few weeks after the initial invasion. Despite their contributions, the WAC faced resistance and criticism from some Army commanders and soldiers, who opposed the idea of women in uniform. There were also slander campaigns that challenged the WACs as sexually immoral, which hurt the reputation of the corps.

In 1964, the WAC sent advisors to South Vietnam to assist in planning and developing the Women's Armed Forces Corps (WAFC). In the following years, WAC members served in various administrative and support roles in Saigon and South Vietnam. The WAC reached its peak strength in South Vietnam in 1970, with 20 officers and 139 enlisted women. With the withdrawal of U.S. forces, the WAC detachment was gradually reduced, and by early 1972, only 35 enlisted women remained.

In 1976, the Women's Officer Candidate School program at Fort McClellan was merged with the Officer Candidate program at Fort Benning, and the first female cadets started at West Point. Finally, on 20 October 1978, the WAC was disbanded, and women serving in the corps were integrated into male units, converting to whichever Military Occupational Specialty they worked in. Since then, women in the U.S. Army have served in the same units as men, with opportunities to serve in or near combat situations expanding over time.

WAC was created to fill non-combat roles and free men for combat duties

The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was created during World War II to fill non-combat roles and free men for combat duties.

The WAC was established as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), on 15 May 1942, and became an active unit of the US Army on 1 July 1943. The WAC was created to provide support to the US Army by filling critical non-combat roles, including clerical workers, truck drivers, instructors, and lab technicians.

The idea for the WAC was first proposed by Representative Edith Nourse Rogers of Massachusetts, who introduced a bill on 28 May 1941 to establish a women's auxiliary unit. The bill was initially held up by the Bureau of the Budget but was resurrected and approved by the Senate on 14 May 1942. It became law on 15 May 1942 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed it.

The WAC was designed to free up men for combat roles by allowing women to fill non-combat positions. The first WAAC contingent of 800 members began basic training at Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School in Iowa in 1942. They were trained in specialties such as switchboard operators, mechanics, bakers, postal clerks, drivers, stenographers, and clerk-typists.

A physical training manual titled "You Must Be Fit" was published by the War Department in July 1943, emphasising the responsibility of WAC recruits to replace men and be ready to take on any job. Despite some resistance and negative attitudes towards women in the Army, the efficient service of WAACs in the field helped overcome these obstacles.

During World War II, about 150,000 American women served in the WAAC and WAC, releasing the equivalent of seven divisions of men for combat duties. The WAC played a crucial role in supporting the war effort, with women serving in various positions and some even landing on Normandy Beach just weeks after the initial invasion.

WAC members were not allowed to command men's units

The Women's Army Corps (WAC) was the women's branch of the United States Army. It was created as an auxiliary unit, the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) on 15 May 1942, and converted to an active-duty status in the Army of the United States as the WAC on 1 July 1943. Its first director was Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby. The WAC was disbanded on 20 October 1978, and all WAC units were integrated with male units.

The WAAC was modelled after comparable British units, especially the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), which caught the attention of Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall. In 1942, the first contingent of 800 members of the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps began basic training at Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School in Iowa. The women were fitted for uniforms, interviewed, assigned to companies and barracks, and inoculated against disease during the first day.

The WAAC was first trained in three major specialties: switchboard operators, mechanics, and bakers. This was later expanded to dozens of specialties like Postal Clerk, Driver, Stenographer, and Clerk-Typist. WAC armourers maintained and repaired small arms and heavy weapons that they were not allowed to use.

A physical training manual titled "You Must Be Fit" was published by the War Department in July 1943, aimed at bringing the women recruits to top physical standards. The manual begins by naming the responsibility of the women: "Your Job: To Replace Men. Be Ready To Take Over." It cited women's commitment to the war effort in England, Russia, Germany, and Japan, and emphasized that WAC recruits must be physically able to take on any job.

During World War II, about 150,000 American women served in the WAAC and WAC. While the conservative opinion in the leadership of the Army was initially opposed to women serving in uniform, as was public opinion, the shortage of men necessitated a new policy. While most women served stateside, some went to various places worldwide, including Europe, North Africa, and New Guinea. For example, WACs landed on Normandy Beach just a few weeks after the initial invasion.

In 1943, the recruiting momentum stopped and went into reverse as a massive slander campaign on the home front challenged the WACs as sexually immoral. Many soldiers ferociously opposed allowing women in uniform, warning their sisters and friends that they would be seen as lesbians or prostitutes. Surveys found that the majority of Army enlisted soldiers thought that women of poor quality became WACs, and would tell sisters or girlfriends not to join; only 17% or less would tell them to become WACs. Seventy-two per cent of civilian women in a 1944 Gallup Poll said that Army men had influenced them not to enlist.

Criticism of WACs also came from other women: servicemen and officer's wives' idle gossip, local women who disliked the newcomers taking over "their town", female civilian employees resenting the competition (for both jobs and men), charity and volunteer organizations who resented the extra attention the WAACs received, and complaints and slander spread by disgruntled or discharged WAACs. One WAC recruiting officer said that at her post, many believed that Army women had deserted husbands and children to consort with male soldiers. Many civilians described WACs at local bases as heavy drinkers who frequently slept with men. Alternately, wanting to become a WAC might be proof of lesbianism, or WAC might convert a woman into such; one woman reporter wrote of her surprise that Hobby was feminine, and not "an unmarried woman with... a Gertrude Stein haircut".

All investigations showed the rumours were false, but the belief that the Army wanted WACs as "morale boosters"—organized prostitutes—was widespread among soldiers and civilians. Some Army officers explicitly stated that WACs improving soldiers' morale was more important than their official duties. While most WACs denied such rumours, some were also uncertain of their purpose. One woman soldier wrote that since "you can't change human nature", WACs could act as "a healthy source of entertainment for our gallant men, and win the war". The Army sometimes used WAC units to control male sexuality, such as black units usually being assigned near black male soldiers. British General Bernard Montgomery, in December 1944, suggested assigning WAC and ATS units to the occupation of Germany to avoid Allied soldiers' fraternization with German women. Although WAC headquarters and European Theater of Operations WACs criticized the suggestion, one Army officer noted in a letter to a friend that the same colonel that had ordered officers to avoid prostitutes had, the next day, told them that they could date WACs.

Although many sources spawned and fed bad jokes and ugly rumours about military women, contemporaneous and historical accounts have focused on the work of syndicated columnist John O'Donnell. According to an Army history, even with its hasty retraction, O'Donnell's 8 June 1943 "Capitol Stuff" column did "incalculable damage." That column began, "Contraceptives and prophylactic equipment will be furnished to members of the WAACS, according to a super-secret agreement reached by the high-ranking officers of the War Department and the WAAC chieftain, Mrs. William Pettus Hobby…." This followed O'Donnell's 7 June column discussing efforts of women journalists and congresswomen to dispel "the gaudy stories of the gay and careless way in which the young ladies in uniform… disport themselves…."

The allegations were refuted, but the "fat was in the fire. The morals of the WAACs became a topic of general discussion…." Denials of O'Donnell's fabrications and others like them were ineffectual. According to Matt

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